team
Meet The Individuals Behind MFFC
Shavel'le Olivier, MS
18yèm sezon nou an te kòmanse 13 Jiyè 2024 epi lap fini 26 Oktòb 2024, chak samdi apati 10:00 AM pou 1:00 PM nan Kwen Cummins Highway ak Fairway.
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The approach to our market is to ensure it’s accessibility to low income families and making sure food sold is culturally relevant. We select farmers that are able to sell their produce at reasonable prices, encouraging and facilitating the use of SNAP and HIP benefits, outreaching to WIC recipients who receive WIC farmers' market coupons, and outreaching to elders who receive Senior Farmers Market coupons.
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The Mattapan Square Farmers Market follows a safety protocol to ensure a safe and healthy opening and shopping experience!
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Karleena "Kay" Savage
ACTIVE LIVING AND ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR
Karleena has a BS in Healthcare Management. She has worked in the medical field for about 10yrs and is currently transitioning into personal fitness/training. Her passion is to educate and help women live a more healthier lifestyle, after she herself had a health scare. She is a native of Mattapan and resides in Dorchester with her 2 children.
Vickey Siggers
FOOD ACCESS MANAGER
Vickey Siggers first became involved in Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition 14 years ago as the Community Leader for Healthy on the Block Initiative. She now runs the Mattapan Square Farmers Market and the Summer Eats meal sites at the market and Mattapan Branch Library. Vickey also works at the Family Engagement Network.
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Kahlil Cooper
PROGRAM MANAGER
Kahlil Cooper has a BS in Sustainable Community Development and BA in Spanish from the
University of Massachusetts: Amherst. Currently resides in Milton but grew up in and around the
Milton/Mattapan/Dorchester area. Interested in the intersections between housing and
transportation through equitable and alternative means. In his free time, Kahlil enjoys being
outside, basketball, and cinema!
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Trinity Hodges
DEVELOPMENT + COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Trinity Hodges has a BS in Data Analytics and an MFA in Film and Media Art. She grew up in Missouri, but is dedicated to serving her community no matter her location. Now, she manages internal and external communication between staff, partners, and the public.
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Starrell (Star) Layne
FOOD ACCESS COORDINATOR
Starrell Layne, known affectionately as Star, was born and raised in Mattapan. She has a passion for nutrition, wellness, and connecting her community to meaningful resources. She's a proud artist specializing in fine arts. She freelances as an artist, which includes instructing art workshops throughout Boston. What she loves most is when we all come together—laughing, supporting one another, creating, and building relationships. When individuals are empowered and connected, the entire community grows stronger.
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Joseph Pires
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Joseph Pires is a Dorchester native with Cape Verdean roots who is deeply committed to leading and uplifting his community. He has a passion for helping others and a love for cycling. As the new Youth Development Coordinator, he's focused on helping our vigorous youth grow. He aims to help them and their communities thrive through active participation and involvement with community members and other collaborative initiatives. Previously, he's worked with kids, helping them build and refurbish bikes, while also training them to teach incoming students. Looking to attend Roxbury Community College, he hopes to pursue a business path to further the growth of his community through positive and effective ventures.
Advisory Board
Vivien Morris, MS, RD, MPH, LDN
BOARD CHAIR
Vivien is a founder of the Boston Organization of Nutritionists and Dietitians of Color, a professional organization devoted to increasing African American and Afro Caribbean nutritionists and dietitians and providing nutrition education in the community. She also founded MFFC.
Sonia Carter, MS, LDN
BOARD MEMBER
Sonia Carter, MS, LDN, has been a part of MFFC since 2007. She is currently the Nutrition and Wellness Program Manager at the Boston Public Health Commission and provides leadership and management for the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention. At MFFC she co-chairs the annual Mattapan Moving for Life event and cooking classes.
Theresa Jordan, MPH
BOARD MEMBER
Theresa Jordan is Director of Children’s Facilities Finance for the Children’s Investment Fund, a state-wide technical assistance and finance organization serving early care and education and out-of-school time programs in Massachusetts. At MFFC she helps co-chair the annual Mattapan Moving For Life event.
Robyn Gibson
BOARD MEMBER
Robyn Gibson has ten years of experience working with nonprofit organizations on development, fundraising, strategy, and equity and inclusion. She is currently working at YW Boston as the Program Manager for InclusionBoston.
Stephanie Voltaire, MPH, CHES
BOARD MEMBER
Stephanie currently serves as the Director of Community Impact at the American Heart Association where she raises awareness about cardiovascular health and CPR education. Fluent in English and Haitian Creole, with intermediate proficiency in French, Stephanie is committed to breaking down barriers to healthcare access and advancing preventative health initiatives. In addition to her public health work, Stephanie is a passionate serial entrepreneur, managing a diverse portfolio of businesses with purpose and creativity.
Stephanie “Steph” Campbell, MPH, CHES
BOARD MEMBER
Steph is a Program Director at Health Leads where she works to address health equity through initiatives related to food insecurity and maternal health outcomes in Massachusetts. As a champion for racial equity, she has dedicated her career to dismantling structural racism and advocating for the health and well-being of Black communities.
Keyla Kelley, MS, CCLS, CLC
BOARD MEMBER
Keyla serves as the Program Director for the Basics Boston, leading initiatives to empower families with science-based caregiving practices that support early brain development. A Certified Child Life Specialist and Certified Lactation Counselor, Keyla has extensive experience working with families, educators, and healthcare providers to create supportive environments for children.
Jazmin Granadeño, MPH
BOARD MEMBER
Jazmin is a Community Engagement Specialist with the Massachusetts Community Engagement Alliance. She has gained experience in various research phases, working on programs focused on addressing health disparities in vulnerable communities. She is passionate about collaborating with communities to develop practices that strengthen the sustainability of programs and advance health equity.
Jordie Kamuene
BOARD MEMBER
Jordie is a Program Associate at VentureWell and works in the Health Technology Center to advance innovation in the commercialization of early-stage healthcare technologies.
Emmanuell Debarros
BOARD MEMBER
Emmanuell is the Director of Development and Community Engagement at Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE). His foundation was in Boston, where he enrolled in academic seminars and workshops and acquired years of expertise in political science, medical management of allergies and asthma, community organizing, and nonprofit ethics.
Interns
Jessica Lane
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Jessica is a current BS/MPH student at Boston University. She is an undergraduate senior and has an interest in both global and environmental health. As a public health major she is excited to work with the MFFC and is excited to learn more about the Mattapan community!
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Esha Maewal
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Esha is a Master of Public Health student at Boston University, with a concentration in Program
Management and Epidemiology. She is passionate about advancing health equity and improving access to care, and has held research and programmatic roles across hospital, nonprofit, and academic settings. At MFFC, Esha supports monitoring and evaluation efforts that help strengthen the impact and sustainability of the organization’s mission to build a healthier Mattapan.
Bianca Watkins-Charlemagne
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Bianca Watkins-Charlemagne is a senior at Boston University majoring in Sociology with a minor in Applied Human Development on the Youth Justice track. She is currently taking an internship course that allows her to work with an organization that reflects her interests and values. As a Mattapan native, Bianca feels deeply connected to this community and is passionate about youth advocacy and empowerment. She is excited to support MFFC’s mission and contribute to meaningful projects that uplift young people and strengthen our neighborhood!
Kayla Portillo
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Kayla Portillo is a student at Boston University majoring in Biology with a minor in Public Health. She is passionate about public health, protecting the environment, and social justice. As a program intern at MFFC, she is focusing on environmental justice and climate change workshops hoping to make a difference in the Mattapan community. In her free time, She likes to journal, play the viola, and go cafe hopping!
Nelly Juma
COLBY COLLEGE
Nelly Juma is a student at Colby College and is an intern for the Fall 2025 semester. She joined Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition because she deeply values community and believes in the power of collective work to improve the well-being of future generations. She is passionate about promoting health, connection, and empowerment through community-driven initiatives that make a lasting impact.