Global Impacts & Local Solutions: Understanding Our Interconnected Food Systems
FoodStream is hosting a special convening during Climate Week NYC 2025, bringing together global and local leaders to explore how international policy shifts ripple through supply chains, economies, and communities here at home.
Theme: Global Impacts & Local Solutions: Understanding Our Interconnected Food Systems
What to Expect
Roundtable discussions across five key areas: Policy, Economics, Education, Technology, Sustainability
Global insights paired with NYC community perspectives, a micro-to-macro lens
A collaborative call-to-action connecting global policy shifts with local food solutions
Space to connect with leaders, innovators, and partners shaping the future of food access
Why Attend
As food policies, trade agreements, and economic shifts reshape the global landscape, communities like New York bear the direct consequences; from the cost of school meals to the stability of our food supply chains. This Climate Week, FoodStream is convening decision-makers, innovators, and advocates to chart a path toward resilience.
RSVP now to reserve your spot.
We look forward to seeing you on September 22nd, and building the future of food security together.
SPEAKER BIOS:
Wagner Albuquerque de Almeida - Global Director, Manufacturing‚ Agribusiness, and Forestry (MAF)
Shalini Unnikrishnan - Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) | Global Leader for Sustainable Food, Agriculture and Nature
Ora Kemp - Senior Policy Advisor, NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP)
Vishal Ahluwalia - Founder & CEO, KeeperAI
Jeremy Walter - Executive Director Food and Climate Education | NYC Department of Education (DoE)
Maria Elena Varas
Maria Elena is a Partner at EY, where she delivers strategic ESG and sustainability advisory for major food and agriculture companies across Latin America. She helps organizations navigate evolving global standards, stakeholder expectations, and local realities by leading projects on climate transition planning, regenerative agriculture, sustainable supply chains, and biodiversity integration. With over 15 years of experience in the agriculture, food, and beverage sectors, Maria Elena is known for bridging high-level strategy with practical execution. She guides boards, executives, and operational teams in aligning with frameworks such as IFRS S1/S2, TNFD, and SBTi, translating commitments into measurable impact. Her work centers on creating shared value for people, nature, and business, while strengthening long-term resilience in food systems.
Shalini Unnikrishnan
Shalini is a Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, where she serves as the Global Lead for Sustainable Food, Agriculture and Nature Solutions and a core leader in BCG’s Climate, Sustainability and Social Impact practices. She advises multinational corporations, governments, and coalitions on impact and ESG strategies, guiding transformative initiatives in agriculture, food systems, circularity, and equity. Shalini is an IMAGINE Leader and Presidential Leadership Scholar, and she serves on the Board of Directors of the Tony Blair Foundation as well as the Agriculture and Food Board of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. She regularly represents BCG in global forums at the intersection of sustainability, business, and policy.
Ora Kemp, MPH
Ora is Senior Policy Advisor at the Mayor's Office of Food Policy (MOFP) and a passionate food sovereignty advocate centering innovative, equitable, and sustainable approaches for building healthy neighborhoods and resilient food systems. Anchored in the value of food as a human right, Ora collaboratively builds across government agencies, community advocates, and organizations. Recent MOFP initiatives include the 2024 implementation of Summer EBT with NYC Public Schools and Department of Social Services (DSS) and the 2023 Restaurant Meals pilot with the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) allowing eligible seniors, individuals with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness to use their SNAP benefits to purchase prepared meals. In 2025 MOFP and the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute announced a partnership to build an interactive data dashboard to make key food policy metrics more accessible, enhance data transparency, and help New Yorkers better understand NYC’s food landscape. She also encourages exploration of the recently released 2-Year Food Forward NYC Progress Report, which outlines progress made since the adoption of the City’s 10-year Food Policy Plan.
Vishal Ahluwalia
Vishal is the Founder and CEO of KeeperAI, an AI-driven platform, leading the company into the Future of Work and the Digital Workplace, recently brokering the integration with Microsoft Teams, 365, and Azure Active Directory. An entrepreneur at heart, Vishal’s career experience spans from tea plantations in Darjeeling, India to boardrooms at Fortune 50 companies. He has more than 25 years of experience in banking, sales, enterprise transformation, research and development, operations, mergers and acquisitions, and client experience improvement across multiple markets and cultures. Vishal has held executive leadership positions at JP Morgan, UBS, Credit Suisse, and Unisys leading transformation, automation and strategy and creating of utilities and platform at a global scale. Vishal holds an MBA from the Institute of Management Education along with postgraduate executive leadership courses. He is an active advisor to various companies and a regular speaker to professional and Ivy League collegiate audiences on topics regarding fin-tech, globalization, the future of work, and the digital workplace. He is passionate for mentoring students and young professionals. Nominated by Ernst & Young (EY) for the prestigious Entrepreneur of The Year Award, 2024. He is also an advisor to NatureServe, an ambitious nonprofit in biodiversity conservation where he is guiding the mission by leveraging his experience in the space of AI, Data and strategy to guide the organization.
Jeremy Walter
Jeremy is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in the education sector, currently serving as the Executive Director of Food and Climate Education at the NYC Department of Education. With a strong background in community development, data analysis, and public policy, he has played a pivotal role in shaping educational programs that address food and climate issues within the largest school system in the United States. Jeremy's career spans nearly two decades in various leadership roles, demonstrating his commitment to enhancing educational outcomes through strategic planning and community outreach. His previous positions include Deputy Executive Director and Senior Director at the NYC Department of Education, where he led initiatives aimed at improving teacher career pathways and operational efficiency. Jeremy is known for his ability to foster collaboration across diverse stakeholders and is passionate about leveraging education as a tool for social change. He holds Degrees in Political Science and Anthropology from American University, which complement his analytical skills with a deep understanding of cultural contexts.
Please Note: By attending this event, you consent to being filmed, photographed, and recorded by Foodstream Inc. Your presence constitutes permission for Foodstream to use your image, voice, and likeness across marketing assets and company social media platforms.
Social Media: We also encourage you to capture and share your own moments from the day - photos, videos, and stories are all welcome. Tag us and use #FoodstreamNetwork #FoodstreamClimateWeek2025 so we can amplify your posts and highlight our community in action.
Hashtags: #FoodstreamNetwork #FoodstreamClimateWeek2025