Sharon Cech is a Program Director at the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College (UEPI). For over a decade, her work has focused on achieving more equitable, sustainable, and nourishing local food systems in the Los Angeles region through project work in urban agriculture, farmers’ markets, and farm to school. With a specialty in cultivating collaborative partnerships, Sharon currently leads the LA Subregion of the Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Occidental’s Urban Agriculture Summer Internship program, and other multi-stakeholder initiatives that promote fresh food access and resilient urban food systems.
As an Adjunct Professor at Occidental College she teaches several community engaged courses exploring the topics of food systems, food justice, and sustainability. She is a member of the Los Angeles County Food Equity Roundtable, and as an LA County Master Gardener, co-leads the Master Gardener School Garden Network. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Bard College and an M.A. in Urban Planning from UCLA.