Our Team

Cara Cuite is a health psychologist who studies community food security, risk communication and public perceptions of food-related issues, including food safety and genetically engineered foods. Her most recent food insecurity research has focused on college students, and she is a member of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Student Essential Needs. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, New Jersey Sea Grant, and Johnson & Johnson. She received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Rutgers University and a B.S. in Psychology and Modern Languages from Union College.

Lauren Errickson serves as the director of Rutgers Gardens and Campus Stewardship within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. In this role, she aims to improve human health and wellbeing through increased access to nutritious food and green space while stewarding the plant collections, display gardens, and natural areas of Rutgers Gardens. 

Previously a senior program administrator with Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Dr. Errickson’s research and programming efforts have spanned fresh fruit and vegetable access, community health initiatives, and sustainable agriculture and food systems. 

Dr. Errickson enjoys sharing her work and experiences through student mentorship, community and university lectures, professional conferences, and publications, including recent work in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development and the Journal of Extension.  Her work has been supported by the USDA, Johnson & Johnson, local municipalities, and non-profit foundations.  Dr. Errickson completed her Ph.D. at Rutgers University; she also holds a M.S. degree from the University of New Hampshire and a B.S. degree from Stockton University.

William K. Hallman is a professor and chair of the Department of Human Ecology and is a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Nutritional Sciences, and of the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. An experimental psychologist, Dr. Hallman’s research examines public perceptions of controversial issues concerning food, health, and the environment.

Dr. Hallman was a founder, and serves on the Executive Committee of Rutgers Against Hunger (RAH), and was a founder and serves on the Executive Committee of the New Brunswick Community Farmers Market, which offers food insecure residents access to fresh, locally grown, affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate produce and other food products.

Dr. Hallman formerly served as the director of the Food Policy Institute (FPI) at Rutgers, and as the chair of the Risk Communication Advisory Committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He is the author of more than 200 scholarly publications, and is the co-author of the Risk Communication Applied to Food Safety Handbook, published jointly by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization and of Communicating Science Effectively, A Research Agenda, a consensus report of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. He holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina and a B.A. in Psychology and Biology from Juniata College.

Brian Schilling is director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension and Senior associate director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.  He holds an academic appointment as extension specialist of agricultural policy in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

During his 28 years at the school, much of Dr. Schilling’s research has been focused on New Jersey farm viability, farmland preservation, and agricultural economic development at the urban-rural fringe.  Throughout his career Schilling has worked closely with the agricultural and food industries and has served on a number of industry and government task forces and working groups.

He currently serves as chair of the Association of Northeast Extension Directors.  He is past-president of the New Jersey Agricultural Society and serves on the State Agriculture Development Committee.  He is the author of more than 110 papers and briefings on various issues relating to the food and agricultural system and has given more than 125 invited lectures to academic, business, government, and industry groups. He holds a BS in resource management, an MS in agricultural economics, and a Ph.D. in planning and public policy, all from Rutgers University.

Kerri and her team work to address the basic needs of students at Rutgers, with a particular focus on food, safety and shelter.  They bridge the gap between off-campus students and the community where they reside, educating students about being a good neighbor- understanding their rights and responsibilities, provide opportunities for students to engage in local community service and work with all of the faith-based communities on campus. Kerri has over 25 years of experience in Student affairs including residence life, student conduct, and student involvement. Kerri earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Sacred Heart University and a Masters of Education in Counseling from Bridgewater State College.