We are proud to announce an important milestone in our ongoing mission to address food insecurity and reduce food waste.
Effective October 1, three leaders and dedicated advocates are joining the Share My Meals Board of Directors: Shamika Williams, Jay Lichtenstein, and Ves Kjenstad.
“We are thrilled to officially welcome Shamika, Jay, and Ves to our Board of Directors,” said Karen Lemon, Chair of the Share My Meals Board. “All three have previously served with distinction on our Advisory Board, lending their incredible expertise, guidance, and passion to our organization. As we enter this next chapter of growth, we are honored to have them step into key leadership roles on our Board of Directors to help guide our strategy, deepen our impact across New Jersey, and expand our reach”.
Meet Our New Board Members
Shamika Williams
Founder and CEO of SYW Strategies, a HR Consulting, Coaching & Business Advisory firm, Shamika brings a distinguished career in global enterprise strategy, human resources, and community impact. She has held strategic HR leadership roles at major organizations including Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche Diagnostics, BASF and Thomson Reuters. Beyond her corporate career, Shamika is a recognized leader in inclusive business strategy and organizational effectiveness, having served as a Founding Board Member of One We Reach and Strategic Growth Advisor to GoGo Grocer. A resident of Mercer County, Shamika’s expertise in strategic growth, donor outreach, and community empowerment will be instrumental as we expand engagement and awareness.
Jay Lichtenstein
Jay is a Managing Partner at ZS Associates, where he leads the firm’s Marketing Practice and brings over 30 years of experience in strategy, marketing, and brand growth across multiple industries. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. In addition to his professional leadership, Jay and his wife, Julie, are active, hands-on volunteers with Share My Meals, regularly delivering meals to families across Mercer County. His rare blend of strategic marketing acumen and first-hand volunteer experience makes him uniquely suited to help drive our vision forward.
Ves Kjenstad
With over a decade in senior leadership, Ves previously served on Bristol Myers Squibb’s IT leadership team, where she was instrumental in enabling IT delivery through cross-IT capabilities, including IT Business, Service, Program, Quality Management, and IT Supplier Governance. Holding a master’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Bergen, Ves’s international career spans the US, UK, Norway, Nigeria, and Austria. Since leaving BMS, she has dedicated her talents to advising not-for-profits and mentoring young professionals. Ves’s deep background in governance program management, technical advisory, and operational excellence will be vital in strengthening SMM’s infrastructure and operational model.
