Vicki B. Escarra

Vicki B. Escarra is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity. Since joining the organization in 2006, she has led Feeding America through the most ambitious period of growth in its history, charting a course to feed more Americans at risk of hunger than ever before.

Escarra has established a new strategic plan for the organization, which will guide all of Feeding America’s efforts through 2012. It sets a goal of distributing nearly 3 billion pounds of food and grocery products each year to people facing hunger

In 2009, Feeding America provided food to more than 37 million Americans, a dramatic increase from 25 million served when Escarra joined the organization.

Escarra has led a re-branding process that has mobilized the public in support of Feeding America and domestic hunger-relief; coordinated network-wide support for increased federal government funding, resulting in the passage of the 2008 Farm Bill; improved network relations and cooperation, leading to more effective local food distribution; launched a nationwide coordinated fundraising strategy; and developed corporate partnerships, including new retail store pickup programs, with nationwide retailers, that have resulted in unprecedented availability of fresh foods for local distribution.

Prior to arriving at Feeding America, Escarra was Executive Vice President, Chief Customer Service Officer of Delta Airlines. In that role, she managed the company’s customer service strategy, leading a workforce of 52,000. Earlier in her 30-year career with Delta, she served as Chief Marketing Officer, expanding revenue through unique agreements with organizational partners, a restructured customer loyalty program and a new customer research department.

In September 2009, the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute presented Feeding America and Escarra with the prestigious "Freedom from Want" medal, which honored Escarra, for leading “Feeding America as it expanded its reach, developed new partnerships, and brought greater public awareness to the often-overlooked problem of hunger in America.”

Escarra currently serves on the Sesame Street Advisory Board on Food Insecurity and the boards of Health Net, Inc., the Congressional Hunger Center, National Association of Professional Women and the Committee of 200.

In 2009 and 2010, Vicki served on the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships as a member of the Task Force on Economic Recovery and Domestic Poverty.

A native of Decatur, Georgia, Escarra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Georgia State University and has completed the Columbia University Executive Management Program and the Harvard University Executive Leadership Program.