MEET THE GAP TEAM
Dave Anderson | Executive Director
Dave, who’s often referred to as “Dr Dave”, is the Macgyver of doing good - No matter the resources and the hurdles, he will find a way for GAP to make a meaningful impact on those in need. Dave is a caring father and a servant leader. On his time off, you’ll still find Dave helping to get out the vote, fighting for a climate-smart future, or serving communities in crises.
After running Dr. Dave’s Automotive for twelve years and working on alternative fuel systems, he started Triple D Creations to produce field marketing events for the community in partnership with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. “When I responded to my first disaster to help out, I quickly realized that the style of field events I managed required the same logistical capabilities needed to run off-grid mass care food relief operations in a disaster zone. This was a life-changing discovery for me; from then on, I’ve been dedicated to providing relief to those in need.” Since Hurricane Irma hit in 2017 Dave has been managing crews serving food in disaster zones with a unique approach focusing on healthy organic food, reducing waste, and reaching otherwise overlooked communities in need.
Dave helped co-found Grassroots Aid Partnership in an effort to bring the donors and the responders into alignment around the grassroots needs of each impacted community. Dave is a natural leader that brings a variety of technical, business administration, and community organizing expertise to the table as the Executive Director for Grassroots Aid Partnership.
GAP Board of Directors
Clovis Siemon
Founder, Board President & Marketing Chief
Clovis is a storyteller by trade, a community leader by passion, and a proud father. At 16, he founded Youth Initiative High School and began his dedication to helping at the community level. Since 1994, Clovis has volunteered in and managed field kitchens for community events, festivals, and disaster response efforts. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he ran the largest Katrina response kitchen on the Gulf Coast - pumping out hundreds of thousands of meals. “When disaster strikes, I truly believe that if you are able to respond, you are response-able ”. Clovis is a natural bridge builder who has focused on bringing donor companies, disaster response organizations, and philanthropic individuals together to make a more effective impact in times of crisis. “Helping during a crisis is so much more than the material goods or labor; it’s an act of love that helps heal those in need.” Currently, Clovis works at Organic Valley as their Senior Manager of Video and Photography and leads their Disaster Giving Committee.
Matt Atwood
Founder, Board Vice President & Capital Development Chief
Matt is an entrepreneur focused on technologies turning climate threats into sustainable development opportunities - producing clean water, energy, and products made from atmospheric CO2. Matt has worked in emergency hunger and disaster relief for over 15 years, collaborating with and serving in leadership roles with organizations like The Conscious Alliance and Burners Without Borders, he has been invited to work with the White House and FEMA on grassroots disaster relief efforts and currently serves on the board of directors of Grassroots Alliance. He brings extensive experience in non-profit management to GAP, having served as Chairman of Students for Sensible Drug Policy for 5 years, helping grow the organization from from 20 to over 350 chapters worldwide, serving as Executive Director of a 501(c)(3) organization working on legislative reform and grassroots organizing efforts in Illinois and has supported organizations like MAPS in fundraising and organizational development. Currently, Matt is the Founder and CEO of AirCapture, where he works to commercialize technologies that capture CO2 from the atmosphere and put it to work. Matt draws inspiration for his activism from a quote by Kahlil Gibran, “Work is love made visible.”
Tenali Hrenak
Founder, Board Secretary & Operations Chief
Ever since he was a teenager, Tenali has volunteered at Homeless Shelters, Food Banks, Nursing Homes, and Radio Stations. In 2005, he got involved with disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, supporting the relief kitchen established in Waveland, MS. He has participated in several disasters and humanitarian relief efforts, including Superstorm Sandy Relief and Standing Rock. He has over 25 years of experience setting up community kitchens in remote areas, fostering a safe, productive, and fun working environment. Tenali is also a Field Recordist, award-winning Radio and Podcast Producer of Muddy Boots, Music Producer & Editor, Sound Designer, Cultural Curator & Music Archivist at Sounds from the Rainbow. From 2014-2016, He served a two-year term on the community radio station KVMR Board of Directors during the pivotal Bridge Street Project build and move to a new building with state-of-the-art studios and offices and community room. Tenali brings GAP his passion for logistics, leadership, media and social outreach, and serving communities in crisis. He abides by the adage: ”We can do more together than any of us can do on our own.”
GAP Champions
George Siemon
Consultant & Supporter
George founded Organic Valley, the world's largest organic farmer-owned cooperative, and drafted many of the original organic standards that laid the foundation for the entire organic food industry. Under his 30 years of leading Organic Valley to a billion dollars in annual revenue, one of his favorite things was always giving goods and funds to enable grassroots initiatives that responded in crisis. “there’s nothing like working with others to respond to a disaster to restore your faith in humanity”. Today George helps GAP as a leadership & capital development consultant.
David Bronner
Consultant & Supporter
David Bronner is Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of Dr. Bronner’s, the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America and producer of a range of organic body care and food products. He is a grandson of company founder, Emanuel Bronner, and a fifth-generation soapmaker. Under David and his brother Michael’s leadership, the brand has grown from $4 million in 1998 to $129 million in annual revenue in 2019.
Ernesto Borges
Marketing & Field Operations Consultant
Originally from Venezuela, Ernesto studied visual art and communications in Venezuela and Madrid and has been a life-long athlete, musician, and artist. With a background in skating, acrobatics, urban street art, and surfing, he has used his combined skill-set in a variety of ways. Ernesto has designed and operated special rigs for James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez, Cirque du Soleil, built dozens of Skate Parks across Venezuela, joined forces with UNICEF to help rural kids have access to surfing and skating opportunities and equipment, and created interactive experiences at dozens of festivals, including Burning Man. In the USA, he has been part of multiple Disaster Relief operations that combine environmentalism and social justice with products for companies like Dr. Bronners and Sambazon. He believes in using his multifaceted talents to awaken the consciousness of people through visual communications and shared experiences that honor the planet..
Amanda Krause
Outreach & Positive Vibes Coordinator
Being of service has been ingrained in Amanda from a young age. She has been working with the GAP folx since Immokalee Florida in 2017. This past year being able to serve her community locally in Asheville and back at home in D.C. , while most recently helping in Atlanta has been a true honor. She is grateful to serve fellow beings as a human rights advocate and continue to promote healing through music, art, and good food!
