Mayor Mamdani Appoints Siddhartha Sanchez as Executive Director of Mayor's Office of Food Policy

 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Siddhartha Sanchez as the executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP). Sanchez brings more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, government philanthropy and community-based food systems work to advance the administration’s commitment to make healthy, affordable food accessible to every New Yorker.   

  

“New Yorkers are struggling to put healthy food on the table while grocery prices continue to rise. Building a city that people can afford means building a food system that works for everyone,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Siddhartha Sanchez has spent his career fighting for food justice, strengthening community-led solutions and expanding access to healthy food. Food access is an economic justice issue and I am proud to welcome him to this administration, as we work to ensure that every New Yorker has access to food as a basic human right.”     

  

“Food insecurity is among the most pressing issues facing our city, and making high-quality, nutritious food affordable and accessible to New Yorkers is a top priority of this administration,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. “It is important to have dedicated, experienced partners in government, and Siddhartha Sanchez, who has dedicated more than two decades to serving low-income communities of color in New York City, is just the kind of leader we need to further our food policy agenda. I am thrilled to announce his appointment as Executive Director for MOFP, and I look forward to working alongside him to help struggling families put healthy, affordable food back on their tables.”  

  

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of New York City — the city I grew up in and have dedicated my career to,” said Siddhartha Sanchez, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Food Policy. “Food security is inseparable from racial and economic justice, and for too many New Yorkers — especially in low-income communities of color — access to healthy, affordable food remains out of reach. I am committed to the Mamdani Administration's vision of a city where every resident can thrive, and I look forward to building on the tremendous foundation MOFP has laid. Because of their work, we understand these challenges more clearly than ever before. I'm eager to work alongside our most impacted communities to continue turning MOFP's legacy into real solutions. I'm excited to get started.”  

  

The Mayor’s Office of Food Policy works across City government to increase food security, expand access to healthy food and build a more equitable, sustainable and resilient food system. As Executive Director of MOFP, Sanchez will also serve as a member of the Mayor's Grocery Store Task Force.  

  

About Siddhartha Sanchez  

  

Siddhartha Sanchez is a lifelong advocate for food justice whose work centers racial, environmental and economic justice for more than 20 years. He has dedicated his career to serving low-income communities of color across New York City, developing deep expertise at the intersection of food systems, economic development, climate justice and community-driven policy.   

  

Most recently, Sanchez served as Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance, where he oversaw stewardship of a 23-mile urban watershed and more than 100 acres of public land while advancing environmental restoration, public access and community engagement. A cornerstone of that work was the community-led Bronx River Foodway – the first edible food forest in a New York City, which demonstrates how public land can be used to strengthen food sovereignty and community well-being.   

  

Prior to that role, Sanchez served as Interim Executive Director of the Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative, where he advanced efforts to leverage institutional procurement as a tool for community wealth-building and equitable food systems.  

  

As co-founder of KPS Strategies, a public interest consulting firm, Sanchez advised government agencies, mission-driven businesses, philanthropic organizations and nonprofits on food systems strategy, stakeholder engagement and cross-sector collaboration. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Representative José Serrano, helping secure federal funding for food access and infrastructure projects, and managed a philanthropic portfolio supporting organizations focused on food access, affordable housing and community development.   

  

Born and raised in Washington Heights, Sanchez is a lifelong vegan, family chef and avid gardener. His parents migrated from the Dominican Republic. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Brown University.