Meet the Team

  • Lori is a lifelong environmentalist, a community organizer, and a resident of New Haven. She is committed to creating a just food system and a just world.

  • Roberto Casanueva is the Operations Manager at Haven's Harvest in New Haven, Connecticut, where he combines his knack for logistics and operations with a deep commitment to sustainability and community resilience. With years of experience spanning non-profit organizations, tech startups, and grassroots community initiatives, Roberto’s approach is both practical and human-centered, fostering connections that create real impact.
    When he’s not working, Roberto enjoys movie nights, taking his dog Orfue to the beach, and dreaming of the next chapter in life—starting a family with his wife Julia, who’s pursuing postdoctoral research at Yale. For Roberto, life is all about building a meaningful future, both personally and professionally, rooted in connection, care, and a dash of adventure.

  • Courtney—known lovingly as “Coco” by her friends—is a published author, award-winning writer, and singer with a passion for uplifting others. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, she enjoyed a life of privilege but has also witnessed the painful realities of homelessness and hunger close to home. Those experiences, paired with her nurturing roles as a preschool teacher and a weight loss coach with Jenny Craig, shaped her deep compassion and belief in the power of community. Through her autobiography, Coco shares a heartfelt journey of challenges, triumphs, and an enduring message: together, we can do anything.  She is currently working on her dream of owning a dog rescue, buying her first (and hopefully only!!) house and starting a homestead, and making sure no dog or child ever goes hungry.

  • Emma is a digital native with over five years of experience supporting Haven’s Harvest in IT roles and operations. Currently studying at Clark University, Emma combines her expertise in IT with a passion for environmental sustainability and food recovery. Outside of work and academics, you'll often find her engrossed in a good book, creating intricate crochet designs, or exploring captivating new destinations.

  • Mandy is a retired Nuisance Wildlife Control Specialist wanting to use her customer service skills for serving humans!  She's a part time volunteer who shares her small business expertise willingly.  She currently serves Haven's Harvest on the Partner Relations Team after dispatching for us in 2022 -2024.  She's a grandmother of 5, living in Branford, with her Mom.  She loves, people, good deeds and Jesus Christ.

  • Bailey joined Haven’s Harvest as an intern in 2024 through her College, Albertus Magnus. Bailey is entering her senior year at Albertus and is majoring in philosophy. She continues to work with us as a dispatcher, ensuring effective transactions between our volunteers, donors, and recipients!

  • Anissa has been working in management for 6+ years, formerly as an Associate Casting Director in Hollywood, and now as a Project Manager with Haven’s Harvest. Exhausted by the competitive and glamorous nature of the entertainment industry, Anissa desired a change. A native New Yorker, she made the move to New Haven on a whim and has since thrown herself head-first into the nonprofit world.

  • Trista Caron began at Haven’s Harvest as an intern while completing her degree at Albertus Magnus College. Her joy for giving back to the community has led her to remain with the organization. She brings four years of corporate world experience and sits on one board in her hometown, Naugatuck.

Our Board Members

  • Caleb grew up with an urban farm as a part of everyday life, and has been a social and environmental activist since he was young. He left New Haven for college, and was excited to return home and become a part of the thriving environmental justice community in New Haven.

  • A native of Kentucky who came up this way to attend Wesleyan, Sarah’s core values were shaped by her master gardener grandparents. Janie Lou and H.R. modeled hard work, caring for the earth and their neighbors - and a cutting edge commitment to zero food waste. They loved to tell how, on the first day of school, she asked her kindergarten teacher where to compost her orange peels. Sarah has been an Early Childhood Educator for over 35 years and counting. She enjoys her children, her dogs, bright colors, connecting people, overthinking small things and dreaming really big dreams of a CT where have what they need to thrive.

  • Leigh is a long-time local resident, active as a volunteer with numerous organizations. She is particularly passionate about gardening and environmental issues. She spends most summer days at the community garden at Temple Mishkan Israel in Hamden and is also a volunteer at food pantries in the region. Leigh is also active at Trinity-on-the-Green Episcopal Church in New Haven serving in several leadership and committee positions. After many years at the Yale School of Medicine, she now enjoys a more low-key, part-time job as the parish administrator of Bethesda Lutheran Church.

 
  • Giulia has helped small businesses and nonprofits develop strong and results-oriented brand and communications through planning, implementation, consulting, and workshops since June 2009. Projects include many well-known area organizations such as Natureworks Garden Center, KNOWN Coworking, Innovation to Impact at Yale, KNOWNpreneurs and Aropa Consulting.

    Since 2010, Giulia has co-facilitated Digital Media Sync, a weekly free learning networking event for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profits with workshops and guided discussions. In the past year alone, Giulia has livestreamed and archived more than 60 episodes through the KNOWN live streaming channel. In 2021, Giulia was Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the New Haven Free Public Library, for 10 months, and a team member, instructor and coach of the Make to Sell Cohort Program. Giulia has also led seminars for SCORE Fairfield County and CEDF (Community Economic Development Fund). Giulia continues to serve as one of 12 expert instructors for the TechXel Stamford cohort at the Ferguson Library.

    Through the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, Giulia developed and ran Non-profit Online Fundraising Workshops and served as Keynote Speaker for the 2019 Great Give kickoff. In her spare time, Giulia maintains three gardens, including a historic herb garden, dances, creates botanical illustrations, and raises two rescue dogs, Halford and Lemmy, with her partner. In October 2023, Giulia received her Master Gardener Credentials through the University of Connecticut Extension.

    “One thing I always say I love is the intersection between environmental rights and food as aright. I love how the food-to table-to-elsewhere cycle does not mean a direct hit to the trash bin.”

  • Susan has been a member of Witnesses to Hunger since the start of the New Haven chapter in January 2018. She is a member of CFAN, its Steering Committee and participates in several subgroups. In addition, Susan is on the REACH Steering Committee and a member of the Board of Directors for Haven’s Harvest.


 
  • Charlize is currently a sophomore at Yale University, where she is pursuing a double major in the History of Science Medicine and Public Health and Ethnicity Race and Migration (ER&M). Her interest in public health began in high school when she participated in the New Jersey Health Initiative Emerging Leaders program. In the summer of 2023, she worked tirelessly as a summer intern for Haven’s Harvest, helping to launch our Summer Supper Series, and she hopes to return for more. This past fall is partnering with Matthew Kirschner to collaborate with students at the The Yale Hunger Action Project to expand the volunteer base and raise awareness among Yale students about food waste within the Yale campus and the surrounding areas.

    Charlize’s personal experience growing up in a low-income, primarily Latino community provides her with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the populations Haven’s Harvest aims to serve. As a current undergraduate student, she has a unique perspective on engaging and mobilizing young volunteers and supporters. Passionate about education and public awareness, Charlize will assist in developing campaigns and strategies to raise awareness about food waste and food insecurity, encouraging more individuals and businesses to get involved.

    “Engaging in service has been a transformative experience that has broadened my perspective on the issues my peers and I face. It has educated me about the larger societal, social, and political factors that exacerbate these difficulties. Service has become my chosen avenue for change, motivating me to take proactive steps to address the very challenges that affect my community and me.”

  • Catherine comes to the Haven’s Harvest board as many do—with years of experience rescuing food for the organization around New Haven and a deep desire to do more. Having earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Smith College, Catherine received her M.Phil from Yale University in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry before settling in Fair Haven heights in New Haven. She is currently laboratory manager for the Reilly lab in the genetics department, supervising inventory, as well as safety and organizational issues.

    A dedicated community activist, Catherine helped organize and grow the New Haven Buy Nothing Group, an online free marketplace where members can give and receive secondhand items. She is also chair of the Quinnipiac East Management team, a neighborhood association that works to create a stronger neighborhood community and connect neighbors with their elected officials to effect change. worked with diverse groups of people to support several communities and organizations. Whether it’s developing operating procedures, outreach, or organizing events for up to 100 people, she has collaborated with board and community members to achieve shared goals.

    The mission of Haven’s Harvest is critical to her. “It pains me to think of how much food is wasted while so many people go hungry and our planet warms. Everybody needs to eat, and so food is a great way to bring people together and build community. I’m excited for the opportunity to become more involved with the organization, helping it sustainably expand its mission.”

 
 
 
 

Our Interns

 
 

Haven’s Harvest is proud to host interns during the summers and throughout the year. While only with us temporarily, our interns have a lasting impact on our mission. Thank you!

  • Our lovely 2024 interns:

    Trista Caron

    Margarita Pagan

    Lisa Caldwell

    Vinny Ortiz

    Kris Lebron Romero

    Eleanor Keohane

    Bailey Mitchell-Warren 

    Laziya Trowell

    Jayden Carty

  • Our lovely 2023 interns:

    Charlize Leon Mata

    Emma Polinsky

    Mathhew Krischner

    Leslie