our team
Meet Our Leadership
We are proud of our committed and passionate staff driven by our common mission to create build the culinary industry among marginalized businesses.
Our History


Feed the Soul Team

Juana Collins, Executive Director

Karina Fernandez, Director
Board of Directors

Falayn Ferrell, Chair
Managing Partner, Black Restaurant Weeks, LLC
Founder, FADE Media

Warren Luckett, Board Member
Founder, Black Restaurant Weeks, LLC

Justin Nicks, Board Member
Sr. Commercial Director, Anheuser-Busch

Maria Cruz-Garcia, Treasurer
President & CEO MCG Solutions

Karinn Chavarria, Board Member
Co-Founder Latin Restaurant Week

Darren “Chip”Joyner, Board Member
Joyner Ventures

Derek Robinson, Secretary
Managing Partner, Black Restaurant Weeks, LLC
Founder, FADE Media

Julian Boyd, Board Member
President, Boyd Franchising LLC
Sarah Freddie, Board Member
Administration & Finance Manager, Houston Airport System IAH-HOU
Our Core Values
What we believe in

Community
Serving as a liaison for the marginalized culinary industry, through financial assistance and business training and development, we feed those who feed the community.

Collaboration
Through the identification of industry experts and the support of major corporations, Feed the Soul humbly understands we can not level the playing within the industry without a collaborative mindset.

Compassion
With an understanding of the systemic barriers that face marginalized groups, the ever changing climate of the culinary industry, and the current public health disaster, compassion is at the heart of every program and initiative we develop.
Fresh Off the Press | For Press Inquiries, please contact Kelly Taylor, Alaket PR [email protected]
Press Releases
Feed the Soul Foundation Awards $300K to Black and Latin-Owned Culinary Businesses through Restaurant Business Development Grant Program
Grant from Grubhub Community Fund to increase funding and allow expansion in organization’s second year supporting Black...
Feed the Soul Foundation Awards $250K to Black-Owned Culinary Businesses
HOUSTON, May 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Restaurants and bars across the country have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as...
Feed the Soul Foundation Launches Emergency Restaurant Relief Fund for Texas
HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 22, 2021) Feed the Soul Foundation, the non-profit arm of Black Restaurant Week, LLC, created the...