Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz
Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz is a celebrated advocate for sustainable food systems, education,
and community engagement. As Executive Director of Stony Brook University’s FoodLab,
she leads initiatives promoting interdisciplinary curricula, experiential learning,
and community programming to advance food equity and sustainability. A published author
of the Delicious Nutritious FoodBook, Judiann has co-founded the Edible School Gardens
network and serves on the New York State Council on Hunger and Food Policy, and the
New York State Task Force on Community Gardens. Her accolades include the Schneps
Media Power Woman of the East End Award (2023), the Angel Award for Community Service
(2018), the USDA Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award (2016), and New York State
Teacher of the Year (2016). Through leadership roles in Slow Food and partnerships
with local communities, she champions small-scale farming, regional food culture,
and innovative programs bridging agriculture and economic development. With degrees
in Educational Leadership, Agriculture, and French, Judiann brings a unique interdisciplinary
approach to her work. She has been a long-time resident of Southampton, NY.
Core Team
Wendy Pearson
Wendy Pearson leads the Southampton campus of Stony Brook University, where she works to grow FoodLab both as a signature institutional program and as a hub for community engagement, collaboration, and innovation. As Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Director of Stony Brook Southampton, she brings together campus, community, and industry partners to expand FoodLab’s role in advancing sustainable food systems, supporting local and regional agriculture, and fostering entrepreneurial opportunities that connect research, practice, and education.
In her broader institutional role, Pearson partners with university leaders to move forward Stony Brook’s strategic priorities, including implementation of the university’s strategic plan and support for Stony Brook’s role as anchor institution of The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island.
Grace Carter
Grace Carter is an emerging voice in environmental restoration, nonprofit strategy,
and community-based sustainability. As Executive Assistant at Stony Brook University’s
FoodLab, she supports leadership in grant development, program coordination, and communications—driving
initiatives that promote food equity, ecological resilience, and interdisciplinary
collaboration across New York State. A recent graduate of Williams College, Grace
holds a degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Cognitive Science.
Her field research has taken her from streams in the northeastern U.S. to the river
systems of Patagonia, where she investigated water quality, carbon cycling, and restoration
practices. She brings expertise in ecological monitoring and science communication,
with a commitment to connecting data-driven environmental work to community needs
and public engagement. Grace is especially passionate about building relationships
between people and place through restoration, education, and food systems. She plans
to pursue a career at the intersection of ecological restoration and nonprofit leadership,
focusing on habitat protection, water justice, and community resilience on the East
End and beyond.
Sarah Cavanaugh
Sarah brings hands-on expertise in sustainable agriculture and community-centered food systems to her role as Assistant Farm Manager at FoodLab. She helps oversee day-to-day farm operations, from planning crop rotations and managing irrigation to coordinating harvests, storage, and distribution. Before joining FoodLab, Sarah served as a Work Team Leader at Gould Farm in Monterey, Massachusetts, where she managed diversified crop production—including vegetables, herbs, flowers, and legumes—while also supporting farm sales through a CSA, farmers markets, and a café. In that role, she also worked closely with members of a therapeutic community, providing mentorship and personalized support to help individuals achieve their personal, vocational, and recovery goals. With a strong background in both production farming and community engagement, Sarah is passionate about cultivating not just healthy crops, but also meaningful connections between people, food, and place.
Robert Reeves
FoodLab co-founder Robert Reeves has led the design, development, and growth of the
academic, advanced training, publishing, and community programs that have been recently
gathered within the new Lichtenstein Center, serving as Associate Provost for 17 years.
Spanning three Stony Brook locations –Southampton, West Campus and the Manhattan Center
for Creative Writing and Film – these programs include not only FoodLab, founded in
2014, but four new degrees and three minors in Creative Writing, Film, and Writing
for TV, a nationally prominent literary journal (TSR: The Southampton Review), innovative training in podcast and manuscript development (BookEnds), all supported
in part by fundraising, including the Lichtenstein Reeves Endowment Fund. Reeves is
also the author of two well-regarded novels, as well as screenplays, short fiction,
essays, and literary criticism.
