A note from Slow Food USA Board Chair Laura Luciano

Dear Slow Food USA Family,

We are saddened to bid farewell to Executive Director Anna Mulè, but we are also grateful for her contributions to the organization during her leadership. As Anna moves on to her new role at Farm Aid, we wish her all the best and look forward to seeing her thrive in her new position. We believe that she will continue to be a valuable partner for us as we work together to advance our mission.

We could not agree more with Anna’s parting words of wisdom and want to assure you that we have never been more committed to you. We pledge to persist in challenging conventions, removing obstacles, and promoting innovation. We will endeavor to construct and enhance an all-embracing and diverse network. We acknowledge that you, our network, are the driving force behind our progress and enable us to achieve our mission.

In that regard, we are excited to announce the appointment of our Interim Executive Director Bilal Sarwari. Bilal comes to us from the Slow Food network and has a wealth of experience and unwavering commitment to our mission. His extensive background in agriculture, nonprofit management and group facilitation aligns beautifully with the spirit of our movement. He has most recently served as co-chair of the Slow Food USA board of directors and continues to hold the role of international councilor with Slow Food International.

Bilal will guide Slow Food USA for the next nine months as the board looks for candidates to serve in the permanent role of executive director. If you are interested in learning more about the position or if you have recommendations for qualified candidates, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We will be sharing more details on the hiring process in the coming months. Your input is valued and can be directed to ed.search@slowfoodusa.org.

We thank our network for your continued support, and I know we all look forward to witnessing the continued success of Slow Food. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Bilal as we move forward toward a shared vision for a better world.

“After 16 years of volunteer leadership with Slow Food USA, it is with immense gratitude that I move into serving our network as interim executive director. I continue to be awed by the global impact of Slow Food and admire the local collaborations that make it possible. With a commitment to centering joy and justice in our work, I look forward to working together to shape our mission of good, clean and fair food for all.”
— Interim Executive Director Bilal Sarwari

About Bilal

Bilal Sarwari has been a Slow Food USA board member since June 2021 and has been involved with Slow Food since 2008. He was named a North American International Councilor for the global Slow Food movement in March 2023. He is an avid gardener and farmed for many years in Georgia. Most recently, he served as a group facilitator and mental health consultant for various organizations, including the USDA. The first generation child of Afghan refugees, Bilal has learned to highlight the best of his cultures while centering joy and justice.