Food Alliance Staff
Scott Exo • Executive Director
Ingrid Dankmeyer • Assistant Director
Karen Lewotsky • Certification Director
Heather Saam • Certification Manager
Roberta Anderson • Business Development Director
Keith Bernhardt • Development & Communications Director
John Harrington • Communications & Marketing Manager
Bob Olson • Director, Food Alliance Midwest
Scott Exo • Executive Director
Email: Scott at foodalliance.org
Phone: 503.493.1066, ext 30
Scott provides strategic direction and leadership for Food Alliance. He is the main point of contact for leaders at other organizations, businesses and agencies. He also represents Food Alliance at public events and to the media.
Scott has over twenty years of non-profit and program management experience. Prior to joining Food Alliance in 1999, he worked on farm and forest land conservation issues for 1000 Friends of Oregon, managed rural development and education programs in Asia and Africa, and was an organizational consultant.
Scott currently serves on the the Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Resource Center's administrative council; the ODA/OSU Food Innovation Center advisory board, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch advisory board.
As an East-West Center graduate fellow, Scott earned dual Masters degrees in Geography and in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1989.
Ingrid Dankmeyer • Assistant Director
Email: Ingrid at foodalliance.org
Phone: 503.493.1066, ext 22
Karen Lewotsky • Certification Director
Email: Karen at foodalliance.org
Phone: 503.493.1066, ext 25
Karen oversees development and administration of Food Alliance's certification standards and policies. She is the lead contact for issues covered under Food Alliance certification.
Prior to joining Food Alliance in 2006, Karen spent eight years as a Program Director for the Oregon Environmental Council, where she managed agriculture and water programs. She holds a PhD in Geography and a JD with a Natural Resources emphasis, both from the University of Oregon.
Heather Saam • Certification Manager
Email: Heather at foodalliance.org
Phone: 503.493.1066, ext 23
Heather oversees administration of Food Alliance's certification program, the receipt and processing of certification applications, and the training of Food Alliance accredited inspectors. She is the lead contact for questions related to the certification process.
Prior to joining Food Alliance in August 2004, Heather worked for the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a study of nutrient management practices on Wisconsin dairy farms. Heather grew up on her family's century farm in Northwest Illinois. Heather holds an MS in Land Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BA in Philosophy and Chemistry from Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa.
Roberta Anderson • Business Development
Director
Email: Roberta at foodalliance.org
Phone: 503.493.1066, ext 31
Roberta works in the Northwest and nationally on outreach to farmers, ranchers, food packers, processors and distributors regarding Food Alliance certification. She also works to recruit participation and support from commercial food buyer and to match supply and demand for certified products.
Roberta joined Food Alliance in September 2004 after earning her Masters in Business Administration at Portland State University. During her MBA program, Roberta focused on issues of social responsibility and environmental sustainability in business and completed a certificate program in Food Industry Management. She did an internship with the promotions department at New Seasons Market, a beloved Portland-area natural supermarket chain, and consulted for Coastwide Laboratories, a regional sanitary maintenance supply distributor and manufacturer of award-winning sustainable cleaning products. Roberta has served on the board of directors for Portland's Hollywood Farmers' Market since 2002.

Keith Bernhardt • Development & Communications Director

Email: Keith at foodalliance.org
Phone: (503) 493.1066, ext 32
Keith guides fundraising, communication and marketing efforts. He brings over 10 years of fundraising expertise to Food Alliance. Keith holds a BA in Biology from Lewis & Clark College, and an MBA from Marylhurst University.
Prior to joining Food Alliance, Keith worked as a fundraiser for SOLV, the OHSU Foundation, Sisters of the Road Café, and Sustainable Ecosystems Institute. When not at Food Alliance, Keith can be found exploring Oregon’s coast or the Columbia Gorge, bird watching, cooking, golfing, enjoying independent film and local theater.
John Harrington • Communications & Marketing Manager
Email: John at foodalliance.org
Phone: (503) 493.1066, ext 24
John joined Food Alliance after managing communications and events for six years at Sustainable Northwest. He grew up on the east coast and has over a decade of experience in project management, public relations, graphic arts, editing, and publishing. In 2005 he published the book, Renewing the Countryside: Washington.
John has a BA in English Literature from New York University. He has served on board and as an advisor to a variety of sustainability, conservation, and creative arts organizations in Oregon. His personal interests include urban landscapes, video and music production, photography, biking, hiking, regional food and drink, and advancing Portland's creative/green community.
Bob Olson • Director, Food Alliance
Midwest
Email: Bob at foodalliance.org
Phone: (651)265-3682
Bob works in the Midwest to support outreach to farmers, ranchers, food packers, processors and distributors regarding Food Alliance certification. He also works to recruit participation and support from commercial food buyer and to match supply and demand for certified products.
Bob joined Food Alliance Midwest in January 2005. Bob has over 25 years of agricultural and business development experience, working with farmers as a staff member of the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Bob earned an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science and a masters degree in Agriculture and Applied Economics. He was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm where he experienced first-hand the challenges and opportunities of food production.
Elizabeth Palles • Bookkeeper
Email: Liz at foodalliance.org
Phone: 503.493.1066, ext 21
Liz manages accounts payable and receivable, grant allocations, bookkeeping and financial reporting.
Prior to joining Food Alliance, Liz served as the administrator/office manager for two environmental organizations in rural New Hampshire, Friends of the John Hay National Wildlife Refuge, and Lake Sunapee Protective Association.






