Meet the Northeast Team

Our team of experts in international markets is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and works alongside state member agencies, the USDA, and Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) to help you identify real market opportunities and become export ready.

 
Tim Hamilton
Executive Director
thamilton@foodexport.org I 312.334.9200

Tim Hamilton is Executive Director of the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA-Northeast. Together these associations offer international trade development services to U.S. exporters to over 40 countries around the world. Tim and his team work directly with the U.S. food industry, government officials, importers and distributors throughout the world to design and implement export development and promotion activities for U.S. food and agricultural products. Tim also leads programs that provide financial support to U.S. exporters of food and agricultural products through funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Market Access Program.

Tim previously served as Chairman of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council. He holds an appointment to the U.S. Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Processed Foods by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the Association Forum of Chicago.

Tim has experience in both food manufacturing and international agriculture. Prior to joining Food Export-Midwest in 1991 and Food Export-Northeast in 2000, Tim was the general manager of a Chicago-based natural foods producer. Early in his career he was a volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa. As an agricultural extension agent, he focused on increasing food production by working directly with farmers and ranchers in a remote region of the country. A Wisconsin native, Tim holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of International Business from DePaul University in Chicago.

Greg Cohen
Communications Manager
gcohen@foodexport.org I 312.334.9215

Greg is a longtime (and 3rd generation!) Chicagoan, and he’s also lived in Cleveland, Boston and Germany.  He is no stranger to Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast, having worked for the organizations in various communications and export education roles in the past.  He has also been self-employed as a massage therapist and health coach and is passionate about all kinds of food and healthy living.

Greg received his B.A. from Tufts University in International Relations and German.

In his free time, he really needs to brush up on his Spanish so he can keep up with his son who is enrolled in a bilingual elementary school.

Howard Gordon
Branded Program Manager
hgordon@foodexport.orgI 215.599.9741

Howard joined Food Export-Northeast in September of 2011 as a Liaison.  He holds a Bachelors Degree in Marketing with a focus in Aviation Management from Jacksonville University. Before working for Food Export–Northeast, Howard worked for a major airline for 12 years in airport customer service. Additionally, Howard has worked in state government in the department of finance.

A native of Delaware, Howard enjoys traveling, swimming, and volunteering.

Andrew Haught
International Marketing Program Manager
ahaught@foodexport.org I 215.599.9746

Andrew joined Food Export-Northeast in April 2014 as the International Marketing Program Assistant. He earned his B. S. in Hospitality Management from Drexel University and worked for Drexel in the Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, and Food Science Program. 

Andrew grew up in Manchester, NH and the NH Seacoast and has a fondness for New England and seafood in particular. When he is not at work he can be found biking and walking around the city, traveling, reading at the beach or gardening up on his roof deck in Center City.

Eric Kushner
Finance Manager
ekushner@foodexport.org I 215.599.9744

Eric was born and raised in South Philadelphia. He joined Food Export–Northeast in April 2019 as a Finance Manager. Before joining the Food Export, Eric worked at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia as a Senior Accountant as well as an Accountant for the Temple University Health System. Eric received his Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Accounting as well as his MBA from Temple University.

Eric enjoys spending time with his children Jude, Vada, and Santina as well as his fiancée Kristin. He has also been a member of the Philadelphia Mummers for over 2 decades. With what little spare time he has, Eric enjoys his hobbies of cryptocurrency, sports cards, and watching all Philadelphia sports teams!

Mike Weiand
IT Manager
mweiand@foodexport.org I 312.334.9210

Mike became the IT Administrator for Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast in October 2010. He is originally from the suburbs north of Chicago. He spent the past 12 years in southern Illinois, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems Technologies and Master’s Degree in Geographic Information Systems from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC).

Prior to returning to the Chicago area, Mike worked at SIUC at the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development on the Rural Medical Transportation Network Project, providing GIS expertise to the project and serving as LAN Administrator for the department.

Laura Buske
Communications Coordinator - Publications
lbuske@foodexport.org I 312.334.9205

Laura was born and raised in the Chicago area and joined Food Export-Midwest as the Administrative Assistant in March of 2011. She joined the International Marketing Program in 2013 and became the Communications Coordinator - Publications in March 2015 for both Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast. Prior to her employment at Food Export, she has worked supporting corporate executives at electronics and advertising firms.

In her spare time, Laura enjoys scrapbooking and watching her two sons play baseball.

Ben Cortese
Senior International Marketing Program Coordinator 
bcortese@foodexport.org I 215.599.9740

Ben Cortese joined Food Export-Northeast in August 2016 as a Liaison. Ben comes to Food Export with a diverse background, having spent time in both the Apparel and Real Estate industries. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology from Fordham University in New York City.

Ben has travelled extensively throughout Europe and has completed both the Camino de Santiago and Tour du Mont Blanc hikes. He enjoys photography and has had the privilege to document all of his travels.

John Eppinger
Branded Program Associate
jeppinger@foodexport.org I 215.599.9752

John joined Food Export-Northeast in October 2019 as a Branded Program Associate. Living in Philadelphia his entire life, he graduated from Jefferson University (Formerly Philadelphia University) in May 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Business with a minor in marketing. John has experience working in structured finance, the restaurant industry, as well as retail.

Since studying abroad in Japan during the fall of 2017, John has kept up with his Japanese language studies. He enjoys all types of Japanese cuisine and media and hopes to become fluent one day.

Deborah Ingravallo
Liaison
dingravallo@foodexport.org I 215.599.9747

Deborah joined Food Export–Northeast as a Liaison in August 2017 following an extensive career as a Marketing and Events Coordinator with a local Trade Association, working with every segment of the Maritime Industry within the Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington.  

Her career in Maritime began in sales and marketing with a major Steamship Line, eventually transitioning to outside sales within the Philadelphia area. 

Deborah is a Jersey girl born-and-raised and holds a B.A. from Penn State University.  She is a huge baseball fan (Philadelphia Phillies), loves the South Jersey shore, and is active in the Township and County where she resides in New Jersey.

Apryl King
Liaison
aking@foodexport.org I 215.599.9753

Apryl moved from Maine to Philadelphia to join Food Export-Northeast in October 2018 as a Liaison. Before joining as Liaison, Apryl was a Research Associate at the Maine International Trade Center as well as a Food Export Intern in Maine. Apryl received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern Maine.   

Apryl is a true Mainer and New Englander and loves seafood and the outdoors. Apryl loves exploring the outdoors and in her new city of Philadelphia.

Sarah Larson
Communications Coordinator - Social Media
slarson@foodexport.org I 215.599.9755

Sarah Larson joined Food Export–Northeast in May 2018 as our Communications Associate – Social Media.   She received her B.A. in Comparative Literature and History from Indiana University.  Previously she has worked as a Social Media Coordinator managing the social media presence of small businesses in the Greater Philadelphia Area. 

Sarah grew up in California and now loves living on the East Coast and getting to experience all 4 seasons, even winter!  In her free time she enjoys reading a variety of genres, listening to Broadway soundtracks, discovering new podcasts, and hiking through her local Wissahickon Valley Park.

Matt Mager
IT Coordinator
mmager@foodexport.org I 312.334.9211

Matt joined Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast in April 2018. He received his A.A.S in Cyber Security in December 2017. Matt had interned at JJC for 2 semesters, one with the Networking Department and one with the Help Desk Department. While in school Matt was able to participate in 2 National Cyber League competitions were he placed 26th out of 2077 competitors and 69th out of 2423 competitors.

Matt was born and raised in the southwest suburbs of Chicago were he still lives. In his free time Matt enjoys playing video games, disc golfing, bowling, and of course sleeping. 

Wahkeena "Keyna" Mason
Senior Administrative Specialist
kmason@foodexport.org I 215.599.9737

Keyna worked for Food Export-Northeast as a temp starting July of 2002.  She later became a full-time employee in August of 2003.  As the Senior Administrative Specialist she provides support to the Deputy Director, Finance, Branded Program and International Marketing Program. Using her charm to collect Food Export program evaluations is just one more area of her expertise.

Prior to joining Food Export-Northeast, she provided customer service to small companies in the Food Distribution Center that corresponded with the seafood industry.  Keyna, as she is affectionately known as, recently obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting in March of 2013.  She enjoys shopping, singing, writing spoken word poetry, spending time with her family, watching football (Dallas Cowboys) and has found a new love for traveling now that she has finished her degree.

Colleen McArdle
International Marketing Program Associate
cmcardle@foodxport.org I 215.599.9751

Colleen started at Food Export-Northeast in January 2019 as an International Marketing Program Intern while attending Temple University as a Marketing and MIS student. After graduating in 2020, Colleen continued her education at West Chester University to earn her MBA while working at Food Export as an intern. After receiving her MBA, Colleen joined the Food Export team full-time as an International Marketing Program associate.

In her free time, Colleen enjoys watching musicals and discovering different kinds of music. She also has a passion for cosmetics and fashion.

Anna McCrorey
Accounting/HR Coordinator 
amccrorey@foodexport.org I 215.599.9745

Anna joined Food Export-Northeast  in March 2013. Prior to joining Food Export she worked as a Fiscal Assistant in the Accounting departments of two different organizations in the Human Services field. Anna brings over 20 years of non-profit experience to Food Export.  She enjoys spending time with her family.

Adolfo Montelongo

Senior Communications Coordinator - Marketing
amontelongo@foodexport.org I 312.334.9204

Adolfo joined Food Export-Midwest in the fall of 2010. He is originally from Houston, TX and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Communications. Prior to his employment with Food Export-Midwest, he worked in marketing with the WNBA, Clear Channel Radio, the Austin Marathon and in project management. He also spent time as a legislative intern with former Congressman Ken Bentsen.

In his free time he enjoys discovering new places to eat in the city, listening to NPR every morning and the outdoors.

Ciara Quattlebaum
Branded Program Associate 
cquattlebaum@foodexport.org I 215.599.9743 

Ciara started at Food Export as an International Program Associate in 2019, splitting her time between the International Marketing and Branded programs. Since, Ciara has transitioned to a full-time Branded team member. 

In addition to studying international business and marketing in Reading, PA, Ciara attended a language institute in Busan, South Korea, and has spent time working in Madrid, Spain prior to starting at Food Export. 

Like a typical Philadelphian, Ciara loves food and Philly sports. Much of her free time is spent traveling, eating at new restaurants, passionately yelling at sporting events, and baking desserts. 

Tia Regec
Communications Associate
tregec@foodexport.org I 215.829.9781

Tia joined Food Export–Northeast in August 2020 as a Communications Associate. She graduated in May 2020 and received her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Marketing from Temple University’s Fox School of Business. Tia has had multiple internship experiences, all in marketing, prior to her graduation from Temple – including an international marketing internship right here at Food Export.

In her free time, Tia enjoys spending time outside running and hiking, discovering new restaurants in the city, and spending time with friends and family.

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