Current Leaders
President – Brianda Daniela Gonzalez Orozco (gonzalezorozco.1@osu.edu)
About: I come from Mexico and I am a third-year Ph.D. student in the Food Science and Technology department. My research is focused on the assessment of the Kefir microbiota and the evaluation of its antibacterial properties. I like to read (mainly fantasy and science fiction books) and watch good movies. I also like to have an active lifestyle (running, swimming, home-workout work for me too). I really like to try new cuisines, travel to new places, and get involved in new cultures.
How/why I fight food waste: I became aware of food waste/loss and food insecurity during my master’s degree. My thesis was focused on applying new technologies to increase the shelf life of berries and therefore reduce food loss. I was impressed with the amount of fresh produce lost during the supply chain for not satisfying commercial quality standards, food that is still safe to consume, and that complies with all the nutritional requirements. I personally always try to meal prep and to buy just the amount of food I am certain I will consume.
Vice President – Mateus Ferreira Lima (doregoferreiralima.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About: I am Mateus, a Ph.D. student in Operations Management and Business Analytics at Fisher College of Business.
How/why I fight food waste:
I joined the battle against food waste in 2021 when I started a research project on recycling operations. I want to contribute to a more sustainable social environment where people are no longer food insecure. It is a tough journey, but I believe in the purpose of KWF and I want to help and contribute for a more conscious world!
Treasurer – Chloe McGovern (mcgovern.157@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About: I am from California and am a second year Master’s student in the Food Science and Technology department 
working in Dr. Jimenez’s lab. My research is focus on the exopolysaccharides produced from Kefir grains and evaluating the potential benefits of these fermented metabolites. When I have free time I like to cook, read, do some crafts, listen to music, and get outside and be active (playing soccer, field hockey, biking, and running/long walks)! I love to try new things, so my hobbies are always evolving!
How/why I fight food waste: Fighting food waste and the greater umbrella of sustainability have been really important since my undergraduate degree and as I have grown into an adult. I try my best to fight food waste by composting and finding new ways to upcycle expired foods. I recently made dye (for tie-dye or watercolor paint) from composted foods which was such a cool experience! Other habits I am building are buying food I know I will eat (even if it means going to the grocery store more frequently), going to refilleries to minimize packaging waste, and minimizing single-use items.
Secretary – Sanjana Sawant (sawant.45@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About: I hail from Mumbai, India. I am a second year MS student in the Food
Science and Technology department and my research focuses on pea protein and soluble fiber interactions. In my spare time, I love to cook (and eat 😊) dishes from different parts of the world and watch horror movies.
Composting Committee Chair – Ronald Melendrez (melendrezalvarez.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About: I was born and raised in a small town close to Guatemala City in Guatemala. I am starting the second year of my MS program in Food Science and Technology, working directly on the technology and biochemistry of dairy products under Dr. Jiménez-Flores’s guidance. Currently, I am working on buttermilk val
orization, which is a severe problem in butter production. In addition, I like to ride my bike, try new restaurants around Columbus, and meet new people.
How/why I fight food waste:
My first contact with food waste was in high school when I was involved in compost production when we processed the leftovers of the dining hall. When I was moving the compost to get the air into it, I saw that most of the food composted was in good shape to be eaten instead of composted, which planted a seed in my heart about the importance of the fight against food waste and repurposing.
Education and Outreach Committee Chair – Noah Dameron (dameron.30@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About:
I am a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Food Science and Technology. Originally from Griswold, Connecticut, I came to Ohio State to focus my studies on food safety and food policy. Working alongside the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention, I am focusing my undergrad research on food safety procedures in the charitable food system. When I’m not focusing on my schoolwork, I enjoy rock climbing with my friends and camping.
How/why I fight food waste: I was always aware of food waste and knew it was an issue but never really understood how bad it was. When I moved from my small town and came to Ohio State, the food waste issue became more prominent. My passion for helping others, which was initiated back home with my scout troop, pushed me towards Know Food Waste. By educating consumers on food waste, we can help prevent unnecessary waste from going to landfills and reallocate safe food to pantries and charities to help those in need. Preventing food waste starts with education and I am excited to be the chair of for Education and Outreach and look forward to sharing my knowledge and the knowledge of experts with everyone!
Repurposing Committee Chair – Abby Bright (bright.192@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About: I am a second-year student studying Environmental, Economy, Development, and Sustainability with a minor in Architectural Studies. Beyond Know Food Waste, I am a member of the Zeta Alpha chapter of the Chi Omega Fraternity and ride on the OSU Hunt Seat team!
Fun fact: I love all things outdoors and anything that involves animals. I have a pet hamster, three dogs, and a mouse!
How/ why I fight food waste: I joined the fight against food waste because I do not believe that Earth should be used to hold our leftovers in landfills. Numerous people could utilize our leftover food, which we do not see as reusable, for another purpose. I want to work alongside my peers to minimize this issue in whatever ways possible!
Social Media Chair – Olivia Severyn (severyn.14@buckeyemail.osu.edu)
About: I am a second-year student majoring in Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability. I have a specialization in Business and Sustainability and am minoring in Spanish. In my free time, I enjoy spending as much time in the outdoors as possible and some hobbies of mine are running and photography.
Fun fact: I have gone scuba diving!
How/why I fight food waste: I joined the fight against food waste because I was shocked to learn about the environmental toll of food waste. Food waste is such a wide spread issue, and I believe that there are so many different solutions that we can work towards to help mitigate food waste.
Past Leaders and Founders
Aishwarya Badiger (badiger.1@osu.edu)
About: I am a third-year PhD student in Food Science and my research is focused on understanding how date labels on food packages cause huge amounts of food waste in consumer households and at retail levels. This also involves exploring and improving alternative shelf-life depicting techniques to reduce food waste. In my free time, I like to try new recipes (if only someone else could clean), reading fiction and occasionally painting.
Fun fact: Growing up, I had five cats at one point.
How/why I fight food waste: I am originally from India, a country where seeing hunger isn’t very uncommon unfortunately. When I first came to the US, I was shocked to see the huge contrast in the way food is handled. To me, it just doesn’t make sense to waste food when food insecurity is so prevalent in the world. As I learned more about the issue, I realized how multifaceted it is and how much it also impacts our planet. On a personal scale, I try to only buy what I need, keep track of what’s in my fridge and have recently started composting through KFW’s very own composting pilot program.
Jeff Caminiti (caminiti.8@osu.edu)
About: I am a third year Ph.D. student in Food Science and Technology working in Dr. Heldman and Dr. Wick’s labs. My research is focused on valorizing sustainable biomasses such as macroalgae and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). BSFL cultivation is a potentially powerful tool for food waste upcycling. I love a good movie or a good book, I’d give anything a try. Big fan of hiking, especially when I can get out of Ohio. Use to like going to concerts… maybe in 2021!
Fun fact: I have a cat, his name is Cooper. He’s a cutie!
How/why I fight food waste: I fight food waste through my research and work in this club but also through being more conscience at home. We won’t solve this problem unless we think big and small!
Katie Williamson (williamson.440@osu.edu)
About: I am a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Food Science and Technology, working in the Hatzakis lab. I also received her B.S. and M.S. in Food Science from Ohio State, I am a lifelong buckeye :). My research focuses on developing novel food and food packaging products from food waste, specifically apple pomace and spent coffee grounds. In my free time, I love to travel, experience new cultures, and try new and unique foods 😊
Fun fact: I am a certified yoga teacher here in Columbus, would love to have our club members in class!
How/why I fight food waste: During my travels, it is always shocking to me how differently food is treated in different cultures. Depending on the economic standing of a country, food is either cherished and never wasted, or wasted in excess. After traveling to Guatemala, my adopted sister’s birth country, I decided that I would devote my food science career to fighting food waste in the United States. I believe it is our responsibility in our country where we have every type of food available to us at any time to consume responsibly and work to limit the abundance of food waste that is contributing to global warming.