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
Edward Peoples
Facility Maintenance
Herman “Dutch” deKoe
Research & Special Projects
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
