Ervenia Bowers
Ervenia Bowers a retired senior who majored in Sociology/Social Work with a focus on Public Policy at Prairie View A&M University (HBCU) in Prairie View, Texas. Since 2020, she has served as a Healthy Savannah CHA Covid-19/REACH – 2024 SCFPC Board Member. Born in Savannah, Georgia, she has two children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She returned to Savannah from Atlanta after the death of her father, Mr. Getty Bowers, by marriage to her mother, Dorothy Ferrell Bowers. In 2005, Ervenia joined the West Savannah Neighborhood Association. She became a member of the Savannah Citizen Police Academy in 2018 and has been part of the Y-YMCA Cohort since 2019. From 2019 to 2023, she was involved with Brock Elementary School’s Operation Beacon. She also served as a Community Ambassador for the Forsyth Farmers Market/Food Farmacy from 2022 to 2023. Since 2019, she has been active in the Chatham Democratic Committee, serving as the PSH – Interim Chair – VC and holding a Silver Life membership with the Savannah NAACP. In 2023, she received the YMCA of Coastal Georgia Community Builder Award. Ervenia has a great interest in healthy habits, recognizing the exciting opportunity to serve the people of Savannah/Chatham County. She promotes awareness of healthy living habits, emphasizing today’s best practices in eating and exercise.
Sandra Cason
Sandra Cason’s passion lies in fostering a connection between people and food through the magic of gardening. After a successful career in finance, Sandra returned to her roots, pursuing her love for agriculture and education.
Sandra is a certified Master Gardener with the University of Georgia and brings a wealth of experience to her work. She designs, installs, and maintains gardens for schools, communities, and private residences. Her expertise extends beyond aesthetics; Sandra develops and delivers a curriculum that integrates gardening with various subjects like art, literature, history, and STEM across all age groups, from preschoolers to adults.
A firm believer in environmental responsibility and wellness, Sandra incorporates these themes into her garden classes, encouraging sustainable practices. She actively collaborates with schools and childcare centers, providing staff development programs and assisting with grant writing, volunteer coordination, and securing donations. Her dedication extends to commercial properties and individual homeowners, offering garden services tailored to their needs.
Sandra’s commitment to education goes beyond the garden. She has served as a Parent University Garden Educator and held leadership positions in various PTAs, advocating for educational initiatives. Her volunteer work includes the Savannah-Chatham County Food Policy Council, Live Oak Public Library’s gardening programs, and the Canyon Ranch Institute.
Sandra’s passion for gardening transcends technical expertise. She is a skilled communicator, evident in her ability to develop engaging curriculum and lead successful workshops. Her dedication to environmental stewardship and promoting healthy lifestyles makes Sandra Cason a valuable resource for anyone seeking to cultivate a greener future, one seed at a time.
CURRENT/RECENT PROJECTS:
- West Broad Street YMCA
- EOA Savannah/Chatham County
- E-34 Greenhouse and Community Garden
- Beach Institute Garden
- King Tisdale Cottage
- Southern Pine Company Gardens
- Parent University Savannah
Elaine Chisholm
Elaine Chisholm is a community member of South Savannah. She enjoys working and helping others. She has a medical background and worked in that capacity years ago. Her last employment was with the Federal Government(Medicare Part B) for 20+ years. She joined the healthy walks with Healthy Savannah a year ago. Upon joining, she started to learn more about the organization, its purpose, and involvement in the community. Her interest continued to heighten as she learned more about Healthy Savannah, its movement, and interaction in her community, and among all cultures to promote and make healthy living accessible overall. Before participating in the healthy walks with Healthy Savannah, she walked around her neighborhood and still does so currently. She would communicate with the neighbors and encourage them to walk too. She looks forward to learning more about Healthy Savannah and where she can contribute her time and efforts to be most helpful.
Ofun Maja Egunjobi
Ofun Maja Egunjobi was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Savannah State University, Georgia State University, and graduated from the Atlanta Art Institute with a degree in Music Management. Ofun lived in Atlanta for twenty years, and while there became involved in sustainable urban gardening through the Habesha Works program. He moved back to Savannah in 2012 working in the hotel/service industry and for the United States Postal Service. In 2015, he graduated from the Harambee House Workers Education and Job Training Program, in search of a way to be involved with the community and combat environmental justice issues. He joined the Harambee House staff in January of 2023, as the Center for Equity and Resilience (CEAR) Hub community liaison and Community micro-farm director.
Becca Goossen
Becca Goossen is the owner of Good Fortune Market, located at 2413 Waters Ave, Savannah, GA. She is a lifelong service industry worker, serving quality foods and making connections with community members. Becca is proud to be a SCFPC member to further her mission of providing accessible, healthy foods for all of Chatham County.
Freddie Hagan, Jr.
Freddie is a member of Georgia Organics and Georgia Grown and serves on the Board of the Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council. Freddie has over 10 years of experience in the areas of farm management, farm machinery operating, growing, harvesting, and packaging of produce. He is currently a produce vendor for several local grocery stores in the Statesboro area, Statesboro Market-to-go, and the Senior WIC program. He is a grant recipient of the Georgia Grown Innovation/BIG grant and the 2023 Georgia Organics grant. Freddie Hagan is a 2020 graduate of the Fish and Wildlife and Agribusiness programs at Ogeechee Technical College and was recently named OTC’s 2024 Outstanding Alumni. He is a U.S. Army Reservist and served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a combat medic. Freddie chose to be a member of the Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council because of his love of community and wanting to assist others in finding ways to diminish the food insecurities in Chatham County.
Jackie Jackson
Jackie has worked in the public sector her entire career. She began at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield Military Installation where, as a Biologist, she managed the drinking water, wastewater, and air quality environmental compliance programs for both Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield.
Born and raised in Savannah, Jackie has a deep connection to her community, which has fueled her commitment to local government and public service. In 2022, she was hired to begin Chatham County, Georgia’s first Resilience Program. This felt like the logical next step in her career, enabling her to concentrate on the natural environment and its relationship with community issues. The new Resilience Program has allowed all of the many interrelated components of resilience to be under one umbrella with the hopes of improving the quality of life for Chatham’s residents.
Before 2022, Jackie worked for the City of Garden City, Georgia, under the City Manager, overseeing large-scale Special Projects and long-range Capital Projects. However, most of Jackie’s career was with the Chatham County – Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission, where she served as the Director of Advance Planning & Special Projects for 17 years. In this role, she managed long-term land use, environmental, and community planning efforts for Unincorporated Chatham County and the City of Savannah. Additionally, she collaborated with the other seven local jurisdictions in Chatham County on natural resource, drainage, and climate change initiatives.
Jackie chose to join the Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council because of her passion for fostering a sustainable and resilient community. Her upbringing in Savannah has given her a unique perspective on the local challenges and opportunities, and she is dedicated to addressing food security and promoting policies that ensure access to healthy, affordable food for all residents.
Betty Jones
Betty M. Jones is the president of the Feiler Park Neighborhood Association, Inc. in Savannah Chatham County Georgia. She attended the public school system in Savannah, GA. Betty has a BS Degree in Business Education, a Master’s Degree in Special Education-Behavioral Disorders, a Master’s Degree in Counseling, and a Doctorate in Divinity. She worked and retired as an educator from the Savannah Chatham School System and has taught business courses, special education behavioral disorders, and school counseling.
Betty is a member of the MPC Savannah Zoning Board of Appeals, board member of the Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council, member of Healthy Savannah Faith and Health Coalition, Associate Minister and Assistant to the Pastor of Litway Missionary Baptist Church, Church Coordinator of Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN), and a member of Savannah Community Gardeners.
Betty has been married for 59 years to Edward Jones, Jr. and has 3 sons, Edward Jones, III, Andre’ Jones, and Meyer D. Jones. She has four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Betty joined the Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council to help make a difference in the health of Savannah residents by having community and home gardens. Many residents have medical conditions requiring a healthy diet and education on how to live a healthy lifestyle and live in food deserts. She wanted to help make a difference by helping residents to make good choices that are affordable. She also wanted to be a part of making policies for healthy living.
Derrick Parker
Derrick Parker, Director of Financial Security for Step Up Savannah, is responsible for convening and collaborating with community partners to provide public benefits’ service training. Derrick is a liaison between Step Up Savannah, SNAP outreach partners, and the local and State Department of Human Services. He travels to conduct SNAP outreach business, such as screening families for public benefits eligibility and connecting them with other community resources. Derrick co-chairs the SNAP communications subcommittee and participates in the policy and LEP subcommittees. Previously, he worked for eighteen years with Goodwill SEGA as Director of Contract. He holds an Associates degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Derrick joined the food policy council because it is another way to bring awareness to our community about the shortage of food and food deserts in low-wealth communities. He also enjoys sharing and listening to others on the council to bring change to these communities that are affected by food shortages.
Tina Saxe
Tina Saxe has been a cornerstone administrator for the Forsyth Farmers’ Market (FFM) since Starting as a volunteer, she has worked in various roles over the past seven years, including bookkeeping, operations management, and Chief Operating Officer. Currently, Tina serves as the interim Executive Director. Her dedication and multifaceted skill set have been instrumental in the market’s growth and success.
Tina holds a bachelor’s degree and an additional two-year degree, showcasing her commitment to continuous learning and professional development. In 2018, she completed a Baking and Pastry Degree from Savannah Technical College, which complements her role at FFM with a deep understanding of food preparation and safety. She is also ServSafe certified, underlining her expertise in food safety and management.
Before joining FFM, Tina developed her management and leadership acumen in retail. She served as General Manager at Borders for 14 years before the corporation ceased operations, and later transitioned to Store Manager at Barnes & Noble. Tina also owned and directed Ravenstone Manor in Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, England, cultivating her culinary talents and small business development skills on an international level. She joined the Savannah Chatham Food Policy Council because she is committed to fostering a community-driven approach to food access, and building a strong, resilient local food system in Coastal Georgia.
Morphia Scarlett
Continuing her education and pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health has allowed her to work with low-income and at-risk populations who do not have access to healthy food options. One of my greatest passions is advocating for easy and healthier access to food. I have a strong commitment to ensure that children have access to a well-balanced diet. Working in the school nutrition department has allowed me to contribute to solving this problem.
Morphia began her career working in environmental health with the United States Army in 2002 as Preventative Medicine Specialist (Health Inspector) for 5 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Armstrong State University in 2008. Following this she worked as a certified Public Health Sanitarian in 2010 for the NY City Department of Health while earning her Master’s in Public Health.
Her current interests are to ensure that our school cafeterias follow proper procedures and regulations related to food handling, preparation, and service to our students/or staff. To include efficient and effective operations. She also aims to maintain positive working relationships with school administrators, staff, students, and parents.
In 2014, Morphia worked with Healthy Savannah, Inc., which promotes healthy eating in schools, communities, and homes. She collaborated with 10 Title 1 schools to implement the Childhood Obesity Prevention Community Action Plan. With this plan, she gained support from parents, students, city council officials, and several community organizations in efforts to combat childhood obesity in ten at-risk neighborhoods. Through a partnership with the school nutrition department, she helped conduct workshops where parents learned how to create healthier meal options for their children. Morphia was awarded the Generation Next Savannah Rising Stars of Business: Successful Philanthropic under 40 in 2015 for her work.
Katee MacCauley Sykes
Katee MacCauley Sykes, MPH, joins the Food Policy Council as a seasoned health educator with over 15 years of experience in healthcare. As a dedicated mother of four, Katee brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her role at the Chatham County Health Department. She holds a Master of Public Health and is currently pursuing her Doctorate, reflecting her commitment to continual learning and leadership in public health. Katee is committed to advancing the availability of nutritious food and promoting breastfeeding to enhance family wellness in the county. Katee is joining the Food Council as she believes in the importance of ensuring access to healthy, nutritious food for all community members. Her dedication to advocate for marginalized populations and extensive experience make her an invaluable asset to both the council and the health department.
Tori Thomas
I’m a passionate advocate for food sovereignty, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, serving on the Savannah-Chatham Food Policy Council. I support initiatives that combat climate change, boost local biodiversity, and support community gardens. When I’m not promoting healthy eating and advocating for environmental causes, you’ll find me nurturing my garden, gaming, learning about Fungi, taking a relaxing walk, watching anime, or exploring new foods & teas. I’m usually dreaming up ways to make Savannah greener and more resilient as well as getting the community involved more and back together. My future goals are focused on advancing conservation and ecology efforts to help create a greener city and surrounding area. Let’s grow together! 🌼
Dr. Yolanda Rivera-Caudill
Dr. Rivera-Caudill is originally from Florida, Puerto Rico. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico and studied Medicine in Universidad Central del Caribe. She moved to Miami, FL in 1988 for her residency and outpatient fellowship at Miami Children Hospital (now Nicklaus Children’s Hospital), then moved to Savannah, GA in 2008 with her husband and three kids. In December 2018, after much frustration of her increasing number of patients afflicted with obesity and adult illnesses, she discovered Lifestyle Medicine. Since then, it has been her mission to educate herself and find ways to impart this knowledge to her patients.
In February 2019 she completed a training in Culinary Coaching by Harvard Medical School and Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. In October 2019 Dr. Rivera-Caudill became a Diplomate of the Academy of Lifestyle Medicine. In August 2022 she obtained the Plant Based Nutrition Certificate from the T Colin Campbell Center.
In April 2021 with the help of her three grown up children, and her husband she opened the doors of The Tiny Beet, a General Pediatrics Lifestyle Medicine office in Savannah, GA. She is a physician with Planted Forward, a Dr. Yum Project Partner Practice, and is involved in several organizations including Walk with a Doc to help convey her healthy lifestyle message to the community at large. She has been interviewed on CNÑ Español by Dr. Marisa Azaret’s “Vive La Salud” , by Maya Acosta’s “Healthy Lifestyle Solutions” and the famous Chef AJ.
As a pediatrician and Lifestyle Medicine physician, having SCFPC working for solutions to food access for our families, is a dream come true. Being invited to be part of it, is not only an immense honor, but also extraordinary to witness what this varied group of astounding thinkers and visionaries from all walks of life can accomplish for the improvement of the health of our community, from the standpoint that Food Is Medicine.
