FoodCorps Announces Rachel Willis, Longtime Educator and Board Member, As President

FoodCorps Announces Rachel Willis, Longtime Educator and Board Member, As President

Curt Ellis to Continue Serving as CEO, Leveraging Power of Shared Leadership 

PORTLAND, Ore. (April 15, 2025)—FoodCorps is thrilled to announce the appointment of Rachel Willis as President of the organization, effective immediately.

Willis joined FoodCorps’ Board of Directors in 2019 and was appointed Board Co-Chair in 2023. A longtime educator, former Atlanta Public Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year, and winner of the Milken Educator Award, Willis has over a decade of experience teaching and training in K-12 and graduate school settings. Willis has served as Interim President of FoodCorps since October.

She has also partnered with organizations such as Teach for America, Girls Who Code, and DonorsChoose to lead organizational development initiatives, and has previously trained FoodCorps AmeriCorps members on effective classroom practices. 

“I’m proud to continue working with FoodCorps’ incomparable corps members, alumni, staff, and partners to keep our mission front and center,” said Willis. “As threats to federal funding and child nutrition programs loom overhead, the work FoodCorps does is more important than ever: we must always prioritize nourishing our kids.” 

As President, Willis will shape FoodCorps’ programs, operations, and culture to drive the organization’s goal of connecting all kids to food education and nourishing school meals. Co-founder and CEO Curt Ellis will continue in his role as CEO, serving as FoodCorps’ chief external leader, with Willis and Ellis’ complementary backgrounds in education and food systems, respectively, informing their shared leadership. 

“Rachel’s robust credentials as an education leader, as well as her demonstrable dedication to FoodCorps, make her a natural fit for the role of President,” said Ellis. “I’m honored to continue working with Rachel, alongside our tenacious partners, schools, and communities, to build stronger food futures for our nation’s students.” 

“Rachel’s contributions as Board Chair and Interim President have enriched FoodCorps across all levels of the organization and provided a supportive foundation through many seasons,” said John Gomperts, FoodCorps Board Chair. “We’re fortunate to continue our work under her steady leadership.” 

FoodCorps welcomes Rachel Willis to this permanent position within the organization and looks forward to working with her in service of all kids’ health and well-being.

About FoodCorps:
FoodCorps is a national nonprofit advancing child well-being through food in school. FoodCorps partners with students, families, and communities to champion nourishing food at local, state, and national levels. Our AmeriCorps members support schools in providing nutritious meals, locally-informed food education, and welcoming school environments that set kids up for positive, vibrant relationships with food. Building on this program, we develop leaders, grow networks, and advocate for policies in service of every kid’s health and well-being. FoodCorps is working toward a world where, by 2030, all 50 million public school students have access to food education and nourishing meals in school. Learn more at www.foodcorps.org. 

###