Zainab Pixler

Zainab Pixler is the first-ever Local Food Systems Strategies Coordinator at the Cleveland Department of Public Health. In her role, she addresses the root causes of food apartheid by developing policies and supporting programs that promote food sovereignty, close gaps in food access, and reduce food-related illness and mortality. Her work encompasses expanding equitable land and water access, supporting alternative food retail models, and implementing workforce development programming, all in service of a thriving food system. Pixler's career has spanned a wide breadth of the food system, from food rescue and assistance to institutional procurement and, now, public health and policy development.

The Cleveland Department of Public Health protects and improves the health and well-being of city residents through programs spanning disease prevention, environmental health, emergency preparedness, and community wellness. CDPH was one of the founding organizations of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition in 2007, developing policies to promote food access and public health. In 2023, CDPH established a dedicated Food Systems program to address food-related health disparities and advance equitable access to nutritious, affordable food across Cleveland.