Chef Sicily Sierra
Co-founder & Head Chef of Impact
A classically trained chef, restaurateur, entrepreneur, culinary educator, and Hollywood veteran who turns excellence into an open door for young people.
Our team
The people who show up.
Builders, mentors, educators, chefs, and believers in what is possible.
The framework
Excellence and community are not in competition.
The team reflects the communities it serves, keeps learning, shows up consistently, and shares leadership.
Chef Melanie Wilkerson
Co-founder
A chef with more than 15 years in acclaimed kitchens, a champion for responsible sourcing, and a mentor who makes craft and leadership inseparable.
Aditi Iyer
Young Ag Cultivator
A Duke neuroscience student whose work joins health equity, sustainability, and hands-on community care.
Thérèse Nelson
Culinary Curriculum Architect
A chef, writer, and cultural archivist connecting Black culinary history, foodways, identity, and equitable access to knowledge.
Savannah Bowman
Community Changemaker
An educator bringing a student-centered, literacy-rooted approach to academic excellence and understanding the world.
Taylor Outler, MPH
Director of Transformational Learning
An equity-rooted public-health strategist designing joyful, people-centered programs and partnerships.