Kristi Katz, Chicago Lead for World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that uses the power of food to heal communities and strengthen economies. During the pandemic, she sourced, coordinated, and onboarded local restaurants for preparation and delivery of over 250,000 meals to frontline workers, senior and community organizations, and families facing food insecurity in Chicago’s West and South sides. WCK funded restaurants, ranging from local neighborhood restaurants familiar to communities, to Chicago institutions like Manny’s and Gibsons, to prepare high quality, nutritious meals in response to the hunger crisis furthered by the pandemic, while enabling these restaurants to maintain employment for their workers. Streetwise, YWCA, and many community organizations are the wonderful recipients of this food program. Kristi’s knowledge that everyone deserves a hot, healthy meal and the dignity that comes with it is what drives her to continue working in the space. Kristi first became actively involved with WCK during the 2019 Government shutdown where she helped provide meals to government employees with their paychecks on hold. After graduating The George Washington University, Kristi stayed in DC and worked in several different capacities before returning to her hometown of Chicago, and is currently working as Director of Business Development for Consero Group, where she brings senior executives together to build relationships and gain insights through unique intimate in-person learning opportunities.