Alexandra Ashbrook, Director of Special Projects & Initiatives, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)

At FRAC, Alex works to drive new initiatives to improve public policies and partnerships to end hunger in the U.S. She spearheads FRAC’s efforts to reduce food insecurity among older adults and immigrants and engage the anti-hunger network in permissible election-related activities to build the political will necessary to end hunger. She also works to highlight the intersections of hunger and health, co-leads the Hunger Vital Sign Community of Practice with Children’s HealthWatch, and develops resources --including a toolkit in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics --- for health care stakeholders to support food-insecure patients and address social determinants of health. She helps build out partnerships with organizations including those representing veterans, military families, and LGBTQ communities. From 2007–2015, Alex served as the director of D.C. Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC, during which she led efforts to create a hunger-free community and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income residents of the nation’s capital. From 1996–2006, Alex served as a senior program director at Street Law, the national nonprofit dedicated to transforming democratic ideals into citizen action. Alex received her J.D. magna cum laude and LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. from Haverford College.

Kofi Essel, MD, MPH, is a board-certified community pediatrician and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s National and The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (GWUSMHS). Dr. Essel also serves as the Director of the GWUSMHS Community/Urban Health Scholarly Concentration for medical students and is a contributor on the Clinical Public Health Leadership Team. He has over 10 years of experience in nutrition and obesity education. His advocacy work and research revolves around health care training, health disparities and community engagement, with a special interest and national recognition in the areas of addressing obesity and food insecurity in families.

Dr. Essel grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas and had dreams of becoming a doctor and going to the NBA (at the same time). He is happily married, has a daughter and loves cooking and spending time with his family.