Annual INFAS Member Awards
Established in 2021, the Annual INFAS Member Awards were created to recognize and honor the efforts of INFAS members who exemplify the spirit of our Network. These awards highlight individuals who have gone above and beyond in their dedication, service, and leadership efforts to further the INFAS mission of creating a sustainable and socially just US food system.
Each fall, INFAS presents three distinct awards:
- The Overall Impact Award
Recognizes a member who has made sustained and significant contributions to INFAS impact and development over multiple years. - The Stepping Up Award
Honors a member who has made a notable contribution to a specific INFAS project or program within the past year. - The Committee Service Award
Celebrates a member who has shown exceptional commitment and service to an INFAS working group or committee over the previous year.
Overall Impact Award Recipients Stepping Up Award Recipients Committee Service Award Recipients
INFAS Overall Impact Award
2024-2025 Award Winner: Dr. Kareem Usher, Ohio State University
Dr. Usher has been a steadfast and influential mentor to the CISC HBCU Fellowship Program (CHFP) since its inception in 2022. He consistently shows up for fellows and offers guidance, encouragement, and a powerful example of leadership in action. Whether traveling alongside students to conferences, supporting their presentations, or engaging in thoughtful dialogue about their work, Dr. Usher’s presence has deeply shaped the fellowship experience. His genuine investment in the growth and confidence of emerging scholars reflects the very essence of the INFAS mission and its lasting impact.
Past Overall Impact Award recipients:
2023/24 - Casey Hoy
2022/23 - Shorlette Ammons
2021/22 - Christine Porter
2020/21 - Joanna Friesner
INFAS Stepping Up Award
2024-2025 Award Winner: Dr. Brandy Phipps, Central State University
Dr. Phipps has gone above and beyond her role as the INFAS Chair to develop and lead the pilot of the INFAS Food Systems Fellowship (FSF) Program during the 2025–2026 academic year. By reinvigorating a previous fellowship model, INFAS is now able to provide stipends and coordinated mentorship to graduate students - including those who are underrepresented and under-supported - focused on ethical and equitable community engagement in food systems work.
Through Dr. Phipp's leadership, five graduate fellows have been paired with five mentors from the INFAS network, and community leaders have been supported as guest speakers, sharing their expertise in ways that advance INFAS’s long-term goals of meaningful community engagement. She also secured additional funding from Racial Equity in the Food System (REFS), a long-standing INFAS partner, to support an in-person retreat where students learned directly from community food systems leaders on the ground. Her passion and commitment have resulted in a successful program launch that INFAS can sustain and grow into the future.
Past Stepping Award recipients:
2023/24 - Polly Ericksen
2022/23 - Natilee McGruder Kyle
2021/22 - Lindsey Lunsford
2020/21 - Lesli Hoey
INFAS Committee Service Award
2024-2025 Award Winner: Dr. Collins Bugingo, Cornell University
Dr. Bugingo has made an extraordinary impact on the progress and confidence of his mentees within the CISC HBCU Fellowship Program (CHFP). Even during a time of great personal transition - following the birth of his children - he always showed up for our fellows with unwavering dedication - offering mentorship, thoughtful feedback, and encouragement to fellows navigating their professional journeys. His consistency, care, and commitment exemplify the spirit of INFAS service and the values that make our working groups and fellowships thrive.