Leadership

Anthony Carroccio

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Second-generation immigrant from Italy, raised in Rhode Island with 7 siblings, Anthony grew up understanding the importance of taking care of your neighbors. As the Executive Director of Organic Soup Kitchen, he leads the team by putting his community first. Bringing over 40 years of experience in scalable management to the organization, his senior leadership experience has been capitalized in several industries focused on well-being and health of communities. His businesses have ranged from internationally-recognized health and humane publications to developing housing projects on the Central Coast. Anthony has studied business at Providence College at the Ryan Center. Having experienced multiple generations of family heart disease, chronic illness, and debilitating diseases, Anthony is determined and motivated by his community to help individuals overcome health challenges.

Andrea Slaby

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

With over a decade of experience in managing budgets and finances, Andrea leads operations as the Chief Operations Officer of Organic Soup Kitchen. She has been devoted to personal growth, building community, and empowering individuals of all demographics through creative development techniques. Previously, Andrea was the Territory Manager and Chief Financial Officer for Herff-Jones Central Coast. Andrea is interested in health causes such as childhood diabetes, childhood obesity, and health in underserved low-income senior populations. Her goal is to inspire all ages and communities to collectively lead a healthy lifestyle. She graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with a B.A., in English and Accounting.

Jason Jewell

BOARD CHAIR

As a seasoned financial analyst, Jason has led teams through financial crises and tripled the size of his company. He has extensive experience as a Corporate Executive, Securities Analyst, and Co-Manager of equity funds and multi-asset strategy. After graduating from Princeton University with a B.A. in Political Economy, Jason focuses on investing, startups, corporate strategy, and real estate solutions for sustainability. With interests in long-term solutions for health, Jason focuses on cancer prevention and mitigating food and water shortages in underserved populations. With a competitive streak, Jason has played squash in three World Championships and has coached at Santa Barbara School of Squash. Currently, he is the Co-Founder and CEO of Xplor Adventure Group, based in Warsaw, Poland.

Cheryl Giefer

Cheryl has served on multiple Santa Barbara County community boards, including Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Santa Barbara and Sarah House. She is the fundraiser co-chair for Artisan’s Ball. She has volunteered with Santa Barbara Middle School Alumni, Parent, and Volunteer Mountaineering Trips for 14 years, and has worked with Doctors Without Walls, Santa Barbara Housing Authority, Cottage Hospital Emergency Room, and Santa Barbara High School. She graduated from FIDM, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, using her creative energy in the direct work that she does with Organic Soup Kitchen and individuals affected by drug and alcohol addictions. She spends her time working with homeless at-risk populations and runaway youth populations.

David Debin

Coming from the lively, diverse world of Broadway, screenwriting, and production, David is a producer and writer. His Hollywood career began after he sold his screenplay Dick Tracy to Universal Studios, and his second screenplay Goldie and the Boxer to NBC. David is co-founder of The Third Age Foundation which helps aging individuals re-instill their meaning and fulfillment in life. He has taught his “Reinforcing Creative Confidence” course to students of all ages. His work caught the attention of Deepak Chopra, who wrote, “In his creative writing course, David links students’ spiritual awareness to their center of creativity and empowers them to express themselves in new and profound ways.” He graduated from Adelphi University in New York.

Jen Nguyen

From the melting pot of the Silicon Valley from a family of refugees and global trailblazers, she moved to Isla Vista in 2012, studied pre-med and psychology at UC Santa Barbara, and is graduating with a Master in Public Health, Global Health Leadership. Her interests are in product marketing, UX, and data analytics/predictive modeling for the greater good. She has worked at Stanford Hospital and Clinic and with Dr. Lawrence Chu at Stanford Medicine X Conference, which ignited her journey on the bridge between technology and public health. Today, she helps lead Organic Soup Kitchen in implementing health strategies for executing long-term solutions in preventative health.

William Gale

Leading initiatives in the public and private sectors at both the local and national levels, William Gale brings unique insight to the Organic Soup Kitchen. From creating nation wide programs in New Zealand integrating people with disabilities into main stream sports and physical education, to introducing hundreds of people to the ocean and its conservation, Will is committed to the enhancement of human potential. He is currently the Founder and Director of Anger Management Specialists with locations in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria. Will is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, and has trained extensively in Attachment Focused EMDR. Will primarily works with populations who strive to enhance their life’s circumstances, as well as those who are suffering from trauma and abuse, including fire, law enforcement, and military personnel.

Nancy Strandberg

Nancy brings global health practices and decades of study in various holistic disciplines to expand Organic Soup Kitchen outreach programs. She graduated from Pildamms Skolan in Malmö, Sweden, and is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Yoga and Wellness Educator. Previously the Wellness Center Director at Tony Robbins, Namale Resort in Fiji, she now actively produces seasonal cleansing retreats, vitality workshops and personalized wellness protocols in Santa Barbara. Nancy is an Aquatic Detox Specialist and Nutritional Consultant, primarily working with women, mothers-to-be and families. She believes that the health of a mothers tissue is crucial in the development of a well-adjusted and healthy child, and that when properly nourished, we are all self-healing humans.