Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Location: Italian Community Center | 631 E. Chicago Street | Milwaukee
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

• 11:30 a.m.- Noon | Registration & Networking 
• Noon - 12:30 p.m. | Welcome & Lunch
• 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Program 

Event Description: 
Join TEMPO for an inspiring October Program Meeting telling the story of Fork Farms, a pioneering hydroponics company leading the "Fresh Food for All" revolution. Fork Farms is a Wisconsin-based company on a mission to transform the future of food access and security by empowering schools, businesses, and communities to become part of a movement that ensures everyone has access to fresh, nutritious food.

Fork Farms was founded on a simple yet profound idea: helping people sustainably grow their own food can create positive ripple effects for individuals, communities, and the planet. Through innovative technology and impactful partnerships, Fork Farms is redefining how fresh food can reach more people in more places.

In this session, you will learn how Fork Farms is changing the food landscape right here in Milwaukee through powerful local partnerships spanning corporate, nonprofit, education, and government sectors. These collaborations, many with ties to TEMPO members and partnering organizations, are vital to making a difference in food access and security across the region.

Hear directly from members of the Fork Farms team and their partners, including:

• Advocate Health 
• Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
• Near West Side Partners
• Marquette University
• Milwaukee Center for Independence
• Rockwell Automation 

Meet our Panel: 

Heidi Chada is a Registered Dietitian with over 25 years of leadership experience in multiple aspects of the food and nutrition market. Heidi’s passion is to combat food insecurity through a multi-faceted approach that focuses on leveraging partnerships to advance the total health of the community. At Centers for Independence she leads a team of professionals that cook and deliver over 25,000 meals per day to 125 early education centers and schools, engages the community in extensive employment and training programs and provides complimentary nutrition and wellness education through several modalities. Together we can advance the total health of our community!

Patti Habeck leads the largest hunger-relief organization in the state as Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin President and CEO. With a footprint of 35 counties, she supports a network of nearly 400 food pantries, meal programs, and hunger-relief organizations. To achieve the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin mission to solve hunger, Patti uses innovation, collaboration, partnerships, and determination to address one of the most complex and dynamic concerns facing the community. Patti’s passion is for community and collaboration, and her expertise is in building the relationships necessary to create a movement of positive change. Patti serves as an executive board member of FaB Wisconsin, the statewide food and beverage industry cluster organization, as well as on the board for Feeding Wisconsin, the state association of Feeding America food banks. She received the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 2024 Women of Influence award, the 2024 Wisconsin Titan 100 award, and Northwestern Mutual Leadership Award at the Donald Driver Foundation’s 2019 Driven to Achieve event. She also received the ATHENA Leadership Award from the Fox Cities Chamber Pinnacle Awards ceremony. Patti earned a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a master’s degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Kelsey Otero has been a visible ambassador in the community throughout her career at Marquette University. As the senior director of community engagement, she builds meaningful partnerships and strategically connects resources between the Milwaukee community and the Marquette campus. Previously, she served as director of innovation in Marquette’s 707 Hub, a nationally recognized innovation space that supported students and community members launching new ideas. Her commitment to fostering partnership has been recognized by the Anchor Institution Task Force (AITF) and the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA), where she currently serves as a board member. She was recognized as one of Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 winners in 2019.  Kelsey is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and earned her MBA from Marquette University.

Maggie Dauss has 15 years of experience within the nonprofit world and throughout that time she has been dedicated to uplifting others and creating equitable opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive. Maggie is passionate about creating long-lasting positive change, fostering collaboration, and contributing to the growth of innovative projects. As a part of Fork Farms, she leverages her experience in nonprofit management, relationship building, and strategic planning. Maggie was drawn to Fork Farms’ purpose-driven approach to leveraging technology to create access to locally grown, fresh food. She helps support this work as she oversees the development and launch of the Clock Tower Farms project, in partnership with Rockwell Automation. Maggie earned her degree in Communication Studies and Sociology from DePaul University, followed by two years of AmeriCorps service in Chicago, IL and Duluth, MN.

Danielle Nabak is a Registered Dietitian interested in pursuing policy and systems change to support community health and equity. She currently serves as a Senior Strategist on Advocate Health’s Social Impact & Social Drivers of Health team, where she develops investment, partnership, and advocacy strategies to lift up food, housing, and employment as essential drivers of health. She is a Bloomberg Fellow at the John's Hopkins School of Public Health, where she is finishing her Masters in Public Health. There, she is engaged in a national research study exploring the intersection of housing, economic development, food systems, and health. She's interested in utilizing advocacy, investing, and community partnerships to emphasize the connection between community health and all other variables, including education, place, employment, public safety, and housing. When she's not working, you can find her running with F.E.A.R. MKE and volunteering with groups like SocialX MKE -- lending her time to efforts that build meaningful relationships across race, class, and other identity groups here in Milwaukee. She enjoys spending time with her favorite people, walking her dog, watching the Bucks, traveling, and finding good food. Danielle uses pronouns she/her.

Moderator: Michael Hosted has 20 years of experience in the non-profit and education industry. He is as passionate about growing communities as he is about growing vegetables. Michael puts his skills and interests together as the Executive Vice President of Social Innovation, which has a primary focus on enabling Fork Farms’ partners to grow fresh food, nourish communities, and heal our planet. Michael has extensive fundraising and philanthropic experience, including having raised over $3.5M to install interactive LED lights on Milwaukee's iconic Hoan Bridge.

Explore the power of partnerships and how our very own community leaders and organizations are coming together to tackle food insecurity and create a sustainable source of fresh food in our own backyard and beyond!

Online registration for this event is now closed! Please email [email protected] if you would like to register to attend.

TEMPO Members | No Charge
EWL Members, Guests & Non-Members* | $50
*Must be registered by a current TEMPO member