The Free Foodi Team
Kari Frances Gephart
Creator & Co-Founder
Kari Frances brings over a decade of public sector science to the fight against student food insecurity. As an urban planner and civic technology developer, she is building the "infrastructure of abundance"—designing decentralized systems that treat surplus food as a high-value resource rather than waste.
By merging rigorous public health standards with Web 2.5 architecture, Kari Frances is building the systems that ensure no student is left behind, delivering a solution that prioritizes dignity, privacy, and absolute reliability.
The Experience Behind the Vision:
- Public Sector Expert: 11 years of municipal agency experience as an environmental scientist, chemist, and regulatory compliance specialist for the County of San Luis Obispo.
- Civic Innovator: Finalist in the 2026 Cal Poly Innovation Quest and active founder within the CIE Hatchery program.
- Grant-Funded Researcher: 2026 Baker-Koob Endowment recipient, fully funding the Free Foodi proof-of-concept campus pilot.
- Technical Authority: Holds degrees in Biochemistry (B.A.) and Computer Science (A.S.), perfectly bridging the gap between public health compliance and digital logistics.
- Community Leader: Appointed Advisor to the City of San Luis Obispo Tree Committee and Graduate Research Assistant within Cal Poly’s Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) program.