Introducing Daniel Zoltani, Our New Executive Director
We are thrilled to kick off 2025 with Daniel Zoltani as Whole Foods Market Foundation’s new Executive Director! He has served as a Foundation Team Member and leader for over 16 years, including roles as Whole Planet’s Interim Executive Director and Global Programs Director. Most recently, as our Senior Director of Programs, he played an integral part in the successful consolidation of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet. Daniel brings a strategic vision for the Foundation that will lead us into the future while honoring the legacy and missions of our three projects.
We recently sat down with Daniel to talk about his path to Whole Foods Market Foundation, recent partner visits, 2024’s challenges and successes, and what’s on the horizon.
Congratulations on your new role! What excites you about being Whole Foods Market Foundation’s Executive Director, and where do you see the Foundation headed?
Daniel: I am honored and thrilled to step into the role of Executive Director at Whole Foods Market Foundation. What excites me most is the opportunity to lead a passionate and innovative team that's ready to deepen our impact through partnerships.
Whole Foods Market Foundation is on a mission to nourish people and the planet by providing access to essential resources to improve nutrition and create economic opportunities that help alleviate global poverty. Our role is to amplify the existing strengths of community organizations by providing tools and resources that drive additional impact. For example, some of our partners promote access to nutrition and livelihoods through school gardens, new mobile markets, and small business and farm support. When people have access to a rich blend of resources, they can leverage their strengths to create thriving, healthy, and prosperous communities.
Our commitment lies in investing in sustainable, long-term solutions that tap into local expertise and empower communities to lead their own development and health. By building on the existing assets of community partners, we're cultivating environments where individuals and families can flourish, innovate, and realize their full potential for generations to come.
A key part of our mission is also to engage and inspire a diverse group of stakeholders, including community organizations, generous donors, and Whole Foods Market team members. Their support and involvement are crucial to our mission.
As we move forward, I see my role as one that honors the rich legacies of Whole Planet, Whole Kids, and Whole Cities while reimagining our potential unified. By consolidating our efforts under Whole Foods Market Foundation, we have a unique opportunity to amplify our impact and create more comprehensive, deeper programs.
I'm excited about the synergies we can create and the new innovative approaches we can develop to address complex issues. Together, we'll continue to evolve and expand our reach, always staying true to our guiding principles and community-led approach.
Can you tell us about your journey with the foundation, and how you connect personally to its work?
Daniel: In 2008, I embarked on what I thought would be a brief adventure riding my bicycle from Mexico to Panama. Little did I know it would evolve into a 16-year journey with Whole Foods Market.
My path took an unexpected turn in Guatemala when I joined Grameen Guatemala as a driver, assistant, and translator. This role introduced me to Whole Planet and its partnership with Grameen Bank, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning "bank for the poor" from Bangladesh. I was immediately captivated by the concept of a grocery store supporting entrepreneurs and economic development in its sourcing communities.
Over the next few years, I immersed myself in microfinance projects across Guatemala, Mexico, and Colombia. These experiences provided invaluable insights into the Grameen methodology, grassroots economic development, and the diverse stakeholders Whole Planet brought together.
In 2011, Whole Planet invited me to lead their Asia/Pacific portfolio. Based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, this role allowed me to expand our portfolio across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, cultivating a dynamic and diverse network of implementing partners.
I transitioned to Global Programs Director in 2016, relocating to Austin where I discovered new passions. It is in Austin that I have become a beekeeper and an avid gardener. I found that planting a seed and nurturing it to food is one of life's most rewarding, exhausting, and empowering experiences.
Throughout my career, I've been driven by a simple yet powerful ethos: to make the world a better place. This has been my guiding light at Whole Foods Market.
My journey with the Foundation has been transformative, allowing me to witness firsthand the power of microfinance in changing lives and how a small school garden can serve as a classroom, wellness center, science lab, and culinary institute. It reinforced my belief in the potential of individuals and communities when provided access to the right resources. This personal connection to our work fuels my passion and commitment to our mission every day.
Your work takes you around the globe, from school gardens and cafeterias to urban farms to microentrepreneurs’ businesses in remote areas. Tell us about some recent visits.
Daniel: Any day that I get to visit our partners and projects is a good day. To name a few:
Participating in LifeLab's School Garden Support Organization Leadership Institute was a joy. I gained deeper insights into the school garden education movement, which brings together a diverse group of educators, nonprofit workers, school food service providers and farmers bound together by their passion and belief in the power of school gardens. It was exciting to see how this collaborative effort is shaping the future of education and nutrition for children.
In Chicago's Greater Englewood neighborhood, we visited two impactful organizations. The Inner-City Muslim Action Network and their Go Green Community Fresh Market which provides access to fresh, affordable produce, while creating full-time jobs with benefits. Their vision to change the narrative of their location and attract further investment is truly inspiring. We also met with Imagine Englewood if, whose Peace Campus is a hub for gardening, nutrition education and crucial social services. Their holistic approach to community support is powerful!
A recent trip to Senegal with board members and a strategic partner was particularly special. We visited both Whole Planet and Kasperick Foundation partners. Organizations like CAURIE, Fansoto and myAgro are innovating in social microfinance and smallholder agricultural support. The myAgro poultry package for example provides chicks and essential setup materials that enable rural communities in West Africa the ability to establish and grow their own chicken farming operations for instance, is an innovative approach to income generation and nutrition improvement.
What I enjoy most about these visits is witnessing the tangible impact of our partners' work and gaining unique insights into how different communities address their challenges creatively and effectively. The resilience, innovation and determination of the people involved — from the organizations’ leaders to the community members they serve — are moving. These experiences reinforce the importance of the Foundation’s mission and fuel our commitment to supporting these vital initiatives.
What did the Foundation accomplish in 2024?
Daniel: Our team worked through a lot of changes this last year to bring the best of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet to Whole Foods Market Foundation. It is a big undertaking to bring together three distinct projects, approaches, and missions into one entity. I am proud of the resilience of this incredible team as we have forged this new path together.
In 2024, we were able to increase our commitments to partners by investing $14 million in 39 countries around the world.
I look forward to more innovation, collaboration, growth and success in 2025!