Kody M. Gerkin

About Kody M. Gerkin

I’m a mission-driven leader with over 15 years of experience advancing equity through…

Experience

1. Consultant

   Point Sur Consulting

   Aug 2020 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   By contract, I lead strategic initiatives focused on local food, health equity, and nonprofit innovation.• Design and implement data-driven, community-centered programs that expand access to fresh, local foods.• Drive cross-functional coordination on long-term federal and state-funded food access initiatives.• Develop and execute health and racial equity strategies in collaboration with nonprofit, public, and academic partners.• Build visual, data-driven reports that translate technical insights for executive-level stakeholders.Food Justice & Funding Initiatives• Managed over $30 million in state-mandated emergency food funding, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation for food banks, farmers, and wholesale buyers.• Designed and led a farmer equity masterclass, equipping historically underserved farmers with the tools and certifications to access wholesale markets.Community Engagement & Systems Change• Facilitate ongoing community-led interventions in multiple cities, focusing on food justice, anti-racism, and culturally relevant food access.• Expand the use of technology platforms for food pantry management, scaling adoption by over 200% and improving efficiency across large food networks.• Develop comprehensive technical manuals and training materials to operationalize complex food distribution systems; recruit, train, and deploy Navigators as appropriate.At the core of my work is a commitment to leveraging data, technology, and grassroots organizing to build resilient food systems and challenge traditional models of emergency food access.

Education

• University of Denver - Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs

  Master's degree, International Human Rights

  2009 — 2011

• Michigan State University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, International Relations and Affairs