Caitlin Matthews, Executive Director

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Prior to FJNWA, Caitlin led the Food in Communities initiative at Tri-County Health Department for four years, where she collaborated with resident leaders and community-based organizations to address root cause issues perpetuating inequities in the NW Aurora food system.
In her work, Caitlin draws on her experiences as a Spanish Immersion teacher in Portland Public Schools, Oregon, and working on community-based food projects with Adelante Mujeres, a nonprofit working with Latina women and families in Forest Grove, Oregon. Caitlin loves learning and holds a Masters of Science in Agriculture, Food, and Environment and a Masters of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, both from Tufts University, as well as Masters of Arts in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College.
Caitlin tends a community garden plot and strives to produce as many tomatoes as possible each season. However, her jurassic-sized collard greens are the stars of her garden.

Caitlin Trent, Director of Community Organizing

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She is from Colorado but worked around the world for over a decade in a variety of organizations before returning to Colorado where she has worked in campaign and coalition building since 2017. Caitlin recently worked at the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) and CIRC Action Fund as Political Director, leading a legislative campaign for SB25-276 that set national precedent for immigrant rights in the country with a coalition of over 100 organizations. She was also part of the Prop LL & MM campaign to ensure the sustainability for Healthy School Meals for All, a program she helped pass in ‘22 with Prop FF as the Coalition Director. She has an M.A. in International Studies, with a specialization in Conflict, a certificate in International Human Rights Law, and B.A.s in International Studies and Spanish.
We’re so excited to have Caitlin T. as our new Director of Community Organizing! As the Director of our community organizing team, her role involves strategizing, implementing, and evaluating community organizing efforts aimed at addressing systemic issues in food access, equity, and sustainability. She will lead FJNWA in strategic program development, community engagement and capacity building, and policy advocacy.

Maddie Atuire, Operations Manager

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She went on to oversee the university’s food assistance programs, increasing equitable food access for students through direct resource distribution, individual case management, and trauma-informed nutrition education.
As a lifelong resident of Colorado, Maddie is passionate about contributing to the collaborative strengthening of its food system and ensuring all members of the community are engaged in decision-making. She is specifically motivated to work with historically-marginalized communities to address their unique barriers to food security.
Outside of work, Maddie spends her time cooking, going to concerts, taking care of her plants and raising her cat.

Imelda Gutierrez, Community Organizer

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She holds a Bachelors in Community Health from Texas A&M University, a Masters in Public Health from the University of Tennessee, and is a certified Community Health Education Specialist.
Before joining FJNWA, Imelda led the implementation of an opioid and substance use disorder prevention program for rural middle school communities, educating youth on health advocacy strategies and substance use prevention. Most recently, she worked with the United Way of Greater Knoxville to engage stakeholders and community gardeners to collect baseline data on garden needs and production, and create a digestible report to support community garden expansion, enhancement and resource allocation.
Outside of her career, Imelda enjoys kayaking, upcycling, cooking, hiking, and live shows.

Jenna Smith, Greenhouse Manager

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As Greenhouse Manager for Food Justice Northwest Aurora, she is committed to cultivating a space where people, plants, and communities thrive together while strengthening local food systems in Northwest Aurora.
She previously managed a 5,400-square-foot aquaponic greenhouse at a community mental health center in Denver for nearly eight years, producing thousands of pounds of fresh produce and fish for neighborhood residents. Through this work, she fostered community engagement by leading tours and facilitating hands-on apprenticeship and training programs.
In 2022, Jenna founded AgroEco Solutions, where she supports farmers, homesteaders, and organizations in developing sustainable greenhouse systems, perennial pollinator gardens, and food forests that build ecological health and community resilience. She holds a European MSc in Agroecology and teaches about food production and food systems at the University of Colorado Denver.
In her free time, Jenna enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, cuddling her cat, and experimenting in her garden.

Food Sovereignty

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