Our Team
We are Rhode Island’s premier culinary incubator, ranking in the top 10% in the country. Since firing up the kitchens for the first time in October 2014, our team has helped launch nearly 200 food and beverage-related businesses, with over 40 graduates now operating out of their own spaces.
Our staff, Board, consultants and contributors are a comprehensive resource to our members, offering a wealth of industry, entrepreneurial and technical expertise, allowing us to meet individual needs for each business work with.
The People Helping to
Make Food Your Business
Lisa Raiola, MPH
Founder & President
lisa@makefoodyourbusiness.org
Lisa has more than has more than 30 years of experience in program development and advancement at non-profit organizations in healthcare and higher education with a special focus on distributive justice, social responsibility and economic development. Recently retired as the VP for Advancement at Roger Williams University. Previously, Lisa was a Clinical Assistant Professor for Community Health and Medical Ethics at the Brown University School of Medicine where she developed and instructed courses in public health research; health promotion and disease prevention; food security and food justice; healthcare financing and system reform; and health disparity and the burden of disease.
Board of Directors
Lisa Raiola, MPH | PRESIDENT
Founder, Hope & Main
Sheila Brush | VICE PRESIDENT
Former Director of Programs, Grow Smart Rhode Island
Ellen Almeida | TREASURER
Director of Finance, ReFocus Inc.
Kyle Adamonis, SHRM-CP PHR
Executive Director of Human Resources, State of Rhode Island
Tamarah Bacon
AVP, Commercial Lending, Pawtucket Credit Union
Kenneth Banalewicz
Specialty Food/Produce Buyer, Dave’s Marketplace
Lisa Bergeron
Founder and Co-Creator, Advancing Workplace Excellence
William Bigelow
Chief Growth Officer, Blount Fine Foods
W. Henry Blade
Planning and Programming Specialist / RI EHS-Net, State of Rhode Island
Joanne B. Dahmer
Foods and Nutrition Teacher, Seekonk High School
Sergio Ferreira
Organizer, Startup Weekend Providence / Cofounder, Subbids / Project Manager, Ferreira Concrete Forms, Inc.
Tony Fonseca
Co-owner/Operator, Packaging & More
Maureen Maloney
Founder, Sacred Cow Granola
Lori Pivarnik, Ph. D
Coordinator, NFS Food Safety Outreach/Research / Professor, URI Food Safety Research Center
Leo Pollock
Principal, The Compost Plant
Sumana Chintapalli, Esq.
Principal, Chintapalli Law
Consultants & Contributors
Amos House Culinary Training Program
Charles Gioglio | HACCP/Process Consulting
Conservation Law Foundation | Legal Food Hub
Discover Newport
Discover Warren
Farm Fresh Rhode Island
John Perez | Efficiencies Consulting
John Robitaille | Entrepreneurship & Marketing Coach
Newport Chamber of Commerce
ReFocus, Inc.
Relish Rhody
Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
Rhode Island Food Dealers Association
Rhode Island Foundation
Rhode Island Hospitality Association
Roger Williams University | Legal Clinic
State of Rhode Island Department of Health
The Compost Plant
Todd Blount | Blount Fine Foods
United States Department of Agriculture
University of Wisconsin
WhatsGood / Crave Food Services
