Melissa Kogut
Melissa Kogut became Executive Director of Chefs Collaborative in August of 2007. She previously served as executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, a state-wide organization that advocates for women’s reproductive freedom. She has a long history of effective advocacy, program development and fundraising. In 2006, Melissa received the Abigail Adams Award from the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, which recognizes and honors outstanding women leaders.
Having worked in the restaurant industry, Melissa has always been interested in the sustainable food movement. “This is a critical moment in the growth of Chefs Collaborative. The public is becoming much more aware of the problems in our food supply, sparking greater interest in the sustainable food movement. Chefs Collaborative has a unique opportunity to reach and engage chefs, who in turn are respected by the public as credible spokespeople about the value of local food and sustainable practices.”
Melissa is an avid hiker and loves cooking for friends and family. She grew up in Southern California and prides herself on knowing how to pick the perfect avocado.
Leigh Belanger
Leigh is the program and communications manager for Chefs Collaborative. Her background in the culinary arts as well as journalism and food history is a great match for the work Leigh does on the RAFT and Seafood Solutions projects. She also researches, edits, and writes the Collaborative’s publications.
A Massachusetts native, Leigh is a fan of the New England coast, hard apple cider, and the Red Sox. She studies gastronomy at Boston University and writes about food and restaurants for a few local publications including the Globe. Leigh is a lapsed community gardener and uses only butter in her pie crusts.
Elizabeth is the Development Associate at Chefs Collaborative. She spends her time recruiting new members and sponsors for the organization. She also serves as the liaison to the Chefs
Collaborative chapters. Having worked in restaurants, Elizabeth has an appreciation for the hard work that goes into running a successful business and bringing delicious food to the table. She is the author of Chefs Collaborative’s monthly e-newsletter FreshNet and handles the day to day operations of the national office.
A French and Philosophy major at Connecticut College, Elizabeth had the opportunity to spend a semester in Paris where she sampled regional foods, visited wineries, and frequented the local markets. Elizabeth loves to dine out-especially at CC member restaurants. On the weekends, you can find Elizabeth cooking for family and friends, at the beach, or rooting for her hometown team the Boston Red Sox.
