She/Her

Candace Chirawu is a global inclusion leader at Sysco with more than 14 years of consulting and business experience helping organizations strengthen operations, streamline systems and processes, and implement strategic initiatives that support long-term effectiveness. Her expertise spans leadership enablement, workplace inclusion, organizational strategy, and process optimization, with a focus on building scalable systems and high-performing, people-centered cultures across global teams.

Outside of her professional work, Candace is a dedicated community advocate, wife, and mother who believes in the power of food to connect people, cultures, and communities. Her passion for food education is grounded in a commitment to expanding access, knowledge, and healthy experiences that create lasting impact for families and future generations. She has volunteered with several youth-focused organizations and brings prior nonprofit board experience to her service. Guided by a solutions-oriented mindset and inspired by her alma mater’s enduring motto, “Find A Way or Make One,” Candace is proud to support the organization’s mission through her role on the board.

Consultant, Public Education Reform 

She/Her

Shari Berland is an independent consultant specializing in public education reform initiatives. Shari currently manages strategic planning, program evaluation, and policy analyses to support district redesign efforts throughout the US. While at the New York City Department of Education, Shari helped to create more than 250 new schools for underserved youth; in Chicago, Shari has worked with education accelerators and venture philanthropies such as LEAP Innovations, The Chicago Public Education Fund, and The Renaissance Schools Fund (New Schools for Chicago), managing projects ranging from the development of a local Breakthrough Schools cohort and a personalized learning program for high school students, to turn around policy and school-based budgeting. Shari has also worked directly with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to establish and refine an RFP process to support the Renaissance 2010 initiative and has participated in more than 70 new school review panels. Recent national clients include SchoolWorks, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, the Indiana Charter School Board, the New Jersey Department of Education, and the Raza Development Fund. Shari currently sits on the Local School Council of the Disney II Magnet School and on the Education Council of the Christopher House Elementary School, both in Chicago. She is also a founding board member of Pilot Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the integration of food and nutrition education into CPS curricula and policies.

Earlier in her career, Shari was a general policy practitioner focusing on issues such as emergency management and women’s rights. After 9/11, Shari worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help develop and coordinate the World Trade Center Federal Recovery Office in lower Manhattan. Shari was a senior staff member at FEMA from 1994 to 1998, advising Members of Congress regarding political and programmatic issues. Shari has also lived in the Middle East and Europe, working on relevant social/public policy issues. She directed research for the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel and drafted legislation for a Victims Witness Assistance Program that was later implemented by Israel’s Ministry of Justice. Following the fall of communism in the Czech Republic, Shari conducted market and social research for a prominent firm in Prague. Shari was able to hone her project management skills in NYC at a private sector firm, KRC Research & Consulting (research arm of BSMG, Worldwide), where she created value-added marketing and branding strategies for corporations such as Merck, Monster.com, and Compaq.

Shari holds a BA in Sociology from the University of California at Santa Cruz (1993) and an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (2000).

He/Him

Matthias Merges is the chef and proprietor of Folkart Management, a craft-driven hospitality group focused on operational excellence and state of the art design. After leaving Charlie Trotter’s Organization as Director of Operations and Executive Chef after 14 years, Matthias created Folkart: a conceptually diverse organization which includes a number of award-winning businesses. Cocktail bar Billy Sunday, craft brewery Old Irving Brewing, acclaimed whiskey bar and restaurant Mordecai, cocktail bars Hush Money and Spindle Bar, and brewpub Lucky Dorr.

Matthias also is a consultant in the food development and manufacturing space through his company Old Irving Food Group. A longtime contributor to Chicago’s culinary and hospitality community, Merges is deeply passionate about leveraging the industry and his resources for philanthropy.

He is one of Pilot Light’s Founding Chefs and remains dedicated to their mission and vision. Matthias has been a board member since our inception and for the past 7 years has served as chairman of the Board of Directors. A Chicago Gourmet chef and frequent media contributor, Merges and his restaurants have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Food & Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, Robb Report, NBC, Fox, WGN, Chicago Tribune, and Chicago Magazine as well as many others.

Favorite Food Education Standard: FES #6: We can make informed food choices. 

Through informed food choices, we have the power to change not only our own health but also the collective health of our nation.

A favorite food memory or recipe:

Tatum’s Cookies
• 2 cup butter, cold cut into cubes
• 2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 cups all purpose flour
• 20 ounces milk chocolate chunks
• 20 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter until smooth and then add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping the sides down as needed.
3. Next add the eggs and vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until smooth.
4. Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour until incorporated.
5. Stir in both chocolates.