Crystal Whitelaw is the Associate Director for Sustainable Food Economies at the University of California’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP), a role she assumed in May 2025. She provides statewide leadership and strategic oversight for SAREP’s Food and Society programs and the Master Food Preserver Program. Crystal brings over a decade of experience in food and nutrition, business development, culinary operations, and nonprofit leadership. Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture and equitable food systems.

Crystal began her career as Director of Food and Nutrition Services in both rural and urban communities across the U.S. She later launched the first in-house Nutrition Communications and Marketing Department in Texas’s largest public school district and co-founded a nonprofit focused on health education. Her background also includes experience in the healthcare sector.

Before joining UC ANR, Crystal served as Senior Program Manager for California Food for California Kids® at the Center for Ecoliteracy. In this role, she led a network of 150 school districts, advancing food systems initiatives and managing the “Rethinking Farm to School” project in partnership with CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Crystal holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition with a minor in Strategic Communications and Public Relations from Arizona State University, and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Temple University.