Working at FRESHFARM: Growing Careers, Strengthening Community

Behind every FRESHFARM farmers market, FreshMatch transaction, FoodPrints classroom lesson, and Food Hub delivery is a team of people who believe deeply in the power of local food and in each other. What people may not realize is that FRESHFARM is also a place where food system careers grow. Many staff members start as volunteers, part-time employees, or frontline workers and go on to manage programs, lead teams, and shape the organization’s future.

Meet three members of the FRESHFARM staff whose journeys reflect what it’s like to build a career at FRESHFARM, and why so many people choose to grow here.

From Board Leadership to Nonprofit Career: Lina Salazar

Lina Salazar came to FRESHFARM already deeply invested in its mission. She served on the FRESHFARM Board for five years and played a key role in advancing the organization’s 2019 merger with Community Foodworks. In 2023, Lina took the next step and joined FRESHFARM’s Development team as a full-time staff member.

“Joining the FRESFARM staff allows for creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit,” Lina explains. “There’s so much to create, and that’s fun!” She also points to the clarity of impact as a significant draw. “I love everyone’s commitment to the mission and how easy it is to see the impact we create in the community and on the regional food system.” 

As Senior Manager of Donor Engagement, Lina leads how FRESHFARM builds and sustains relationships with the donors who help power our mission. She shapes the strategy behind FRESHFARM’s individual giving email campaigns, major gifts, and monthly giving program, and designs events and experiences that help supporters connect more deeply with our work. Partnering closely across teams, Lina’s work is grounded in the belief that fundraising is about relationships, trust, and storytelling—so every donor feels genuinely connected to FRESHFARM’s impact.

Building a Food Systems Career Across Teams: Zak Malsich 

Zak Malsich’s FRESHFARM journey began in the spring of 2023, packing produce orders and delivering food across the Washington, DC Metro area with the FRESHFARM Food Hub. Through this role, Zak built relationships with regional farmers, community organizations, and others passionate about local food.

That winter, he narrowed his Food Hub focus and took on the role of “FoodPrints Shopper,” managing fruit and vegetable orders for FoodPrints classes at our 21 partner schools and fulfilling them at the FRESHFARM Dupont Market. He served as a liaison between the Food Hub, FoodPrints, and Markets teams, ensuring students could enjoy fresh, local produce from the farmers market in their FoodPrints classes each week. In summer 2024, Zak transitioned to the FoodPrints team as an Administrative Associate, a role that evolved into Administrative & Systems Coordinator in 2025.

“While I no longer do hands-on food work, I still collaborate closely with the Food Hub team,” Zak notes. “I place wholesale orders for school events and manage school food procurement data and metrics.” For Zak, the people make the difference. “My favorite part of FRESHFARM is being part of a welcoming, fun team of folks who are passionate about food systems.”

Zak’s experience is far from unique at FRESHFARM, where moving between teams is encouraged and celebrated.

Finding a Calling in Finance: Maya Mackey

If a career in finance promised the secrets of the universe or immortality, most people would jump at the chance. Yet FRESHFARM Director of Finance and Operations Sara Hjelstrom manages to draw staff into finance without such grand incentives, as she did with Maya Mackey.

Maya joined FRESHFARM in 2022 as our Office Manager, supporting multiple departments while assisting with HR and finance tasks. As she gained exposure to finance, she became eager to take on more responsibility and was encouraged by Sara to do so, especially while the team was understaffed. When the Grants and Accounts Receivable Manager position opened, Maya jumped at the opportunity. She has now been in the role for nearly two years.

Maya appreciates the flexibility and autonomy in her role, as well as the opportunity to continue working across departments and programs. She is especially grateful for her supervisor and finance mentor, Sara. “She is very supportive and empowering to her team,” Maya shares. “I think it’s a great compliment to her that most of us on the Finance team do not have a background in finance. She believed in us and empowered us to learn and master our roles.”

FRESHFARM is committed to supporting our staff’s professional development, and Maya is just one example of employees discovering new interests that translate into meaningful growth and opportunity.

A Nonprofit Workplace Where People Stay, Grow, and Lead

These stories are not exceptions. They reflect a broader workplace culture that prioritizes growth, collaboration, and long-term commitment. Our staff by the numbers:

• FRESHFARM staff have an average tenure of 3.5 years
• In 2026, 35+ team members will have worked at FRESHFARM for over five years
• Eight of those staff members have been with the organization for more than a decade
• Two dozen staff members have worked for at least two different FRESHFARM teams
• Over 60 current employees have grown into more senior roles over time

At FRESHFARM, investing in people isn’t separate from the mission; it’s essential to it. When staff are supported, trusted, and given room to grow, communities benefit, and the food system becomes stronger.

In our annual staff survey, one message comes up again and again: “This organization is unlike any other.” From farm stands to classrooms to food distribution, the people of FRESHFARM are building more than programs. They’re building careers, relationships, and a more equitable food system, together.