Swipe Out Hunger Announces New Board Members

Today, Swipe Out Hunger announces four new members that join its Board of Directors. With these four new Board members, the Swipe Out Hunger Board of Directors comprises a total of 12 knowledgeable professionals, each bringing unique experiences to the Board.

“These skilled individuals will support our vision of ending student hunger through their expertise, insights, and lived experience,” said David Croom, Swipe Out Hunger’s Board Chair. “The current Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome such dedicated members to advance our shared mission.”

Join Swipe Out Hunger in welcoming its newest Board of Directors members:

Connor Blankenship is a senior clean energy professional with over 10 years of experience in project finance and mergers and acquisitions at several major renewables developers in North America. Currently, he is a Senior Manager in the Energy Origination & Development team at TC Energy, where he is responsible for originating and financing low carbon opportunities. Prior to TC Energy, Blankenship held comparable roles at GE Capital, Exelon, ENGIE, and Harrison Street Capital. Blankenship graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in finance and has a master’s in business administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. During his time at Booth, he co-founded and acted as Treasurer for MeaningFull Meals, a nonprofit focused on fighting food insecurity. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Elizabeth, and dog, Bonkers.

Cyekeia Lee is the Executive Director of the Detroit College Access Network (DCAN), overseeing college access support for over 50 high schools in Detroit. In this role, she brings together school districts, community-based organizations, and workforce partners to make postsecondary pathways a reality for all students. Previously, Lee was the Director of Community Collaboration at The Kalamazoo Promise and the Director of Higher Education Initiatives with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s degree in counseling education from Wayne State University. 

Miki Rettig is an Executive Assistant at Ares Management, a global alternative investment management company operating in the credit, private equity, and real estate markets. Through her own college experience and later as owner of a specialty food store catering to women, infants, and children, Rettig has seen first-hand the impact food has on the growth, development, self-esteem and confidence of young people. Rettig is committed to using her experiences to address the universal need for food and eliminate hunger for the young and the young at heart. Previous to her role at Ares Management, Rettig worked as an Accountant and Controller at an Orange County, CA hospital as well as at Blue Cross of California, Medi-Cal Programs and Health Net, Inc. where she continued her dedication to the improvement of health for families and communities. Rettig received a bachelor of science in business administration from University of California, Riverside and a master of science in health services administration with an emphasis in community health education and health promotion from California State University, San Bernardino. 

Eben Shapiro is a veteran media executive with three decades of experience overseeing award-winning digital and print content at TIME, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), The New York Times, and Newsweek. He currently is the Executive Editor at Sellerseaston Media. As Deputy Editor at TIME, he oversaw daily operations and launched the highly successful Leadership Brief CEO interview series. While at WSJ, Shapiro served as the top editor of sections including Personal Journal, Review and Arena; the Global Arts Editor; and the Editor of the WSJ’s Personal Journal, a consumer section he co-launched in 2002. In addition, Shapiro was the Business Editor of Newsweek magazine and a Business Reporter for The New York Times. He is known for successful startup launches and building cohesive, energetic reporting teams.

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