WhyHunger’s new Junior Board is a group of emerging leaders driving innovative, sustainable solutions for people and the planet.
Through a 4-month pilot program, members will explore the deep connection between food justice and social equity, spark community action through creative events, and generate meaningful impact for a more just future. Get to know the Junior Board below!
Aaliyah Cardenas
Aaliyah “Lee” Cardenas (she/her) is a Bronx-based community builder, graphic designer, and nonprofit professional with over six years of experience in event planning, volunteer engagement, and mission-driven storytelling. She currently serves as the Manager of Volunteer Engagement at Food Bank For New York City, where she leads large-scale activations and builds appreciation strategies rooted in equity and care. A proud AmeriCorps alum, Lee’s commitment to food justice is shaped by both lived experience and a deep belief in collective action. Outside of her 9–5, she runs a creative studio that supports nonprofits and small businesses and is developing a passion project centered on mental wellbeing and mindful living. Whether she’s drafting a volunteer newsletter, mentoring current AmeriCorps members, or planning an appreciation event, Lee leads with intention, community, and heart.
Dalton Allison
Dalton Allison (he/his) is from a part of New Jersey that is rich in natural beauty, and because of that, he has always felt connected to fresh ingredients when cooking a meal. After studying to become a sports broadcaster and calling games for the nationally ranked Seton Hall men’s basketball team across the country and abroad, he decided to pursue a career in the nonprofit industry following an internship at United Way, where he worked with NFL Hall of Famers to raise funds for character development education in middle schools. After working in community relations at the Lustgarten Foundation, the top private funder for pancreatic cancer research, he’s now working at Baruch College as Assistant Director of the Annual Fund, while also pursuing his MPA with a focus in nonprofit management. Dalton is beyond excited to build awareness for the incredible work that WhyHunger is performing to honor food as a human right.
Jessica Ajoku
Jessica Ajoku’s (she/her) focus is partnering with the next generation of investors and philanthropists to align capital with global solutions for a more just and sustainable future. At Capricorn Investment Group, one of the world’s largest mission-aligned investment firms, she works to integrate purpose and performance across client portfolios. Previously, Jessica was at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Management Division, managing over $10 billion in assets for private clients and foundations. She also contributed to Launch with GS, Goldman’s billion-dollar investment initiative founded on the thesis that diverse teams drive strong returns. Jessica holds a BSc from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in Finance and Entrepreneurship & Innovation. She is honored to serve on WhyHunger’s inaugural Junior Board.
An Vo
An Vo (they/them) is a first-generation Vietnamese-American originally from Bay Area, California. They are currently a 3rd year graduate student at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Nutrition and Public Health Program. Earned their BS in Kinesiology with a minor in Athletic Coaching and Business Administration at San Francisco State University. An is deeply rooted in equity and justice, with the belief in food accessibility for all and creating fair, sustainable, and healthy food systems. An advocate for access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food as a human right while centering their efforts in community development. They have a strong passion for collective activism, education, and advocacy. Outside of this space, An is a chef in Park Slope, sharing Vietnamese cuisine with the community.
Lydia Pamudji
Lydia Pamudji (she/her) is a marketing/audience strategist and creative. While she’s worked across healthcare, consumer branded goods, and hospitality businesses, her career started in advocacy and research. In 2020, after working for the United Nations on a project about global arts initiatives advocating for human rights, her passion became exploring how creativity leads to social impact. She created projects focused on art advocacy and worked for various educational & racial justice nonprofits before transitioning into market research, brand strategy, and data analysis. Whether it’s through business pitches, artistic community endeavors, or as a member of WhyHunger’s Jr. Advisory Board, she’s dedicated to uplifting communities in need and utilizing creative disciplines to do so. She’s also an artist, published writer, aerial dancer, designer, and community organizer. Outside of that, you’ll probably find her making soup, in the gym, or hopping around the city with friends to find hidden gems/events.
Diana Reyna
Diana Reyna (she/her) is a passionate communications professional dedicated to amplifying the voices of fellow queer and trans individuals in the rising development space. As the Communications Coordinator of Bridges Outreach, a leading North NJ non-profit, Diana drives social change by cutting through the noise to deliver the powerful message that ANYONE can make a difference for vulnerable, underserved populations. Diana is a Dominican and Puerto Rican native of the Bronx & Brooklyn, who uses her lived history and heritage to promote change and be the representation she wants to see in the world as a neurodivergent, trans woman of color. Diana is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she majored in Government and minored in Creative Writing, learning the power of persuasive writing and storytelling. Diana is excited to activate the messaging and communication strategies of WhyHunger for the next generation of leaders as a Junior Board Member with her team.
Erin Bierbusse
Erin Bierbusse (she/her) is an Associate Director based in New York, where she leads strategic initiatives that drive transformation, growth, and operational excellence. With a background in management consulting and corporate strategy, Erin brings a thoughtful, analytical, and impact-driven approach to solving complex business challenges. She thrives in collaborative environments, navigating ambiguity with clarity and aligning stakeholders around shared goals. Erin is passionate about equity, systems-level change, and community empowerment—values that align closely with WhyHunger’s mission to end hunger by addressing its root causes. She is energized by WhyHunger’s commitment to food justice and sustainable solutions, and is proud to support its work through advocacy, outreach, and strategic engagement. Erin sees her involvement as a meaningful opportunity to amplify community voices and contribute to lasting, inclusive change.
Hannah Levey
Hannah Levey (she/her) is a recent graduate of McGill University where she studied the intersection of economics, environment, and international “development”. During her studies, she became acutely aware of the misalignment between current economic systems and nature, ascertaining the need for not only developing alternative metrics of societal and environmental wellbeing but raising awareness around our interconnectedness with nature. Her passion for sustainability blossomed when she had the opportunity to establish and lead a sustainability project incubator at her university, helping various students develop their green ideas into tangible change on campus. Her two proudest projects are a climate hope art zine series and a sustainable rating system of university products. Hannah is absolutely thrilled to be joining WhyHunger’s junior board and is looking forward to expanding on her project management, creative solution solving, and strategic planning skills as well as affecting positive change in her community and beyond.
Allie Wilson
Allie Wilson’s (she/her) passion for food security started at the age of 17 when she attended the World Food Prize’s Global Youth Institute. Inspired by this experience, she decided to dedicate her career to combat food insecurity around the globe. With experiences working in agriculture and food security in the US, Costa Rica, Portugal, Uganda, Brazil, and Zambia, Allie has been able to build a well-rounded understanding of food insecurity. Allie graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Global Resource Systems with minors in Animal Science and Sustainability, and received her Master’s of Science in Agroecology from the Federal University of Viçosa in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Currently, Allie is the Director of Operations: Northeast and California at FoodRecovery.org, a nonprofit focused on limiting food waste by facilitating food donations across the US. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and volunteering in her community.
