In the spirit of fostering closer community and connection, we invite you to get to know our dedicated team members and learn more about their contributions to our vibrant community.
In this series, we not hope to not only foster stronger bonds within our team, but also to provide a valuable resource for our members and extended networks, so you always know the right person to reach out to when you have questions or exciting opportunities to share. We are thrilled to introduce Jeff Doyle to the PBFA team – read on to learn more about his background, the role he’ll be playing at PBFA and PBFI and more!
Jeff Doyle
1. Tell us a bit about yourself! What perspectives, skills, or experiences are you most proud to bring to PBFA/I?
I began my career working on malaria control and eradication. I had the pleasure and privilege of working with leaders around the world to implement programs on the ground in India and across Africa, raise global attention via communication campaigns, and drive strategic investment from governments, multilateral development institutions, foundations, and the private sector. Broadly speaking, while we have the core tools in hand (bed nets, rapid tests, and effective medicines), the key challenges to eradication are political and logistical. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of individuals from frontline community health workers up to outspoken heads of state, significant progress has been made and I am appreciative of the small role I played in the larger fight.
We are in an incredibly exciting time of innovation and growth of the plant-based foods industry, and are seeing new delicious and nutritious foods scale in the market. And while the innovation will continue, I also believe that reorienting our food system to sustainably provide nutritious foods across the globe is also largely a political and logistical one. We need to rally around priorities that put public and environmental health at the center of the conversation. From my experiences engaging with private sector leaders, nutrition and environmental scientists, and farmers around the world, it is abundantly clear to me that plant-based foods – supported by enabling policy measures and greater investment to support farmers and producers – are key to our success. At an individual level, folks across sectors are energized about the potential of plant-based foods, and I am excited to work with colleagues and partners to turn this momentum into large-scale, transformative change.
2. What is your role with PBFA/PBFI?
As the Director of Program Development, I am focused on ensuring PBFA and PBFI are as impactful as possible. Working closely with our CEO and department heads, I oversee the monitoring and evaluation of existing programs and support the development of strategies to expand our reach and impact. I also serve as a touchpoint with our strategic and philanthropic partners to discuss current efforts, identify points of alignment, and plan for the future.
3. What inspired you to get into your line of work? How does this connect to your “why” for working in the plant-based industry/food systems?
Friends helped kick off my personal journey to becoming plant-based and the more books, documentaries, and research papers I consumed, the more committed I became. The data is clear that our current food system is pushing ecosystems to the brink, driving human morbidity and mortality, hurting farming communities, and causing suffering for billions of animals raised in intensive confinement. We can, and must, do better. I believe that plant-based foods, and particularly ones which utilize regenerative ingredients, are a critical solution to the challenges we face.
4. Take your pick! Answer one of the following: What’s your favorite: Dish, Hobby, Inspirational Quote, Book, or Animal?
Nothing makes me smile like a pizza with Neapolitan-style dough and sauce, a handful of kalamata olives, a light drizzle of olive oil, and few fresh basil leaves on top.