Meet the Team

Natasha Smith, Child Nutrition Outreach Program Director

Natasha is the Director of Child Nutrition for Project Bread and leads the Child Nutrition Outreach Program team. Prior to joining Project Bread, Natasha worked in Madison, Wisconsin to build innovative farm to school, school food, and summer food programs. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied local and sustainable community food systems. She is passionate about collaborative, community-based solutions that advance health equity, social justice, and sustainability. When relaxing, Natasha enjoys outdoor activities, gardening, and cooking projects.

Contact: natasha_smith@projectbread.org; 617-239-2578

Sharon Johnson, Assistant Director of Child Nutrition

Sharon is both the CNOP Outreach Coordinator for Eastern MA and the Assistant Director of Child Nutrition. Sharon began her work with CNOP as the Boston Summer Eats Coordinator in summer 2019. Prior to joining Project Bread, she worked in the Massachusetts public school system and also ran a suburban summer lunch program for five years that provided over 35,000 meals to kids in need. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech and a Master's degree from American University, both in Public Communications. A native southerner, she misses those Virginia winters but stays warm baking and cooking southern specialties like cornbread and Brunswick stew.

Contact: sharon_johnson@projectbread.org; 617-239-2508.

Clara Obstfeld, Outreach Coordinator

Clara is the CNOP Outreach Coordinator for Western MA. They hold a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Swarthmore College and a Master's Degree in Food and Nutrition Policy and Programs from Tufts University. Before joining Project Bread, they coordinated cooking classes in San Francisco through Share our Strength's Cooking Matters program. When they're not eating or thinking about their next meal, they enjoy rock climbing and gardening.  

Contact: clara_obstfeld@projectbread.org; 617-239-2549.

Kaveri Sastry, Child Nutrition Program Associate

Kaveri is the Child Nutrition Program Associate for Project Bread. She is a recent graduate from The University of Massachusetts Amherst where she received her Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. Her experience with school meal programs includes an internship with No Kid Hungry and work on the Mid-day meal program in India. In her spare time, she enjoys baking and hand-lettering. 

Contact: kaveri_sastry@projectbread.org, 617-239-2543

Michelle Nikfarjam, Emerson National Hunger Fellow

Michelle joins the CNOP team as an Emerson National Hunger Fellow through the Congressional Hunger Center. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Food and Farming from UMass Amherst and a Master’s Degree in International Studies from the University of Oregon where she studied sustainable community development, agriculture, climate change and global food security. Before joining Project Bread Michelle was in in India conducting her Master’s research on sustainable agriculture and food justice among smallholder farmers. She is passionate about advocating for solutions that address embedded, systemic inequalities in the food system. In her free time, you can find Michelle in her garden, rock climbing, biking or getting herself lost in the woods.

Contact: michelle_nikfarjam@projectbread.org