HEAL Food Alliance

2025 School of Political Leadership 

Salt City Food Future

Maura Ackerman

(she/her)

Director, Salt City Food Future

SoPL comes at a critical time for SOFSA as we deepen our commitment to building a movement that centers justice in our regional food system. We’re eager to gain new tools in grassroots organizing and policy advocacy that will amplify our ability to hold public officials accountable and push for equity. This program offers us the chance to connect with leaders nationwide who share our vision, equipping us to turn shared values into transformative action. Together, we can lay the groundwork for a food system that truly serves all.

Meet Maura

Maura was among the many co-founders of the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA) and has served as the coalition’s Director since its inception in 2019. SOFSA is a network of changemakers dedicated to reshaping our region's food system. Grounded in principles of transformative justice and reciprocity, SOFSA cultivates connection, collaboration, and coordination across sectors to mobilize collective resources towards a more just and sustainable food future in Syracuse, Onondaga County, and Onondaga Nation. Before moving to Syracuse, Maura worked in Massachusetts with Project Bread, the Boston Public Health Commission, and Bowdoin Street Health Center. She holds dual master’s degrees in Public Health and Nutrition from Tufts University, with a focus on Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Policy. Maura is passionate about using food as a tool to address health inequities and environmental harm. She is committed to fostering multiracial, cross-sector collaborations that advance racial justice and create thriving, equitable food systems.