Executive Committee of the Board

Following back-to-back careers in architecture, hospitality and journalism, Gracie learned about the childhood obesity epidemic, which motivated her to create Recipe for Success Foundation in 2005 to change the way children understand, appreciate and eat their food.

Entering its second decade with 50,000+ children taught, Recipe for Success is the largest initiative of its kind in the country and Gracie has received numerous national awards for her work. Our signature Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program, is available in schools nationwide and public service campaigns: the VegOut! Challenge and farmers marKIDS days, designed to raise awareness, normalize healthy eating and drive behavior change, have players across the country. Gracie’s children’s book, “Eat It! Food Adventures with Marco Polo” published in 2012, has snared a dozen national awards.

Hope Farms has been a dream of Gracie’s since before she launched the foundation and if she had her way, that’s where she would spend all day every day. You see her hand in the layout, buildings and garden designs and maybe even the crop plan. You will find her arranging flowers and setting the table for every event and collaborating with our whole team every day.

After several decades in the hospitality industry–handing front of the house for the venerable Brennan’s of Houston and helping to launch, chef driven restaurants like Haven and Reef, Kathryne now handles specialty markets for Sysco South Texas.  She has been involved with Recipe for Success since the visionary days before the organization was created and has cycled on and off various boards and committees throughout that time. Presently serving as Vice President of the Board, the is instrumental in helping to craft our long term vision plan and keeping our ties to the culinary community vibrant.

RJ is a native Mississippian that has lived in Houston since 2014 with his beautiful wife, Veronica, and their three children – Carter, Kennedy, and Miles. He enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and staying active – cycling, golfing, or working out.

Currently Senior Account Manager at Halliburton Energy Services, RJ is an experienced business professional in global energy. His strong faith and family ties propel his passion to serve his community and desire to broaden the horizon of the marginalized and underserved. Through Halliburton, he has been able to steer significant funding to underwrite our Growing Urban Farmers training program–empowering a whole new generation of farmers on the Gulf Coast.

Amy grew up sitting on the kitchen counter watching her mom cook, gave dinner parties in high school, cooked for all her roommates in college, and now has three boys who never stop eating. A long-time advocate for delicious home cooking, she won the Saveur magazine Italian recipe contest in early 2000. Amy is passionate about local food, and is a founding board member of Recipe for Success Foundation and the founder of aaCooks, a Houston-based cooking forum and class series along with Kitchen Underground, a site that showcases one-of-a-kind cooking classes, taught by passionate local cooks in intimate, authentic spaces in our community.  You will often Amy at the farm giving free Cook The Harvest classes for our neighbors.