Food Bank of Contra Costa and SolanoFood Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

  • English
  • Español
  • Partner Agency Login
  • Volunteer
  • Give
feeding-america
    • English
    • Español
    • Home
    • Get Food
      • Find Food in My City
      • CalFresh
        • CalFresh for Seniors
        • ABAWD
          • ABAWD Assessment
          • Request An ABAWD Training
        • CalFresh Inquiry
      • Pantries & Soup Kitchens
      • Summer Food for Kids
      • Nutrition & Recipes
      • Share Your Story
    • How to Help
      • COVID-19 Response
      • Donate
        • Donate Food
        • Nourish 365
        • Company Matching Gifts
        • Virtual Food Drive
        • Planned Giving
        • Give Stock or Other Securities
      • Volunteer
      • Food Drives
      • Advocate
        • Speaker Series
    • News & Events
      • Events & Promotions
      • Ongoing Promotions
      • Blog
      • Media Center
        • In the News
        • Press Releases
        • Newsletter Archive
        • Food Bank Logos
      • Host a Food Bank Event/Promotion
        • Guidelines for Hosting a Food Bank Event/Promotion
    • About
      • History
      • What We Do
      • Who We Serve
        • Children
        • Seniors
        • Individuals
        • Hunger Study 2018
      • Who We Are
        • Staff
        • Board of Directors
      • Our Programs
      • Financials
      • Education & Resources
        • Request a Food Bank Speaker
      • For Partner Agencies
        • Become a Partner Agency
      • Careers
      • Holiday Sponsors
    • Contact
    • Partner Agency Login
    • Volunteer
    • Give
    Print

    Staff

    Executive Staff

    President and CEO

    Joel Sjostrom ext. 202
    [email protected]
    President and CEO since 2019

    Joel comes to the Food Bank with decades of leadership experience in which he has demonstrated a record of success delivering consistent revenue growth, building team collaboration, and developing strong teams. With a deep personal commitment to strengthening communities, Joel has long been an avid volunteer, held leadership positions, and helped fundraise for a variety of nonprofit organizations including the Greater Richmond Interfaith Project (GRIP), Hope Lutheran Preschool, the Alameda County Community Food Bank, Trinity Church Brown Bag Program in NYC, Haitian Foster Home Project, Second Harvest Silicon Valley, and the American Heart Association.

    Joel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and Marketing from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN. A Minnesota native, Joel is a long-term resident of Contra Costa County and resides in El Sobrante, CA with his wife Sherry.

    Joel takes over from long-time Executive Director Larry Sly who is retiring after dedicating his entire career to helping people in need.

    Finance Director

    HuLynne Besharatpour ext. 212
    [email protected]
    Finance Director since 2013

    HuLynne has over 8 years of nonprofit accounting and grants experience. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector she worked for over 10 years in the corporate world as a Business and HR Management professional. The industries she has worked have ranged from the High Tech industry to the Manufacturing industry. The last 7 years she worked as Accounting Manager at a nonprofit healthcare provider.  The agency that she worked for had service area and revenue growth close to 100% during her time with the agency.   She currently serves on two Bay Area Youth Sports organization boards and is currently working on her MBA.

    Operations Director

    Hisham Hamdy ext. 258 (Concord) 294 (Fairfield)
    [email protected]
    Operations Director since 2013

    Hisham has spent the past 15 years developing and maintaining programs to feed the hungry in California. One of those programs collected 12 million pounds of food a year from growers and packing houses throughout California. He has also established and coordinated tailgate food distributions across rural California. Hisham also keeps active in the local Bay Area community by coaching youth basketball, soccer, and softball. In the future, Hisham plans to go back to school for his MBA.

    Program Director

    Nora Nicholson ext. 204
    [email protected]
    Program Director since 2020

    Nora oversees the programs and services that ensure everyone in our community has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive. She is passionate about making a positive impact in the community.

    Nora began her career working in retail, eCommerce, and consumer products including roles at Gap, Inc., Banana Republic and Macy’s.  Nora transitioned into non-profit 7 years ago when she assumed the role of Program Director for Help a Mother Out, a non-profit diaper bank in the Bay Area and a Food Bank Partner.

    Nora lives in Contra Costa County with her husband and two daughters and is an avid community volunteer. A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, she is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration at San Francisco State.

    Development Director

    Kim Castaneda, CFRE ext. 265
    [email protected]
    VP of Development & Communications since 2017

    With more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Kim brings expertise and energy to her role as VP of Development & Communications. Kim’s team creates strategies and builds relationships that advance all aspects of the Food Bank’s fundraising efforts, including private donations and corporate partnerships. Kim is passionate about giving back to her community, and through development, she sees opportunities to inspire and enable others to give back as well.

    Kim is a graduate of San Jose State University, where she studied Hospitality Management and Business, and received the Diversity Enhancement Award. She is a member of the Rotary Club, and a graduate of Leadership San Jose, class of 2017, and holds a certificate from the University of Norte Dame-Mendoza College of Business Executive Leadership Program.

    Human Resources Director

    Holly Neu, MS HRM ext. 203
    [email protected]
    Human Resources Director since 2014

    As Human Resources Director, Holly provides strategic leadership in all areas of people and culture management. She joined the Food Bank in 2014 with a diverse background in the legal, higher education, and construction sectors.

    At a young age, Holly learned that we have a responsibility to serve our community and those in need. Throughout her childhood, Holly spent countless hours in her grandparent’s garden harvesting fruits and vegetables for donation to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. It’s a tradition she continues to this day in the same garden with her own two children. And as a Food Bank staff member, Holly is able to give back on a daily basis and is always inspired by the passionate and caring individuals around her.

    Holly holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from California State University, Chico and a Master’s of Science in Human Resources Management from Golden Gate University. Outside of work, you can find Holly running the local trails and cheering for her children at their various sporting events.

    Photos by: Katheri Neelyse Photography

    Other Staff Members

    Food Drive Administrator

    Neil Zarchin ext. 208
    [email protected]

    Volunteer Manager

    Sharon Zeppegno ext. 209
    [email protected]

    Donor Relations

    For help with a monetary donation by mail or online

    Brandon Baldwin ext.210
    [email protected]

    Corporate Donations

    John Calender ext. 218
    [email protected]

    Institutional Giving Officer

    Lindsay Drakeley ext. 236
    [email protected]

    Media and Education

    Lisa Sherrill ext. 206
    [email protected]

    Salesforce Administrator

    Patty McDowell ext. 243
    [email protected]

    Advocacy Manager

    Cassidie Bates ext. 261
    [email protected]

    Special Events

    [email protected]

    Agency Relations Manager

    Amy  Faletti ext. 232
    [email protected]

    Purchasing Manager

    Babak Mehryar ext. 242
    [email protected]

    Child Programs and Extra Helpings Administrator

    Anna Gorman ext. 249
    [email protected]

    Food For Children/Food Assistance Coordinator

    Julie Redmond ext. 207
    [email protected]

    CalFreshOutreach Manager

    LaLisha Norton
    [email protected]

    Senior Food Coordinator

    Kelly Carroll
    [email protected]

    Community Produce Program and Mobile Food Pharmacy Administrator

    Matthew Durkin ext. 232
    [email protected]

    About

    • History
    • What We Do
    • Who We Serve
    • Who We Are
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
    • Our Programs
    • Financials
    • Green Initiatives
    • Education & Resources
    • For Partner Agencies
    • Careers

    Three Main Buttons

    • give-icon Give
    • volunteer-icon Volunteer
    • apple-white-2 Get Help

    Stay Connected

    FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagramYoutube
    fbccs-white-logo

    [email protected]

    Concord Location
    P: 925-676-7543
    F: 925-671-7933

    Fairfield Location
    P: 707-421-9777
    F: 707-421-0205

    DONATE FOOD
    Concord Warehouse
    4010 Nelson Ave., Concord, CA 94520
    Monday - Thursday: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Friday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Saturday - Sunday:  8:00 am - 3:30 pm

    Fairfield Warehouse
    2339 Courage Dr, Ste F, Fairfield, CA 94533
    Monday through Friday: 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
    Saturdays by appointment

    Stay Connected

    FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagramYoutube

    Join our E-News list

    Careers | Site Map | Privacy Policy

    © Copyright 2021 Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. All Rights Reserved.
    Federal Tax ID# 94-2418054
    Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

    Website design and development by MIGHTYminnow