Jared Blumenfeld

Jared Blumenfeld, the Administrator for USEPA Region 9, will lead off the conference with a keynote address about the critical role that composting, organics recycling and renewable energy play in empowering communities to achieve long-term environmental and economic sustainability. The Pacific Southwest Region encompasses California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and over 140 Tribal Nations.

Before becoming Regional Administrator, Mr. Blumenfeld was the Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment where he spent eight years as the primary environmental decision-maker for 28,000 city staff and a $6.5 billion budget.

He is a founder of Business Council on Climate Change, an organization that unites local businesses around the challenge of climate change. His varied experiences also include overseeing the Treasure Island Redevelopment Authority, leading the first United Nations World Environment Day hosted by the United States, directing international initiatives to protect 8 million acres of wildlife habitat and editing an annual report on international environmental case law at Cambridge University. Mr. Blumenfeld received his law degrees at the University of London.

Nikki Henderson

Nikki Henderson is Executive Director of People's Grocery, a community-based organization in West Oakland, California that develops creative solutions to health problems in its community that stem from a lack of access to and knowledge about healthy, fresh foods. People’s Grocery’s mission is to build a local food system that improves the health and economy of the West Oakland community. “We want to change the way the food system works,” notes the mission statement on the website. “We believe everyone should have access to healthy food, regardless of income. We call this ‘food justice’ — the belief that healthy food is a human right. The food system is failing to provide low-income people with the healthy foods they need to thrive. It is also failing to create good jobs and support local food businesses in urban communities.”

In addition to leading People’s Grocery, Nikki will also be collaborating closely with out-going Executive Director Brahm Ahmadi as he creates a new company that will work to realize People’s Grocery’s goal of opening a community grocery store in West Oakland.

Nikki Henderson has been an active social justice and sustainability advocate since 2002. Prior to joining People's Grocery, she was with Slow Food USA in Brooklyn, New York. Before Slow Food USA, Nikki worked very closely with Van Jones and Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins at Green for All on the executive support team.