Brian DeSmet
Program Operations Manager Email Brian
As the Program Operations Manager, Brian is responsible for overseeing the Illinois Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems (IL-EATS) grant program for Operation Food Search. This includes building relationships with community partners across the state, purposeful growth in pursuing new partnership with farmers, and exploring creative methods to distribute food to those in need.
Brian has a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from the University of Missouri – Columbia and has spent a lot of time volunteering, serving and organizing with organizations such as Slow Food St. Louis, Missouri Farmers Market Association and St. Louis Green Drinks among others.
When he’s not managing our program operations, Brian loves gardening in his free time and has even received the title of Master Gardener from the Missouri Botanical Garden. He also enjoys comedy, theatre, and travel.
From Brian:
“Food, food justice and food security are vitally important in our society and I want to do work that helps move these things forward in the right direction.”
