Hey, There!
I’m Earlene.

Earlene is a UNESCO-trained socio-cultural anthropologist, food futurist, and the founder of Kitchen Connection, a global platform that connects cooks, farmers, policymakers, and indigenous leaders from more than 150 countries to reimagine the future of food through cultural diplomacy. She grew up in a family of agriculturists and restaurateurs, giving her a firsthand understanding of both the farm and the table, and shaping her belief in food as a bridge between people, cultures, and ideas.

Her research focuses on how gastrodiplomacy can advance sustainability goals on Earth and in space. She has supported the preservation of traditional crops in Latin America, advised on climate-resilient school meal programs in Japan, and advocates for polar sustainability as an Antarctic Ambassador. She works with the United Nations, national governments, and global coalitions on food policy, trade, biodiversity, and innovative agriculture, and designs education programs that prepare young people to protect planetary health.

Earlene led the creation of the award-winning Cookbook in Support of the United Nations: For People and Planet, the first to pair every recipe with nutrition and carbon footprint data, which has been featured in The New York Times, UN News, and Food Tank. She co-authored How Does Food Grow?, an illustrated book introducing children to the food system.

A James Beard Foundation Scholar and adjunct professor at New York University, she teaches the history of agriculture, global food trade, and food innovation, from the Ice Age to space farming. Her early ethnographic work with the French Embassy in New York informed The Bilingual Revolution and was cited in Ethnic American Food Today. She served on the United Nations Department of Global Communications Youth Steering Committee for four years and continues to advise its successor, the UN Youth Office.

Having lived at sea through the Semester at Sea program and traveled to more than 115 countries, Earlene is as comfortable documenting fonio preservation in rural West Africa as she is moderating high-level United Nations panels. Across her work, she remains committed to ensuring that food connects rather than divides, building a future that is just, sustainable, and delicious.

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SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS

Founded and scaled Kitchen Connection, a global platform connecting chefs, farmers, educators, and policy makers in over 150 countries through events, curricula, and media rooted in food systems diplomacy.
Directed production of a cookbook developed with the United Nations, featured in The New York Times, Food Tank, and UN News, with contributions from 200+ experts across 75 global regions.
Directed and co-authored How Does Our Food Grow? (Children’s Book, 2023), launched at the UN Bookstore as a tool for global food systems literacy.
Designed a school-based nutrition curriculum piloted in Ghana, India, the Netherlands, and the U.S., advancing planetary health literacy and youth engagement.
Advised 60+ national governments via the UN School Meals Coalition, offering strategy support on sustainable school feeding and youth-centered programming.
Delivered or moderated 100+ UN events, including panels during COP24, COP25, UNGA, ECOSOC Youth Forum, and civil society briefings with heads of state and international leaders.
James Beard Foundation Awards Judge

EDUCATION

New York University
• PhD student, Food Studies, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
• Master’s in Food Studies & Social Entrepreneurship, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
• James Beard Scholar Award. NYU Ignite Fellow. Graduate Interdisciplinary Academic Excellence Award.

Seton Hall University – Stillman School of Business
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, French Double Major
• Minor: International Business. Summa Cum Laude. Dean’s List (All Semesters).

La Sorbonne, Paris
• French Civilization and Language Certificate (Advanced)

Semester at Sea – Institute for Shipboard Education
• Student (Fall 2012) and Student-Researcher (Spring 2014)
• Global voyage with fieldwork and social entrepreneurship research.

Saint Dominic Academy
• Valedictorian. International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

LEADERSHIP & POLICY ROLES

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | Kitchen Connection, 2012-Present
Launched and continue to direct a pioneering global platform promoting food systems education and cultural diplomacy through online and in-person programs. Key initiatives include:
• Managing international partnerships with FAO, the Rockefeller Foundation, and government ministries.
• Designing and overseeing school nutrition curricula, implemented across four continents.
• Supporting 60+ national school meal programs through strategic advisement with the School Meals Coalition.
• Moderating UN high-level sessions on food systems, Zero Hunger, and climate.
• Authoring policy tools and campaign content in collaboration with IFAD, UN DGC & UN Climate Action (ActNow).
• Hosting Table Talks: a youth-focused dialogue platform spanning 100+ countries.

YOUTH STEERING COMMITTEE (ALUMNA) | UN Department of Global Communications, 2017-2021
• Served as a youth advisor and event moderator for major UN summits on food, climate, peacebuilding, and youth equity. Co-developed the Youth Climate Compact (2019), referenced in UNGA proceedings.
• Contributed to annual UN Youth Declarations and co-organized flagship youth forums and panels.

PUBLICATIONS & EDITORIAL WORK

• How Does Our Food Grow? (Children’s Book) | Co-Author & Editor (2023)

Illustrated introduction to food systems literacy for global classrooms. Launched at the UN Bookstore.

• Cookbook in Support of the United Nations: For People and Planet | Director, Author, Editor (2021)

Produced & led development for 160+ page cookbook developed through the UN; featured globally in media & policy networks.

• The Bilingual Revolution – by Fabrice Jaumont | Editor, Writer, Photographer | French Embassy in the U.S. (2017)
Contributed to writing, editing, and photography for this globally distributed book on dual-language education.

TEACHING & CURRICULUM DESIGN

Adjunct Faculty, New York University School of Global Public Health | 2021 – Present

Co-instructor in food systems, climate, and nutrition. Led UN classroom collaborations and student briefings. Curriculum Lead, Kitchen Connection | 2016 – Present

Curriculum Lead, Kitchen Connection | 2016 – Present

Directed development of global nutrition and food systems education curriculum. Piloted in Ghana, India, the Netherlands, and the U.S. with institutional partners.

RESEARCH & FIELDWORK

Elementary and Secondary Schools in: Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Japan, South Africa, Uganda, Uruguay, United States
Semester at Sea: Ethnographic research in 20+ countries
Peru & Ecuador: Consulted with Ministries of Agriculture to develop gastronomic cultural tools
Senegal: Documented traditional food preservation techniques (e.g. fonio) to support cultural heritage preservation
NYC: Led citywide ethnographic research for the French Embassy, advancing bilingual education & cultural diplomacy
Svalbard to Antarctica: Serve as Antarctic Ambassador with IAATO (2021–Present), driving sustainable polar tourism
US.: Consulted with Congressman Espaillat and Columbia Law on climate-resilient farming legislation
Engaged with chefs and culinary reps from 80+ countries at World Expo Milan (2015)
Advised Action Against Hunger and the United Nations of Food project (2012–2015)

FELLOWSHIPS & HONORS

James Beard Foundation Scholar
New York University Ignite Fellow – Entrepreneurial Institute
Graduate Interdisciplinary Academic Excellence Awardee, NYU
Dean’s List – Seton Hall University (All Semesters)
Valedictorian, Saint Dominic Academy
International Baccalaureate Diploma Recipient

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Board Member, Seton Hall University Entrepreneurship Lab
Advisor, Food Film Festival (FAO + Rockefeller Foundation)
Judge, James Beard Awards
Judge, World Food Prize Youth Awards
Judge, NYU Stern Berkley Social Venture Competition

SELECTED UN ENGAGEMENTS

Partial List (2017–2021)

Attended and contributed to 120+ UN DPI/DGC events, receiving informal recognition from the UN Department of Global Communications (formerly known as the UN Department of Public Information), for sustained participation.
Notable forums: COP24, COP25, ECOSOC Youth Forums, UN Civil Society Conferences, SDG Action Zone, and ActNow Climate Campaign.
Engaged with global leaders inc. President Macron, Malala Yousafzai, the Secretary-General, and UN & NGO officials.

2023

Apr 25 – Cookbook in Support of the United Nations launch at the UN Bookstore
Apr 27 – Honored Guest – Dinner at Slovenian Ambassador’s residence with Ambassadors from 6 countries
Aug 29 – Meeting with Finnish Minister of Health
Feb 3 – Cookbook featured at the Austrian Mission’s Danube Ball

2025

Mar 4 – Submitted FAO consultation on Future of Food (food system resiliency)
May 3 – Met with Linda Schultz, Head of Secretariat, School Meals Coalition Research Consortium
Jun 18 – Research Meeting with MEXT (Ministry of Education, Japan) on school meals and cultural food educatio
September – Participant, second Global School Meals Coalition Gathering

LECTURES PANELS & PUBLIC SPEAKING

UN Civil Society Conference, Salt Lake City – Moderator and Rapporteur, multiple sessions
Women and Climate Action – Moderator, UN HQ (2019)
Youth 2030 Strategy, UN DGC – Moderator, Civil Society Chat Series (2018)
Intergenerational Dialogues, UN HQ – Speaker (2018)
Peace Boat Lecture, “Civil Society Strategies Toward Zero Hunger” – Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador (2017)
TED-style cooking diplomacy demos – UNGA Week, Whole Foods Market, NYU King Juan Carlos Center
UN General Assembly – Participant, SDG launch session “Pathways to Zero Hunger” (2015)