No longer an active group, the Impact Lab was created in 2017 as a professional development opportunity for mid-career sustainability professionals working to address global agriculture and food system challenges.
About
The Impact Lab is facilitated by the Sustainable Food Lab and provides a confidential space for peer-to-peer sharing, capacity building, expert coaching, and exploration of potential partnerships. Fellows are provided with opportunities to engage in workshops, multi-day learning journeys, monthly peer group calls, and one-on-one mentoring.
Today the Impact Lab includes over twenty Fellows from organizations like PepsiCo, Handsome Brook Farms, Unilever, Niman Ranch, Starbucks, Target, AB InBev, Stonyfield Organic, General Mills, Environmental Initiative, Impossible Foods, MARS, Oatly, Farmer’s Fridge, Costco, Rich Products Corporation, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Inc. and Cargill.
“It is a worthwhile and enriching experience to invest in my leadership development by engaging with trusted practitioners who face many of the same challenges as I do. There is comfort in knowing that we encounter similar challenges, be they personal, organizational or systems-wide, and there is great opportunity and fulfillment in sound boarding these challenges with a collective and shared sense of purpose.”
-Shauna Sadawski, VP of Sustainability, Simple Mills (Previously General Mills)
Unique Value
The Impact Lab provides a unique community and structure for professionals to grow and make real impact within their organization and industry.
A Unique Community
Unlike many leadership programs, the Impact Lab is a flexible commitment, allowing Fellows to structure their experience on their own terms. While Fellows engagement might change from month to month or year to year, the Impact Lab remains an important safe space to practice systems leadership.
A Unique Structure
The Impact Lab focuses on building capacity and creating system leaders in these areas:
- Personal Leadership
Fellows learn to manage teams through conflict, bridge cultures, and create engagement while navigating short-term business pressures. - Strategic Engagement
Fellows learn to engage key people in other functions, lead in industry and create collaborations that scale impacts. - Impact Delivery
Fellows learn to balance quick wins and game changers, generate measurable impacts, make the business case for farmers and suppliers, and mobilize resources.
“Being in the Impact Lab has been one of the most powerful career development experiences of my life- offering sustained, authentic connection with industry peers, expanding my knowledge about emerging sustainability issues, and renewing my confidence and energy to keep striving for systemic solutions”
– Urvi Kelkar, Visa Inc. (previously AB InBev)
“At trade associations and conferences, we all show up as ‘peacocks.’ Here we can share where we’re stuck and get support from the very best of our peers.”
-Impact Lab Fellow
Mentoring & Events
The Impact Lab provides a variety of ways to engage including in-person events, peer phone calls and one-on-one mentoring. All activities are encouraged but not required.
In Person Events
- Workshops
2 annual workshops that provide Fellows with opportunities to learn and practice system leadership skills. Fellows are given the opportunity to share personal stories and receive coaching and advice from peers and mentors. - Learning Journeys
Fellows are invited to attendee Learning Journeys hosted by the Sustainable Food Lab. Learning Journeys are an opportunity for Fellows to expand their viewpoint about a specific farming system.
Remote Opportunities
- Monthly Phone Calls
Fellows join a small group of peers and Food Lab staff to discuss sticking points in their work, opportunities for pre-competitive collaboration or a variety of other topics. - One-on-One Mentoring
Food Lab staff, Academy for Systems Change staff and other mentors from the Food Lab community are available for one-on-one sessions throughout the year. Additionally, Fellows are encouraged to work with Food Lab staff to establish an Annual Personal Learning Reflection. This exercise allows Fellows to reflect on areas of improvements and establish goals for the coming year. - Quarterly Newsletters and What’s App Chit-chat
For fellows who are unable to commit to monthly phone calls, our quarterly newsletter and WhatsApp Group Chat allow for Fellows and Food Lab staff to communicate about important information.
“The Impact Lab is just that, impactful. I am grateful for being in a pre-competitive environment with thought leaders that open your mind to new ways of approaching challenges.”
-Tim Wahlquist, Costco
Meet the Impact Lab
Current Fellows
Julie Anderson
Starbucks
Sr. Manager, Global Responsibility
Bilal Bawany
MARS
Global Cocoa Sustainability Manager
Jill Davies
Target
Corporate Responsibility Lead
Andre Eitner
PepsiCo
Agro Sustainability Manager
Autumn Fox
MARS
Climate Sustainability Sr. Manager
Margaret Henry
PepsiCo
Director of Sustainable Agriculture
Katie Hoard
AB InBev
Global Agricultural Development Manager
Nira Johri
Rich Products Corporation
Director of Sustainability
Jess Newman
McCain Foods
Senior Director of Agriculture & Sustainability
Julie Kunen
Oatly
Sustainability Director
Britt Lundgren
Stonyfield Organic
Director of Organic and Sustainable Agriculture
Nicholas Mylet
AB InBev
Global Sustainability Manager
Briana Perro
Farmer’s Fridge
Director of Strategic Sourcing and Sustainability
Jamie Thorn
Starbucks
Senior Manager, Ethical Sourcing
Tai Ullmann
Cargill
Sustainability Manager
Tim Wahlquist
Costco
Director, Responsible Sourcing & Packaging
Kristen Wharton
Handsome Brook Farms
Vice President of Corporate Responsibility
Jenna Evans
Ben & Jerry’s
Global Sustainability Manager
Rebekah Moses
Impossible Foods
Director, Impact Strategy
Alicia Laporte
Niman Ranch
Communications Director
Whitney Kakos
Keurig Dr Pepper
Sr. Manager, Supply Chain Sustainability
Cheryl Pinto
Ben & Jerry’s
Global Values Led Sourcing Manager
Alumni
Stefani Grant
Unilever
Senior Manager, State External Affairs & Sustainability
Shayna Harris
Supply Chain Capital
Co-founder & Managing Partner
Urvi Kelkar
Visa Inc.
Senior Manager, Impact Assessment
Seth Petchers
Frontier Coop
Sustainable Supply Chain Manager
Colleen Popkin
Keurig Dr. Pepper, Inc.
Senior Manager, Sustainability
Shauna Sadowski
Simple Mills
Vice President of Sustainability
Christina Skonberg
General Mills
Senior Sustainability Analyst
Inquire
Please reach out to inquire about current opportunities or learn more about the history of the Impact Lab to [email protected].
“When I have a question about allocation of resources to issues—human rights versus environment, for example, this group is my best opportunity to think it through.”
-Impact Lab Fellow
