California Panel

Komal Ahmad

Komal Ahmad graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with degrees in International Health and Development and Global Poverty and Practice. She is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of BareAbundance and Co-Founder of the Food Recovery Network.  These organizations are innovative in their approaches to improving access to healthy food and nutrition, while simultaneously curtailing hunger and food waste in America. These food recovery initiatives are currently operating on 24 colleges and universities. This model has fed over 180,000 Americans through the redistribution of excess food from dining halls to people most in need in the community.

Komal's pursuit of accomplishing what others believe is 'impossible' has lead to her lifelong commitment to public service. It has also led to the launch of her newest technology based social venture, Feeding Forward.  Feeding Forward is a mobile application and website that leverages the speed and accessibility of mobile apps to help curb hunger by encouraging and enabling donors that have excess food inventory to post their donation in FF’s mobile app or website. By establishing critical connections between those with excess food and those in need, Komal is streamlining the donation process to feed more people in a convenient, efficient, and equitable way.