Executive Management Team
Bill Ayres
Executive Director
Bill co-founded WhyHunger in 1975 with the late singer Harry Chapin. Since its founding, Bill has developed
and implemented meaningful and innovative hunger and poverty programs such as the National Hunger Hotline, the
National Hunger Clearinghouse, the Grassroots Action Network, Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, Hungerthon© and
the Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Awards. He has led local initiatives to promote ideas and policies that have made
significant impacts upon the communities that they serve, including the creation of the New York Hunger Hotline in
New York City and the Center for Food Action in New Jersey. Under Bill's direction, WhyHunger has served as a
founding member of the National Association of Hunger Organizations (NAHO) and the National Jobs for All Coalition.
He is also a member of the board of advisors of Long Island Cares, Long Island's food bank. Bill has been a broadcaster
on commercial radio and TV for the past 40 years and currently hosts two weekly Sunday night radio shows on WPLJ 95.5 FM
in New York. Through his work in communications, Bill has developed extensive contacts in the world of media. He is
the co-author with Pete Fornatale of the book All You Need is Love (Simon & Schuster). Bill is married to Life Coach
Jeannine Ayres. They have two daughters Michelle and Suzanne and one granddaughter Jaida Lynn.
Alison Meares Cohen
Director of Programs
Alison facilitates the development and stewardship of WhyHunger's organizational vision, strategy and programmatic
implementation through its Grassroots Action Network, National Hunger Hotline, Food Security Learning Center and Global
Movements programs. Prior to joining WhyHunger, Alison served as the Northern Program Manager for Heifer International
from 2001-2008. She was responsible for developing partnerships throughout the northeast and Midwest regions with
local communities and like-minded organizations to build sustainable food systems where limited-resource families,
communities and beginner farmers – both rural and urban – have access to healthy food and income-earning opportunities.
Prior to transferring to New York, Alison served as the director of Heifer International's first urban agriculture
program based in Chicago, IL for five years. Alison has a master's degree in Sociology from Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University and an undergraduate degree in French and English literature from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For the past ten years, she has worked with farmers and communities in West Africa,
Latin America, Canada and the United States. Alison lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters with whom
she started the PS 29 Food and Farming Initiative that hosts a school vegetable garden and works to improve the quality
of food served in the cafeteria.
Noreen Springstead
Director of Fundraising & Marketing
Noreen has been working for WhyHunger since 1992. Noreen's vision guides the organization's marketing strategies and
she has established successful philanthropic partnerships with diverse companies such as Hard Rock International, CBS
Radio Group, ASCAP, The Orchard, RightsFlow, Duncan Channon Advertising, Shore Fire Media, and others. As part of
WhyHunger's signature program Artists Against Hunger & Poverty, she has built long-term relationships with notable
artists, their management and record labels resulting in millions of dollars in aid to WhyHunger and the community
based members of our Grassroots Action Network. Prior to directing WhyHunger's marketing efforts, Noreen used her
expertise in program services to develop, support and replicate grassroots solutions focused on self-reliance and
empowerment. Noreen is a graduate of Rutgers University with a BA in Political Science and recently completed an
Executive Education Certification Program given by the Harvard Kennedy School.
Marc Weiss
Director of Finance and Administration
Marc has over twenty years of executive management, operations and organizational leadership experience. At WhyHunger,
Marc is responsible for developing, monitoring and reporting on the organization's annual budget, implementing HR policies
and overseeing the daily operations of the office. Prior to joining WhyHunger's team in 2006, Marc was the owner of
successful printing and graphic arts companies in New York City and on Long Island. He has also served as the Executive
Director of Huntington Jewish Center and Operations Coordinator at the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education.
Marc was the Treasurer at Temple Chaverim in Plainview, NY and is a Past President of Temple Beth Torah in Melville, NY.
Marc has completed coursework in Public Administration, Board Development & Training, Fundraising Management and
Synagogue Management and is currently studying the area of Industrial and Labor Relations. He currently resides on
Long Island with his wife, three incredible children and puppy Dakota.
