It takes a village

As this movement takes on a life of its own, our work is increasingly decentralized, with emergent leadership in different contexts & communities. We see the COOK Alliance as connective tissue, uniting diverse sources of energy, expertise, & resources in service of this shared work.

The full list of people who are the life blood of our organization could never fit on one website. That said, here are some of the groups who have been representing our values advocating for home cooks in their communities together.

COOK alliance Team

Roya Bagheri, ESQ.

Executive Director

Roya has served as Executive Director since October 2021. She oversees all aspects of the organization, including external outreach, education, and advocacy as well as internal operations and fundraising. As a licensed California attorney, she is committed to advocating for the expansion and implementation of food justice policies and programs. She previously served as Policy Director for a sales platform for home cooks. Before that, she managed a Microbusiness and Nonprofit Support Program where she assisted low-income and immigrant entrepreneurs with their business legal needs, including many home cooks. As the child of immigrant small business owners, Roya is passionate about advancing economic development opportunities for underserved communities.

Lauren Wolfer

Outreach & Advocacy Director

Lauren Wolfer is the Outreach and Advocacy Director at the COOK Alliance where she leads efforts to promote MEHKO implementation and expands opportunities for home cooks. Based in Palm Springs, CA, Lauren’s background includes restaurant experience in both front and back of house, management of multiple farmers markets, mutual aid work in food security, and extensive MEHKO advocacy through COOK Alliance and other grassroots efforts. In her most previous role as Program Director at the nonprofit Palm Springs Cultural Center, she developed dynamic and inclusive community programming, encompassing film series, artist exhibitions, and cultural festivals. She has also served as a Council Fellow for a Palm Springs City Councilmember, where she worked to shape local policy and engage constituents through community outreach initiatives. Currently serving as a city commissioner, Lauren continues her commitment to advancing equity and social justice through active involvement with various political and nonpartisan community organizations.

Matt Jorgensen

Resources & Technology DiRector

Matt founded the COOK Alliance in 2018 and served as its first Executive Director for nearly 4 years (‘18-’21). He previously co-founded Josephine, an Oakland, CA social-enterprise that helped more than 3000 home-based Culinary Entrepreneurs with their startups and business development from 2014-2018. Previously, Matt served as the U.S. partner for Purpose, entrepreneur in residence with the National Domestic Workers Alliance, equitable futures fellow with the Institute for the Future, and associate consultant with Bain & Company.

Rosie Lopez

Education Program Associate

Rosie is the Education Program Associate at Cook Alliance, where she oversees MEHKO workshops and provides unwavering support to participants. Previously an Education Manager at a San Jose based nonprofit, Rosie led a groundbreaking initiative resulting in 78% of childcare entrepreneurs successfully opening businesses or joining a childcare network. A dedicated advocate, she developed curriculum, facilitated workshops, forged partnerships, and led advocacy efforts in Santa Clara County. Committed to empowering communities, Rosie leverages her Master's in Educational Leadership to shape a meaningful career in education and the nonprofit sector, supporting MEHKO businesses across California.

Kenan Azam

COOK Connect Tech Engineer

Kenan Azam is the Tech Engineer at COOK Alliance maintaining the Cook Connect web application and technology infrastructure. He is an experienced technologist with over a decade of expertise spanning software development, system administration and instructional roles. He is passionate about the philosophy of technology and its impact on planetary well-being. Previously, he was a research engineer at the University of California San Diego and University of Calgary, Canada.

ADVISORy Board

Lee Thomas

Lee was born and raised in San Francisco where he earned a B.S. Degree in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from the University of San Francisco and a MPA in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. In 2006 he moved to the Floresta neighborhood of San Leandro where he now lives with his wife Ida, and two beautiful daughters. Lee has dedicated nearly twenty years of service to working with at-risk youth and families in both the public and private sector. He has worked for organizations and agencies such as the San Francisco Unified School District, City of East Palo Alto, YMCA of San Francisco, and YMCA of Silicon Valley and a volunteer CPR and First Aid trainer for the Red Cross. Lee is a former San Leandro City Council member. In 2019 the Alameda County Conference of Mayors unanimously appointed Lee to serve on the Alameda County Human Relations Board. Currently Lee works for the Oakland Unified School District and is union President for United Administrators of Oakland Schools.

In 2019 Lee Thomas started GrilleeQ and in 2021 Lee Thomas became the first legalized home cook in Alameda County.

Karen Melvin

Karen is the co-founder of the San Diego MEHKO Coalition, and was integral to the successful implementation of MEHKOs throughout San Diego County. She is the recent past Chair of the Leadership Council for the San Diego Food System Alliance and served on the Alliance’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. She spent over 20 years with the County of San Diego Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures. As a Deputy Agricultural Commissioner (retired), she worked with local farmers, farmers’ market managers, and organic growers to encourage integrity and sustainability in agricultural enterprises. With an interest in connecting and improving all parts of the food system, Karen became the founding Chair of the County of San Diego's Live Well San Diego Food System Initiative, integrating food system efforts across County departments.

We are in the process of expanding our board to support the needs of our growing organization. Please reach out to us below if you are interested in applying for our board or nominating someone to join our board.

Alliance Membership

Nearly 5,000 cooks & advocates from across the country have joined the Alliance for resources and organizing efforts, helping amplify our reach to 100k+ individuals taking direct actions.