Nikki Silvestri is the Executive Director of Green for All in Oakland, CA. Over the last ten years, Nikki has worked as an advocate for environmental and social equity for underrepresented populations in food systems, social services, public health, and economic development.

Nikki has driven change both locally and nationally. As the former Executive Director of People’s Grocery in Oakland, Nikki developed an innovative leadership development/micro-business program for food entrepreneurs, strengthening a body of racial justice programming, and managing the creation of a multi-million dollar economic development collaborative. Nikki has also provided thought leadership on the history and future of the food movement in venues such as Bioneers, the Environmental Grantmakers Association Annual Conference, Slow Food International’s Terra Madre, the United Nations and TEDx. As a former member of the executive team at Slow Food USA, Nikki advised the organization’s president on its national social equity agenda.

Nikki began her work in social justice through the foster care system in Southern California, where she mentored, tutored, and directed Foster Youth Empowerment Workshops. She later shifted into sustainability, developing a course curriculum for the University of California system, and working closely with Van Jones and Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins at Green for All. Rejoining Green For All as Executive Director has been a wonderful “coming home” for Nikki.

In 2010, Nikki was featured in ELLE Magazine as one of five Gold Awardees. She has a Master’s Degree in African American Studies from UCLA, and is originally from Los Angeles, CA.