Our Team

Angela Farley

Founder and Executive Director

Angela founded Teen Kitchen Project (TKP) in 2012 after her son’s bout with pediatric cancer. The gift of prepared meals during this challenging time provided inspiration to deliver the same gift to others facing a health crisis. Her son was released from treatment in May of 2012 (he has a good prognosis and is currently a thriving teenager).

Angela leads the Teen Kitchen Project in fulfilling the mission to build healthier communities by delivering the finest quality nutritious food to those living with illness and offer youth valuable opportunities for learning and growth. Through her leadership, TKP has earned reliable sources of revenue by building out catering and cooking class programs and securing contracts with county and state agencies. This foundational support allowed TKP to be a key first responder to the needs of the medically fragile during the Pandemic. In 2021, through Angela’s advocacy and leadership, Teen Kitchen Project entered into contract with Medi-Cal as a provider of billable services. Her advocacy will continue until all healthcare providers recognize and cover the benefit of meal delivery, ensuring those in need of prepared meal support are provided the nourishment they need to live a life free from hunger.

Angela survived teaching first, second and third grade for 17 years, an experience preparing her for nonprofit life in the tenacity, flexibility, and humor it takes to survive and thrive in a dynamic work environment. Her B.A. is in Environmental Studies from San Jose State and she holds an A.M.I. Montessori Elementary Teaching Credential. She is currently the Vice Chair of the California Food is Medicine Coalition, a state coalition of medically tailored meal providers.

When not at work you can find Angela hiking the mountains of Santa Cruz with her two sons and sweet senior chihuahua, Mambo.

angela@nullteenkitchenproject.org

Rachel Lintott

Director of Operations and Programs

Rachel Lintott is the Director of Operations and Programs for Teen Kitchen Project. Having spent seven years working for the International Culinary Center in Campbell, she brings her knowledge of running and supporting an organization focused on building culinary skills and creating delicious food to the Teen Kitchen Project team.
She believes that connection to food through cooking and sharing meals builds compassion for each other and reverence for where our food comes from. It instills in our youth lifelong skills that will support healthy lifestyle choices, and, for some, the start of vocational training. At the same time, Teen Kitchen Project’s commitment to supporting families in need fills a critical piece of the whole wellness puzzle.
Besides nearly a decade working in food and wine, she also holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Santa Clara University, a Professional Culinary Arts diploma from the International Culinary Center, and is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers AmericasTM.

Yareni Roldan

Client Services Manager

Yareni was raised mostly in Santa Cruz and born in Tlaxcala, Mexico. She previously worked as a Bilingual Client Services Manager for Bay Area Cancer Connections, a nonprofit that offers individuals diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer personalized services. She is a big ‘foodie’ and relishes a medium-rare NY steak. In her free time, you can find her weightlifting, doing MMA, or taking a nap on the beach.

Lezinah Ncube

Client Information Officer and Billing Manager

Lezinah Ncube joined Teen Kitchen Project in March 2022 as Client Services Assistant. Having previously volunteered with TKP, she was inspired by the organization’s mission to build community through food while involving youth.

Sophie Bassett

Volunteer Manager and Database Coordinator

 

Sophie has lived in Santa Cruz for over 10 years and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Latin American Studies & Politics from UC Santa Cruz. For the past 7 years she has done urban gardening, worked at local farmer’s markets, and worked alongside students and intergenerational community in agroecology and food justice groups throughout Santa Cruz County.

Sophie believes our relationship with food is at the heart of real social change, and that community-based solutions for food sovereignty are the best way to bring that change. She is passionate about empowering youth to be part of building healthy and connected communities, and is excited to join the Teen Kitchen Project as Volunteer Manager and Database Coordinator.

In her free time you can find her doing mutual aid and volunteer work with houseless advocacy groups, gardening, listening to kpop, and checking out thrift stores with her partner.

Tyler Reiner

Executive Chef

Tyler has lived a nomadic life, with close to 40 moves between 7 states and 2 countries. However, for the last 10 years, his roots have grown deep on the Central Coast. Together with his wife Adriana and their children, he has lived in the Santa Cruz mountains for the past 7 years. They recently finished building a poultry coop and are raising their first flock.

Tyler was raised in Costa Rica as an MK/PK(missionary kid/pastors kid). Much of his childhood was spent in villages helping to improve living conditions and empowering people to not be defeated by their circumstances.

Tyler had a very early love affair with food. By the age of 4, he knew he wanted to become a chef. While in junior in high school, he enrolled in a cooking school in Costa Rica. After high school, he moved to the US and studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale, Arizona. His professional culinary career has spanned over 20 years and has been very vast, colorful, and adventurous. Working with food is an ethereal and spiritual experience for him. The very element that keeps us alive also brings us together.

Currently, Tyler holds an AOS in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor’s in Culinary & Hospitality Management. 

Tyler enjoys mentoring the minds of tomorrow, to help those in need today.

Jeff Zubey

Kitchen Manager

Our Kitchen Manager, Jeff Zubey, brings years of experience in catering, corporate dining and private cheffing to Teen Kitchen Project. In addition to his cooking and managerial portfolio, he also holds a B.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology from San Jose State University, which provided him career opportunities working with youth.

Heidi Hanna

Chef Assistant

Heidi started her culinary career in New Zealand after graduating from Auckland Technical Institute  in 1990. She has worked in all aspects of the culinary world beginning in catering and restaurants. In 1994, She opened a café with a varied California styled menu. She then branched out into her own baking and started to supply her baked goods for retail and private parties.She has learned to embrace the passion of baking and is thoroughly enjoying her role as a baker with Teen Kitchen Project.

Natasha Eastin

Client Services Assistant

Natasha Eastin supports our Client Services Team through all forms of client communication and data management. If you call Teen Kitchen Project, chances are, you’ll hear her warm welcome on the other end of the line. In addition to helping onboard new clients, Natasha coordinates our client birthday program.

Natasha is also a self-proclaimed dog mom to her German Shepherd, Max, who she loves to hike with and bring to dog beach. Growing up in Santa Cruz County, she has been an avid beach volleyball player since high school, and you can also find her cooking in her free time. Her cheesecake is to die for.

Alexis Keith

Nutrition Services Assistant

Alexis Keith joined Teen Kitchen Project in November 2023. In her role as Nutrition Care Assistant, she coordinates our Medically Tailored Groceries program, assists in client nutritional counseling, and helps evaluate our meals to ensure they meet our nutritional guidelines.

Alexis, an Aptos native, is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, with a B.S. in Nutrition-Dietetics. When she’s not helping clients achieve nutrition success, she loves to cook and spend time with her cat, Louie.

Stephany Buswell

Classes and Camps Chef

Stephany’s passion for teaching and food in general has showed in her many years of experience, teaching pastry arts and cooking, making wedding cakes, and research and development for small businesses. Her latest accomplishments include coming in as a finalist on Food Networks Holiday Baking Championship Season 4. She also takes pride in being a judge for the Teen Kitchen Projects competitions such as the Junior Iron Chef and Teen baking Competitions. Currently she is an assistant chef cooking for the meals program.

A Certified Master Baker, Stephany has worked in the baking and pastry industry for over 40 years. Her experience was gained by working for all the top bakeries in the Santa Cruz area, then she went on to open her own bakery and wedding cake business. She began her career working in natural foods baking and then graduated to French and European styles. She started teaching baking and pastry in 1989 at Cabrillo College and in 2005 until recently she taught full time at a vocational Culinary school in Campbell California. In 2017 she was a finalist on the Holiday Baking Championship on Food Network.

Ali McCargo

Delivery Coordinator, Dispatcher and Driver

Ali McCargo started with Teen Kitchen Project as a delivery driver—ensuring clients across the county receive their meals safely and on schedule. She recently stepped up to coordinate the ever-shifting routes, drivers, and corresponding clients and meals. Her knowledge of the Santa Cruz roads and excellent communication skills shine in her role with Teen Kitchen Project.

Ali previously worked career in sales, and outside her career, she enjoys golf, paddle boarding, and brewing beer!