Erik Talkin

Erik Talkin, CEO of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, is a recognized innovator and leader in America's food bank network. Previously, he was a board member of the California Association of Food Banks and sat on the National Advisory Council of Feeding America. Committed to helping people move from simple charity to building long-term food security, Erik authored Hunger into Health and Lulu and the Hunger Monster (TM) and has helped create innovative, national-award-winning children's...See more

Erik Talkin, CEO of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, is a recognized innovator and leader in America's food bank network. Previously, he was a board member of the California Association of Food Banks and sat on the National Advisory Council of Feeding America. Committed to helping people move from simple charity to building long-term food security, Erik authored Hunger into Health and Lulu and the Hunger Monster (TM) and has helped create innovative, national-award-winning children's nutrition education programs such as Healthy School Pantry and Kid's Farmers Market. Erik is also a writer and filmmaker and has served as a principal in two production companies. His short film The Gallery , starring Helena Bonham Carter, was selected for the London Film Festival. He has won an International Television Association Award for writing and directing educational drama and his theatrical work has been produced on the London Fringe. Erik lives in Santa Barbara, California. Born in La Plata, Argentina, Maine Diaz grew up drawing and painting. At the age of 16 she began animating and working in films. She went on to enroll in Universidad DeLa Plata (UNLP) and then to illustrate children's story books and educational books. Currently, Maine lives in a tiny green house where she spends time with her two cats, Chula and Lola. She loves tending her garden while Chula eats all the plants and Lola jumps and climbs the trees. Maine prefers to be barefoot while painting and singing in her studio. When not illustrating, she also enjoys swimming, writing, and taking photos. See less