Each of our 12 network member food banks and the individuals that help run them are as one of a kind as the populations they serve. Feeding Florida’s food banks provide food and resources to all 67 Florida counties, making the tasks of running each food bank that much more crucial. That is why during this season of thankfulness, we want to shine a spotlight on our 12-food bank CEOs and thank them for the life-changing work they are doing every day. 

 

Richard LeBer is the current Feeding Florida Board President and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida. Richard has served as CEO since 2016 and has a long history of leadership and involvement in the nonprofit sector. He has been the interim executive director of the Florida Association of Food Banks and vice president at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, so Richard is no stranger to the ins and outs of running a successful food bank and providing for the community. Learn more about Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida by visiting https://harrychapinfoodbank.org

Sandra Frank is CEO of All Faiths Food Bank and the most recent past president of the Feeding Florida Board of Directors. Sandra has served as CEO since 2012 after being drawn to the mission of ending hunger, especially child hunger. During her tenure, the mission of All Faiths Food Bank shifted to address hunger as a health issue, creating active partnerships with community health and health care providers to address food insecurity while promoting health. Learn more about All Faiths Food Bank by visiting https://allfaithsfoodbank.org

Paco Veléz currently serves as CEO of Feeding South Florida as well Vice President of the Feeding Florida Board of Directors. Since assuming the CEO role in 2012, Paco has increased the pounds of food distributed in South Florida from 29.6 million in 2012 to 50 million in 2018. Prior to joining Feeding South Florida, he served the San Antonio Food Bank in Texas as Director of Services for 10 years. Read more about Feeding South Florida by visiting https://feedingsouthflorida.org

Susan King is the CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida and Treasurer of the Feeding Florida Board of Directors. Susan has served as CEO since 2019 and has a long history of service-related work. She has dedicated her career to working in the non-profit sector in Northeast Florida and has carried this passion with her to the food bank field. Learn more about Feeding Northeast Florida by visiting https://feedingnefl.org 

Since 2009, Judy Cruz has served as the CEO for Treasure Coast Food Bank. Under her guidance, the food bank provides 45 million meals annually This food bank serves Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties. With nearly 100,000 people on the Treasure Coast current experiencing huger, Judy and her team distribute millions of pounds of food with their network of more than 300 partner agencies. Learn more about Treasure Coast Food Bank by visiting https://stophunger.org   

Dave Krepcho has served at CEO for Second Harvest of Central Florida for 17 years now. Dave has dedicated nearly three decades to the food bank sector and has made ending hunger his life’s mission. At the end of 2021, Dave will be retiring from his position as CEO after helping distribute 110 million pounds of food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about Second Harvest of Central Florida by visiting https://www.feedhopenow.org

After retiring from a long career in the food bank industry, Al Brislain has stepped in as Interim CEO of Bread of the Might Food Bank. For three decades now, Al has worked within the Feeding America network both at the national level as well as the state level. From Nevada and California to Florida, Al has served as a CEO at multiple Feeding America food banks and continues to fight to end hunger to this day. Learn more about Bread of the Mighty Food Bank by visiting https://www.breadofthemighty.org

Peter Del Toro has served as the CEO of First Step Food Bank for 16 years. Prior to taking on this position, Peter served on the Board of Directors of the food bank for 5 years. Thanks to their nearly 50 partner agencies, Peter and his team are able provide food relief and emergency assistance to nearly three million individuals in Marion County each year. Learn more about First Step Food Bank by visiting https://firststepfoodbank.org/home/

Florida Gateway Food Bank is led by CEO Suzanne Edwards. As the head of Florida Gateway, Suzanne also leads Catholic Charities Lake City Regional Office and partners with their Feed-A-Family Mobile Outreach program. The food bank serves of Columbia, Hamilton, Suwanee and Union counties with help from their 33 partner agencies. Learn more about Florida Gateway Food Bank by visiting https://floridagatewayfoodbank.org

Thomas Mantz is the CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay. Thomas has served as CEO for nearly three years and has served as Executive Director for over nine years. Since his time at Feeding Tampa Bay started, meals to the community have grown from 20 million to 50 million per year – reducing the meal gap across Tampa Bay. Learn more about Feeding Tampa Bay by visiting https://feedingtampabay.org 

Monique Van Pelt serves as CEO of Second Harvest of the Big Bend. After graduating from Tallahassee’s Florida State University, Monique decided to dedicate her career to helping end hunger in the Big Bend region on Florida. Monique has been actively engaged in Tallahassee’s social service community since 2011. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of CESC, a nonprofit organization which operates a homeless shelter and housing and healthcare programs in Tallahassee. Learn more about Second Harvest of the Big Bend by visiting https://fightinghunger.org 

Since assuming the role of CEO in 2019, Michael Ledger has helped guide Feeding the Gulf Coast through the pandemic, multiple hurricanes, and food relief efforts for individuals experiencing hunger in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Michael served four years in the United States Navy as an electronics technician and brought more than 30 years of business development and operational strategy experience to his position at the food bank. Learn more about Feeding the Gulf Coast by visiting https://www.feedingthegulfcoast.org