Samantha Joseph
Director, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Samantha H. Joseph serves as the Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the United States Department of Agriculture. Samantha spent the first 10 years of her career leading community, diversity and environmental programs for Fortune 500 companies, including at Iron Mountain where she was the company’s first head of corporate social responsibility. Most recently, she led the outreach and engagement efforts for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Vaccine Equity Initiative. A dedicated community leader, Samantha is chair of the board of directors of Samaritans, the largest suicide prevention agency in MA and a member of the board of directors of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston. She is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Contact Samantha:
samantha.joseph@usda.gov
202-993-5110
Nathaniel ‘Alex’ Córdova
Deputy Director, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Nathaniel ‘Alex’ Córdova is the Deputy Director with the USDA Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, where he leads initiatives with a focus on outreach, technical assistance, and capacity building. He joined USDA in 2016 as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He has also served as a Strategic Engagement Specialist and Promise Zone Desk Officer with USDA Rural Development, and as a Business Development Specialist with the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Alex brings over 15 years of experience in agricultural development and food system resilience. He is a member of the Prince George's County Food Equity Council and the Council of Development Finance Agencies' Food Systems Finance Advisory Council. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and Religious Studies, with a minor in American Ethnic Studies, from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Alex obtained a Master’s in Public Administration from the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs with a concentration in public and nonprofit management in 2015.
Contact Alex:
alex.cordova@usda.gov
202-422-2751
Joseph Heller
Detail, Senior Advisor for the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Joseph Heller has been with the United States Department of Agriculture for 23 years and is currently serving a one year detail assignment as Senior Advisor for the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Throughout his career, Joseph has supported and empowered communities with USDA resources to improve access to fresh healthy foods as well as safeguard and protect natural resources through conservation. His recent work underscores his commitment to outreach to underserved communities, exemplified through his leadership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements reaching over 300 recipients nationwide. Joseph has also been a pioneering force in standing up USDA’s Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Office.
Contact:
joseph.heller@usda.gov
Amy Frady
Program Specialist, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Amy Frady works as a Program Specialist in the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She helps plan and implement over 1400 events and meetings a year at USDA. Event planners have one of the most stressful jobs in USDA. They have to create an unforgettable day for their clients despite tight budgets and timelines. It’s no easy feat, but Amy does it with grace and a smile. If you have been to an event before you probably have seen Amy working hard in the background to make the event a success. Amy’s mom worked for the Department of Agriculture in Harrisburg, PA and she would work there part-time over her summer breaks. That’s where her love for the Department of Agriculture began. Amy went to Virginia Tech University where she received a BS in Human Nutrition and Exercise Science and became a Registered Dietitian. She joined USDA in 2010 and has worked in many program areas such as SNAP, Food Distribution Division and Child Nutrition. In her spare time, Amy enjoys teaching group fitness classes, volunteering in the community, spending time with her husband and two kids, and traveling.
Contact:
amy.frady@usda.gov