Tera Ashley, Director of Food Access
A Georgia native, Tera moved to Nashville in 2004 to attend university. Shortly after graduating, the documentary Food, Inc. hit the scene and she subsequently did a deep dive into the issues within the American food system. Spurred on by her reading, she became an AmeriCorps*Vista Member, serving for over two years as an organic, urban farmer for Trevecca University’s J.V. Morsch Center for Social Justice. Bit by the agriculture bug, she apprenticed at Caney Fork Farms for two years before going on to manage organic, no/low-till vegetable operations across Middle TN, including those at Heritage Preservation Farm, Farm Nashville, Caney Fork Farms, and her own operation, Magpie Farm.
In early 2022, she founded Sweet Radish, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that matches CSA shares from regenerative farms to New American families experiencing food insecurity. She believes strongly in community engagement, and currently serves on the boards of Tennessee Organic Growers Association (TOGA), Tennessee Women in Green (TWIG), and the Nashville Food Co-op (NFC). She is currently earning her M.S. in Sustainability from Lipscomb University. Tera is dedicated to co-creating a food system that is just and equitable for all, and is thrilled to join in the work that The Nashville Food Project is doing!
Julia Baynor, Director of Meals
Brandi Bruns, Chief Financial Officer
An Indiana native, Brandi has spent more than 20 years working leading statewide development teams and serving as a finance and compliance director for various campaigns, though her true passion has always centered around food.
Brandi started her career in the Indianapolis office of US Senator Evan Bayh. From there she transitioned to his 2004 reelection campaign, serving as the Indiana Finance & Compliance Director. Brandi went on to work as the Corporate Giving Manager at the Wishard Foundation,at Planned Parenthood of Indiana as the Development Director, and on the 2008 and 2012 Indiana Democratic Party Coordinated Campaigns, focusing on campaign compliance and operations.
In 2013, Brandi moved to Nashville. She started business school at Owen Graduate School of Management shortly thereafter and worked on special marketing projects for a sustainable food start-up. She was tapped to serve as the Senior Advisor on the Karl Dean for Governor campaign, and then went on to serve as a consultant with political, non-profit and corporate clients.
Brandi received a degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University Bloomington and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. In her free time, Brandi can be found in the kitchen, hiking, working through a list of must-try restaurants, or reading. She shares her home with three cats: Sam, Olive & Max.
Chris Burke, Growing Together Manager
Peter Burns, Director of Growing Together
Peter grew up in Natchez, MS. Trading the lowlands for the Blue Ridge he graduated from Appalachian State University where he studied anthropology, sustainable development, and renewable energy. This study developed a keen interest in the relationship between food production and environmental justice, recognizing that agriculture is the nexus between ecology, community, culture, and economic injustice. Following his passion for food and community he moved to Nashville in 2011 to live and work in the agricultural neighborhood Bells Bend. He spent the next 10 years managing small scale sustainable farms in the neighborhood. Peter then joined the sustainable landscaping cooperative Nashville Foodscapes as a worker-owner, eventually being elected to represent his fellow workers interest on the governing board of the cooperative. Inspired by the work of The Nashville Food Project and the mission of the Growing Together Program, he joined the organization and has served as the program director since March of 2023. When not at work Peter enjoys kayaking, concerts, NSC games, as well as spending time with his loved ones and dog Jasper.
Michael Clark, Food Access Manager
Bilal Farooq, Meals Coordinator
Born Lamar Bilal Farooq, Bilal is originally from Detroit, MI. He graduated from Hunters Lane High School here in Nashville, TN. He decided to go into the culinary industry because he takes pride in the nutritious values of food. In high school, he had the opportunity to be a part of an amazing culinary program that led to his love of being in the kitchen. He hopes to one day have a nonprofit of his own that engages in the lives of youth ages 15-26 and helps them navigate through the walks of life. One of his favorite quotes is, “love and be loved!” If you show love, love will be given in return! He has always strived to be a blessing in the lives of the people/community around him. Working at the Food Project is an extension of that and he believes it will enable him to gain the resources he needs to be a leader in bettering our community, by serving meals to touch the hearts of others. His favorite things to do are singing and being some type of motivation to others.
David Frease, Director of Procurement
Mary Kate Grant, Communications Manager
Ron Harris, Meals Coordinator
Born and raised in Nashville, Ron attended culinary school in Louisville, Kentucky. After school, he experienced cooking in various kitchens such as Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Vanderbilt, and Marriott Hotel. He put down his knives for a while and pursued a career in HIV advocacy with Nashville CARES for five years before returning to the kitchen. He recently closed on a new home in North Nashville and enjoys watching movies, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Ashley Lewis, Strategic Partnerships & Events Manager
Ashley grew up in the Nashville area and treasures the community that she calls home. She regularly volunteered at Room In the Inn at her church growing up which sparked her philanthropic heart at a young age. She studied Marketing at Middle Tennessee State University. After college, she pursued her dream of working in the music industry for several years. The pandemic forced her to focus on other interests and shifted the course of her career. She has always been passionate for sustainability and feeding our neighbors facing hunger which led her to start her non-profit career at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. At Second Harvest Ashley was responsible for managing fundraising events, the food drive program, and represented Second Harvest in the community. Ashley believes that food is a human right that everyone deserves. She really admires that The Nashville Food Project provides not just food, but nutritious meals made with love and dignity. Ashley is thrilled to continue her work in food justice at The Nashville Food Project.
In her free time, she enjoys staying active and being outdoors as much as possible. Some of her hobbies include getting out to see live music, trying new restaurants, kayaking, yoga, roller skating, hiking, cooking, and making jewelry.
Andrew Jordan, Office Manager
Andrew is a Nashville native that grew up going on creek walks and exploring the woods around his house. Serving others and working to create a more equitable world were values that were instilled in him from a young age. After graduating from Hendrix College in Arkansas, he worked at a small college in North Carolina where he met his wife. When she went to South Africa, Andrew moved to California where he received his Masters in Religious Studies. He moved back to Nashville in 2010 and has spent his working life in the nonprofit world. Before joining The Nashville Food Project, Andrew worked for the United Methodist Church and PENCIL.
When he's not working, Andrew loves to cook, dabble in linocuts, read, and spend time playing with his wife and kids.
Nora McDonald, Community Farm Manager
Nora is originally from northeast Massachusetts but has lived in Nashville since 2013 when she arrived to complete a year of service in AmeriCorps. She became obsessed with sustainable agriculture during graduate school and has been growing food in some capacity ever since. She has worked on various local farms and in urban gardens, and is also a proud former TNFP Garden Intern! Since her internship Nora has worked for various nonprofits growing healthy food with and for the community and she is thrilled to be back at The Nashville Food Project to continue that work. When not growing food, Nora loves dabbling in a variety of active and creative hobbies like running, hiking, painting, playing music, or just hanging out with her cats and dog while re-watching Frasier for the one hundredth time.
Landon Meldrum, Facilities and Fleet Coordinator
Landon is a native Nashvillian and middle Tennessean. After spending his collegiate years in Memphis, he moved back home with his wife Morgan. His passions include being on stages across town, tending to his garden, and supporting Aston Villa Football Club. Landon is grateful everyday for the people he has the privilege to work with, and the opportunity to add to the community he calls home.
Bianca Morton, Chief Culinary Officer
Hanes Motsinger, Chief Program Officer
Hanes Motsinger grew up on a farm in State Road, North Carolina, a rural community located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Throughout her childhood, she spent the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas helping her grandparents on their small "choose and cut" Christmas tree farm in Allegheny County, North Carolina. In hindsight, that early experience piqued her wonder for the natural world and her curiosity about agriculture and land-based livelihoods.
Today, Hanes' professional life is defined by the pursuit of social and environmental justice, and her engagement with this work has consistently returned to food and agriculture. She has spent time working with farm-to-table kitchens, migrant farmworker rights organizations, agricultural land trusts, and the global coffee sector. She is ecstatic about joining The Nashville Food Project and diving deep into the work of building community and justice through food (what a dream)! When she's not at work, you can find Hanes beekeeping, playing clawhammer banjo, tasting new coffees from around the world, or visiting the mountains of North Carolina. She moved to Nashville in May 2019.
Stuart Murphy, Meals Coordinator
Born and raised in Nashville, TN, Stuart Murphy has been in the food industry for the last 12 years, with a heavy focus on whole animal butchery. He started out as a dishwasher at Porter Road Butcher and climbed his way to being one of the lead butchers there. He is very passionate about food and meat, especially when it comes to the ethics of how things are cultivated and raised. Between working in a couple butcher shops and getting the full restaurant experience at Henrietta Red (a truly magical experience), he has had the opportunity to experience the full circle of the food industry and cooking world. But he knows that there is a seemingly infinite amount to learn.
What brought Stuart to TNFP is their mission. He says, “Quality food shouldn’t be hard to come by no matter what a person’s socioeconomic status is. Everyone deserves to eat well and that really struck a (positive) chord with me, and something I wanted to be a part of!”
In his spare time, Stuart likes to play Rocket League (it’s soccer, but with cars that can fly), work on pencil drawings when he is feeling motivated, cooking and eating food, and petting all the dogs in the world.
Arianna Nimocks, Volunteer Engagement Manager
Arianna was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and raised outside of Houston, Texas. She has fond memories of growing onions, tomatoes, and peas in her garden and cooking up international dishes for her family and friends while growing up. She delved into the intersection of agriculture and economics through her Economics thesis, biology research, and internships in college where she also cultivated a strong passion for building community through her campus leadership and volunteer work.
Since July of 2020, her time volunteering at BELL Community Garden in Nashville further solidified her desire to do “boots-on-the-ground” work in sustainable agriculture and community development. She strongly believes that food has the power to bring people together, and is so excited to be at a nonprofit actively fighting hunger and poverty and strengthening community in the city she now calls home.
When not at TNFP, you can find her at a local coffee shop reading or journaling, working at the BELL Community Garden, walking or running through one of the Warner parks, or enjoying quality time and conversations with friends.
Adria Osborne, Community Garden Program Manager
Adria was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Houston, Texas where she grew up with a deep love of the outdoors. Her curiosity and fascination with plants and animals began early in her childhood as she watched the life cycle of plants grow with her mother in the spring and enjoyed the fruits of their labor. Her love for nature grew as she got older, and in high school, she discovered her passion for agriculture after joining her Future Farmers of America chapter.
During her time in FFA, Adria gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in livestock management and promoting agricultural education. She became a skilled steward of the land, teaching young children about the importance of agriculture in our lives and the vital role it plays in our society. Her experience with the FFA solidified her passion for agriculture and nature, and she knew she wanted to pursue a career in environmental science.
After completing high school, Adria moved to Tennessee and immersed herself deeply in learning about the state's native flora and fauna. She spent her time exploring all four corners of the state and developing a deeper understanding of Tennessee's natural resources. Her passion for the environment continued to grow, and in 2020 she graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in Environmental Science.
During her time at UTC, Adria delved deeper into her love for the environment and became an advocate for food justice. She believes everyone can do their part to ensure land and food equity and is passionate about educating others on the importance of environmental conservation. Adria is a dedicated environmentalist who enjoys sharing her knowledge with others and finding new ways to make a positive impact on the world around us.
In her free time, Adria loves to hike and explore the great outdoors. She also enjoys, cooking, attending live concerts/festivals, and tending to her own garden, where she grows various plants and vegetables. Her love for nature is evident in everything she does, and she is constantly seeking new ways to connect with and protect the environment.