ALISON CALDWELL
M.A. Food Systems & Culture. New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Alison Caldwell holds a MA in Food Systems & Culture from New York University. Her care for a fair food system inspired her to pursue a path where sustainable agriculture and social responsibility intersect by acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the origins, patterns, and future of food and farming on a local and global scale. With a background in media, and social “agri-preneurship,” Alison educates, creates content, and inspires thought around the integrity and joy of food.
EXPERIENCE
Media & Consulting: Alison combines her food systems & culture expertise with food media, marketing, and creative development for businesses and organizations. Video, social media, content marketing, creative development, writing, branding, web design, email marketing, and more. Clients include Jimbo’s & Friends of Navdanya. Present
Healthy Kids Cook: Alison teaches whole-food education and fresh food knowledge via cooking to thousands of children (& their awesome adults) around the country, and abroad. Healthy Kids Cook Inspires cooking confidence while igniting the spark to healthy eating habits in our children. Present
Sustainable Food Educator & Speaker: Cooking and educating around local and global farm-to-table food systems in So. California and abroad. Lectures, panels, radio, and media presentations. 2012-Present
Boys & Girls Club of America, San Dieguito: Teaching, teacher training, and curriculum development for farm-to-table culinary and farming education for afterschool classes and camps at the Boys & Girls Club of America’s Center For A Healthy Lifestyle in North County, San Diego. Curriculum, organic farm advisor, recipe creation/coordination, planting calendars, and design. 2013-2016
Cofounder, Radical Botanicals: Cold Pressed Juice Bar and Beverage Lab in Santa Ana, CA. Operations and development. Creative business development, marketing, social media, sales campaigns, operations, organic sourcing, supply, staff training, customer service, and recipe creation. 2014-2017
Slow Money SoCal: Co-Founder, Outreach and Marketing Director: Providing leadership and support for outreach, fundraising, media, marketing, and messaging to the Southern California (Orange County, L.A., San Diego, Inland Empire) Slow Money chapter. Additional work: Website build and maintenance, social media, newsletters, event planning, strategic development, coordinating and relationship building with sustainable food entrepreneurs, farmers, investors, and thought leaders throughout Southern California, 2013-2015
Farm and Food Politics Curriculum Development: Curriculum development for Navdanya Biodiversity Research Center, Dehradun, India; Vandana Shiva’s international environmental non-profit. India. 2012
Media Development: Navdanya Biodiversity Research Center, Dehradun, India; Vandana Shiva’s international environmental non-profit. India. 2011
Media Educator: Smarties™, Ce-De Candy, Inc. 2010
Director of Creative Development: DWP Partners: Content and business strategy for Los Angeles based entertainment real estate start-up. 2008.
Producer/Editor, Damon Venture Group: City of Long Beach, California: Queen Mary 40 year anniversary presentation in Long Beach.Archival and motion graphics segment geared to sell a major Southern California real estate venture. 2007-2008.
Director of Media & Content: Macbeth Footwear: Content producer for web & TV. Marketing, development, PR, branding, budgets, booking, editing, shooting, still photography. 2007.
Producer/Director: A Day in the Kitchen: FOOD Network pitch for Los Angeles Chef. 2007.
Segment Writer: Roker On The Road: “Hammond’s Candies” Food Network. Al Roker Productions 2006
Segment Writer: Roker On The Road: ”Tennessee T-Cakes!” Food Network. Al Roker Productions 2005
Producer: Make Your Move! Discovery Home. Al Roker Productions. Series, 10 ½hours, Co-coordinate start up, produce, write, script, field produce, 2nd camera. 2005-2005.
Field Producer: Recipe For Success: “Buttercup Bakery” Food Network. Al Roker Productions. 2005.
Field Producer/Segment Writer: I lost It! Celebrity Edition, Discover Health/Al Roker Productions. One hour prime time celebrity edition. Produced/directed crew & talent in the field, segment writer, scripting, celeb talent booker, scheduling, 2004-2004
Associate Producer & 2nd Camera: A&E Biography,”Whoopi Goldberg” A&E. Al Roker Productions. One hour prime time special. Booked talent, research, 2nd camera, scheduling, research. 2004-2004.
Associate Producer: DATE PATROL, TLC/Fremantle Media, 12 hours prime time reality make-over show. Field A.P.: Field producing, talent and participants directing, 2nd Camera, research, booking, casting, and post writing/blogging for web. 2003-2004.
SPEAKING APPEARANCES & AWARDS
2019 SDSU Research Foundation, WIC. Guest Speaker. "Advocating Healthy Starts with You."
2018 CCOF Pacific Southwest Organic Symposium. Guest Panelist. "What is Organic? What is its future?"
2017 CCOF Pacific Southwest Organic Symposium.
2016 Gold West College Peace Day Conference: Guest Speaker, ”Food Democracy & Ethics.”
2015 Slow Money SD: “Food Security. Whose goes hungry? Who gets fed?” Panelist, San Diego
2014 CBC, Radio One: Mainstreet with Stephanie Domet. Guest expert for Halifax food truck segment.
2012 Guest Lecturer: Navdanya Biodiversity and Research Center. Dehradun, India. “Food, Economics, and Ethics”
2011 ASFS Conference Speaker: “Raising Kosher”
2010 ASFS Conference Speaker: “Will Tweet For Food”
2010 James Beard Foundation Visiting Artist: “Hong Kong Foodscapes: a solo photo exhibit.”
EDUCATION
New York University, M.A. Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Food Studies Graduate Program: Food Systems & Culture.
University of Colorado, Boulder, B.A. Humanities
Alice Waters Edible Schoolyard Academy Fellow
William Esper Acting Studio, NY- 2 year professional acting program (acting, voice & speech, movement)
Ensemble Studio Theatre, NYC -Acting, Directing, Producing for Theatre (1 year internship program: acting, directing, producing)
Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC -Photography
NON-PROFIT WORK
Alison is closely aligned with The Cleveland Seed Bank, Friends of Navdanya, Navnadya.org, and the Boys & Girls Club of San Dieguito. Alison co-created Slow Money SoCal, formerly, a platform and liaison for local food and local finance.
SPECIAL SKILLS
Creative business development, marketing. sales, research, social media, Writing (Food, T.V., Copy, Academic, Journalism, Blog) Producing, Directing, Research, Film & Digital Still Photography, Videography, Editor. Trained in classical & method acting, singing, voice & speech, &movement for stage, and one-time ranked 25th in world freestyle snowboarding!
Email Marketing, WordPress, Squarespace, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,