Raychel Santo
Program Officer
Raychel Santo is a Program Officer at the Center, where she has worked in various roles since beginning as an undergraduate research assistant in 2010. Her work is focused at the intersection of research, policy, and partnership development to advance more sustainable diets and food production, just and resilient food systems, and climate mitigation practices. She also contributes to the Food Policy Networks project, which seeks to improve the capacity of food policy councils and similar groups to advance food system policies at local, regional, state, and tribal levels. Her other research interests include meat alternatives, urban agriculture, and institutional food procurement. Some of her research has been covered by the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Popular Science, The Conversation, The Guardian, Toronto Star, and Vox.
Raychel received her undergraduate degree in Public Health Studies and Global Environmental Change & Sustainability from Johns Hopkins University. She completed her master’s degree in Food, Space & Society at Cardiff University School of Geography & Planning with the support of the US-UK Fulbright Commission.
Raychel is passionate about advancing sustainability and climate mitigation beyond the food system as well, including through public transit advocacy and home electrification. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, yoga, hiking, and playing cards and board games.