2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit

Ora Kemp is a food sovereignty cultivator and liberatory systems strategist with over 20 years of experience advancing equity-centered solutions through the adoption of practical public policy. In her work across the food security network, community-based programming, and public health research, Kemp builds collective power and fosters cross-sector collaboration for transformative action that ensures every person can access nourishing, culturally rooted, sustainably sourced food with dignity. Anchored in the belief that food is a fundamental human right, Kemp combines academic rigor with on-the-ground engagement to construct policy frameworks and investment strategies that build healthier neighborhoods and more resilient food systems. Kemp holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition and food science and a Master of Public Health and is pursuing a DrPH in Food Systems with a focus on equitable food policies and the morality of hunger.  Ora Kemp is a Castanea Fellow and serves as the Senior Policy Advisor with the New York City Mayor's Office of Food Policy.