SuperFood Drive Staff

Ruthi Solari

Founder and CEO

Ruthi found inspiration for SuperFood Drive after reading Dr. Steven Pratt's book, "SuperFoods Rx" which opened her eyes to the health benefits of specific nutrient dense SuperFoods.  Then in January 2009 while at a "Food as Medicine" conference sponsored by the Center for Mind Body Medicine, Ruthi decided she wanted to ensure that SuperFoods were accessible to all individuals, even if they cannot afford fresh produce each week.  In June 2009 SuperFood Drive was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Ruthi is a Certified Nutritionist through the Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy in San Diego, CA and is currently completing her Masters in Mind-Body Medicine through Saybrook University. Ruthi has worked as a Health Coach in the areas of Weight Management, Tobacco Cessation and Mind-Body skills for individuals nation-wide and she brings her knowledge of behavior modification to the implementation of SuperFood Drive: small changes in how we eat can create large changes in overall health and well being.  

Ruthi has traveled extensively though Southeast Asia, India, Kenya, South and Central America, Europe and parts of the Middle East gaining insight and experience into the healthy lifestyle practices of many cultures. Ruthi's interests include yoga, cooking healthy foods, hiking, cycling, rock-climbing and running in the outdoors with her husband and friends.

Favorite SuperFood: Blueberries – packed full of antioxidants and so delicious!

Laurel Barosh

Director of Community Outreach, San Diego

Laurel Barosh is a graduate student at San Diego State University studying Public Health, focusing on health promotion in impoverished communities. Laurel’s background includes fundraising and development for the UC Irvine Medical Center and has been part of a team of people who raised over $35 million annually to support healthcare research. Laurel has also served on strategic planning committees and implemented community outreach programs for other non-profit organizations in Orange County including the Surfrider Foundation.

Laurel currently works on Project Dulce, a disease management model for the Whittier Institute for Diabetes at Scripps Memorial Hospital. Project Dulce’s mission is to improve the lives of people with diabetes through community-based diabetes and nutrition management, education, and support programs. Laurel manages the clinical data and analyzes the health outcomes and progress of its patients. In her current studies at the SDSU Graduate School of Public Health, Laurel collaborates locally and internationally to provide health education to under resourced communities. Laurel is passionate about reaching individuals and families in need to educate them on the importance of healthy eating and how it can contribute to better health outcomes and disease prevention.

Laurel enjoys surfing, hiking, cooking with and drinking wine, and eating fresh, local, and organic foods.

Favorite SuperFood: A fresh-picked berry from her backyard growing up

Monique Haan

Director of Community Outreach, San Francisco

Monique has been working in the non-profit sector for the past 5 years, which has led her to discover he passion for nutrition and public health. She is currently living in San Francisco working with CARE, an international NGO focusing on women's empowerment work. Monique is thrilled to be part of the amazing work SuperFood drive will doing to promote healthy living for everyone.

Monique is thriving off the amazing energy in the Bay Area, enjoys yoga, running and discovering healthy new recipes to cook!

Favorite SuperFood: Tomatoes

Sadie Sponsler

Community Liaison

Sadie Sponsler is a Registered Dietitian with a focus in community health and diabetes prevention and education. Sadie's professional background has been working for food banks and in school districts. For 8 years, Sadie worked in Eugene, Oregon, at FOOD For Lane County Food Bank as the Healthy Futures Coordinator where she taught nutrition and cooking classes to those receiving food boxes. Sadie was also part of a team of community leaders who created the Lane County Food Policy Council in Eugene. The Food Policy Council focuses on policies regarding food security, farm preservation, farm foods to institutions like schools or hospitals.

Sadie is currently working for the Lemon Grove School District organizing a Lemon Grove Community Food Assessment to assess community access to healthy food and to determine the potential of a Lemon Grove community garden and Farmer's Market. Sadie's passionate about organic farming, cooking, soccer, music, and any outdoor activity.

Favorite SuperFood: Fresh-picked homegrown tomato

Christine Williams

Community Liaison

Christine Williams is a student at San Diego State University in the Graduate School of Public Health, specializing in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences. She is thrilled to be interning with SuperFood Drive this summer as a Community Liaison.

Prior to graduate school, Christine lived in Cochabamba, Bolivia for a year and volunteered with AMANECER, an organization which serves impoverished and orphaned children throughout the city. She then taught as a Bilingual Resource Teacher in a middle school for four years in Madison, WI when she realized that health consistently interfered with education, and was inspired to make a commitment to public health, especially in low-income and Latino communities. She currently works at the UCSD Division of Child Development and Community Health in City Heights on obesity prevention research in children and adolescents. She and her husband moved to San Diego last June from their hometown of Madison, WI—Christine has thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to enjoy being outdoors all 12 months of the year!

In her free time, Christine loves running local benefit races, playing tennis, cooking and eating, being at the beach, traveling to new places, and volunteering at San Ysidro Health Center’s Maternal Child Health Center.

Favorite SuperFood: Yogurt with fresh berries

Heidi Angeles

Education Coordinator

Heidi is currently working on her second Bachelor's degree in Dietetics at Point Loma Nazarene University where she has also completed her Master's in Education and Counseling in addition to her first Bachelor's degree in Human Biology from the University of California, San Diego.

Since her personal commitment to health and wellness 4 years ago, Heidi has changed the way she looks at food and the way in which it affects and supports our bodies. She has since completed her yoga teaching certification, worked in the field of child nutrition research with the MOVE Project at the San Diego State University Research Foundation, and is in the process of manuscript publication on the effects on body image on Jordanian women with Body Image-Elsevier Journal. She currently works as a Community Building Coordinator for underserved youth populations in Poway, CA, and is a Nutritionist with New Alternatives Residential Foster Facility, teaching nutrition to socially and emotionally affected youth. Heidi is excited about the work she is doing with SuperFood Drive, heading the SuperKids for SuperFoods campaign and the possibilities ahead that can impact and shape the way our youth eat and live.

Heidi enjoys cooking, strength training, taking walks along the beautiful San Diego coastline, traveling, reading, watching movies and enjoying delicacies like cheese and sushi.

Favorite SuperFood: Coconut

Maureen Polimadei

Volunteer Coordinator

Maureen Polimadei is a non-profit professional with more than 10 years experience. She spent six years at the San Diego Food Bank, managing vital relationships with major corporate donors, large-scale volunteer groups, partner charities and other important community groups, as well as individual donors and volunteers. Fundraising activities included grant writing, direct mail, gift acknowledgement, event sponsorship and management of the online food drive. Previous experience includes working with major donors at The Salvation Army and assisting with fund development and community relations at University of San Diego High School.

Maureen currently serves on the Advisory Board of the USD American Humanics and is a former board member of the San Diego Friends of Parks and Recreation Foundation. She is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Diana Trafican

Fundraising Coordinator and Special Event Planner

Diana has worked in the non-profit industry for the last seven years and brings her experience in fundraising and event management to the SuperFood Drive mission. Her passion for nutrition began when she attended her first health course in college and became enamored with the subject. Since then, this passion has led her to strive for a healthy lifestyle for herself and those around her. Currently seeking a Master’s in Nutritional Science and her Registered Dietitian credentials, Diana is a student and advocate for health in the community.

She enjoys being outdoors, traveling, hiking, rock climbing, participating in running events and triathlons, and cooking delicious, healthy meals for friends and family.

Favorite SuperFood: Blueberries all the way!!

Jessica Roeckel

Communications Director

Growing up in a health conscious household, Jessica has been aware of the effects of different types of food on the body from a very young age. Good food has always been the focus at family gatherings and she quickly picked up a love for creating dishes with unique flavor combinations with the best ingredients from family members. Being so passionate about the quality of food, Jessica is excited to work with SuperFood Drive to improve the nutrition content of food in food banks across the nation.

With a B.F.A. in Intermedia emphasizing 3D Animation and Video Art from Arizona State University, Jessica applies her visual background to the SuperFood Drive website and digital media communications. The SuperFood Drive website is built on MindTouch 2009 software, where Jessica previously worked as a User Experience Designer. Following her passion for health and wellness, she is now a Professional Life Coach, helping others achieve their goals to live a more fulfilled life physically, mentally, and emotionally.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys photography, traveling, yoga, hiking, playing piano, and reading almost any non-fiction book that crosses her path.

Favorite SuperFood: Raw almonds

Jeff Silva

Graphic Designer and Branding Specialist

Jeff Silva loves the challenge of making sense in the complex world that exists today and the important problems that need to be addressed. He considers himself an insatiable designer when he’s involved with design that really matters; design that touches humanity in any positive direction. He is currently a Senior Designer for Johnson & Johnson’s Global Strategic Design Office based in NYC, the first internal design and strategy group in the one hundred plus years that Johnson & Johnson has existed. He’s responsible for OTC (over-the-counter) brands such as Tylenol, Motrin, Pepcid, and  Imodium. His day-to-day job at JNJ involves collaboration between cross functional teams such as marketing, innovation, project management, engineering and R&D. His role involves integrating the value and competitive advantage of design into the business model of the company. 

Jeff holds a B.F.A. in Graphic Design and Packaging from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California where he also serves as the NYC Art Center Alumni Co-Chair. When he’s not designing, you can find him spending quality time with his two precious kitties Tyler and Munchkin.

Favorite SuperFood: The blueberry – usually on top of a pancake with the help of Claire and her amazing cooking