We are looking forward to welcoming all our members, old and new, on November 19th for our Annual Member Meeting. Entitled Food and Friends, we have put together an exciting panel of local experts to help us explore and celebrate the historic and contemporary food culture in Alexandria. Let’s meet our panelists for the evening.
Jennifer Ayers, Executive Director of ALIVE! Food Hub
Ms. Ayers joined ALIVE! as its Executive Director in August 2019. Prior to joining ALIVE! she was an independent management consultant with 25 years of nonprofit management experience. Her firm, JL Ayers Consulting, LLC helped organizations implement new strategies to improve operational efficiency. Jennifer Ayers was the Executive Director of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) from 2006-2012. She has worked for several other nonprofits at the Executive Level including the Professional Landcare Network, National Association of Addiction Professionals, New York City Parks Foundation, and the Pasadena Council of the Boy Scouts of America, now Scouting America. Ayers holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and English Textual Studies from Syracuse University. She resides in Alexandria, VA where she volunteers her time with various local organizations and spends time with her family and rescued hound, Red. She is an active member of Fairlington United Methodist Church, and Past President of Living Legends of Alexandria and served with several other local organizations as a volunteer or board member.
Hope Nelson, writer and owner/guide of Alexandria Food Tours
By day, Hope Nelson is managing director of Motley Fool Canada. By night, weekends, and holidays, she's a writer and food tour guide always on the lookout for the next tasty (vegetarian) meal. A native of Tallahassee, Fla., she's a proud graduate of Florida State University and is an obsessive fan of all Seminole sports. She is the owner of Alexandria Food Tours and the author of Classic Restaurants of Alexandria, and has written for the Alexandria Gazette Packet, VegNews magazine and EdibleDC, among many other publications. In her free time, she manages the Little Free Pantry at the Charles Houston Rec Center, volunteers at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and races in marathons and long-distance triathlons. She and her husband live in Old Town Alexandria.
Howie Southworth, food and travel writer, cookbook author, and culinary educator
Howie Southworth is an Alexandria-based food and travel writer, cookbook author, and culinary educator whose work explores the places where food, culture, and community meet.
He is the author of Hemingway’s Spanish Table, a culinary journey through the Spain of Ernest Hemingway, as well as A Taste of Alexandria, which celebrates the restaurants, cooks, history, and food culture of his own hometown. His food and travel writing has appeared in Salon, Alexandria Living, The Washington Post, Buffet, and other publications, taking him from rice fields in Valencia and smoke saunas in Estonia to kitchens, markets, and dining rooms closer to home. In Alexandria, Howie writes "A Table Down the Street" for Alexandria Living, a series built on the idea that some of the best ways to understand a city begin from a barstool, restaurant table, or conversation with the people feeding it. The stories use food and drink as an entry point into Alexandria’s neighborhoods, personalities, histories, and changing character. Howie lives in Alexandria with his family and can usually be found eating his way through the city when he is not traveling in search of his next story.
Margaret Townsend, director of the Old Town North Community Partnership and its bi-weekly farmers' market and annual Taste of Old Town North event
As President of the OTNCP, in support of increased foot traffic community engagement I have
used my background in events and arts management and dedicated time to establishing the Old
Town North Sunday and mid week Thursday Farmer’s Markets, the Annual Taste of Old Town
North and other free family friendly, pet friendly events including Live Music in Montgomery Park
and Free Yoga in the Fresh Air as part of an established MOU/ LOA with the City of Alexandria
DRPC
SNAP and the Virginia Double Dollars are available at both markets, allowing neighbors in need
to use their EBT benefits to purchase healthy, local food.
The SNAP program also provides additional income to those vendors approved to accept EBT
benefits.
I work with several local nonprofit organizations to help neighborhoods in need, coordinating
food drives, gleaning at the market, toy and clothing drives .
The markets are a place for neighbors to shop, share news and meet friends new and old.
The Farmers’ and Artisans’ markets also act as an informal incubator space for vendors as they
learn the steps involved in operating a small business and then make a decision to remain a
vendor at local markets or make the leap to a brick and mortar store or cafe
The Taste of Old Town North provides an excellent opportunity to call upon my background in
events and arts management as the OTNCP highlights local restaurants, vendors and non
profits.
This exciting discussion will be moderated by NOTICe Secretary Susan Oetgen. RSVP today at the link below and don’t forget to renew your membership for 2027. Only paid members are eligible to vote in the Board Election.