Meet the WGC Staff
It takes a village to raise a child. And it takes a diverse group of people to make consumers aware of the health benefits and good taste of whole grains. Here are just some of the people who make it happen.
Program Management, Whole Grains Council
 | Cynthia Harriman In her work at Oldways, Cynthia combines her diverse experience in nutrition, management, writing and intercultural exchange. An avid proponent of healthy eating, Cynthia developed and taught an interactive nutrition curriculum called Good Food Basics. She has worked as International Marketing Manager and later VP of New Product Development for a manufacturing company, and was founder and managing director of the Summer Computer Institute. Cynthia is the author of scores of magazine articles and four books, including the well-known Take Your Kids to Europe, a family travel guide now in its eighth edition. She received her degree in French Culture and Language from Brown University. |
 | Kara Berrini Before joining Oldways, she spent two years working for a guitar company and more than five years with an energy marketing and trading company, both located in Boston. She has also traveled extensively, having visited nearly all 50 U.S. states and eight foreign countries to date. Recent highlights include a two-week trip across northern and central Italy culminating in a visit to Torino for the 2006 Slow Food Festival, as well as a two-week Oldways culinaria to Morocco in December of 2008 to explore the food and culture of Marrakech and Fez. She believes in a "try anything once" approach to life, as can be seen in her career choices, and especially loves trying new food while dining out and cooking new recipes at home. Kara received her BFA in Writing and Literature from Emerson College in Boston, MA. |
 | Chrisanne Grise Chrisanne started at Oldways as a media intern in early 2009 while still attending classes at Emerson College in Boston. After graduating with a B.S. in Print and Multimedia Journalism in the spring of 2010, she became an official member of the team. She works closely with the Whole Grains Council, in addition to helping with other Oldways programs and keeping on top of daily office tasks. Growing up with a health teacher for a mother and a father with a degree in Exercise Physiology, many family friends deemed Chrisanne "destined" to follow in her parents' footsteps. Once she started studying journalism though, it looked like this was not to be. But while at college, Chrisanne became determined not to gain the notorious "Freshman 15" and focused on eating a healthier diet and exercising frequently. Yes, she finally developed a real appreciation for nutrition and fitness. One thing led to another, and before she knew it, she was working at Oldways. Naturally, both she and her parents are thrilled. Chrisanne's other big passion is music. She goes to more concerts than she can count, and writes album reviews for a handful of websites whenever she has time. She also enjoys traveling whenever possible. Now that school is over for good, she is looking forward to devoting more time to Oldways. |
Additional Key Personnel
Although the entire Oldways staff contributes to the success of the Whole Grains Council, certain key personnel are involved regularly in the WGC's work and are listed below.
 | Sara Baer-Sinnott Sara has been an instrumental figure at Oldways for two decades. She assumed the presidency of Oldways in May 2010, on the untimely death of founder K. Dun Gifford. She now develops company strategy, oversees all Oldways projects and programs, and works closely with all members of the Oldways staff. Before joining Oldways in 1992, Sara served as Special Projects Editor for Inc. Magazine and directed a number of special events. As Special Projects Editor for seven years, she directed all special reports for the editorial department of the magazine and established the magazine's internship program. Sara has worked as a research consultant for private firms, and in state and federal government positions in the fields of environmental resources, business, and education. She graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a B.A. in Economics and holds a Master's Degree in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. |
 | Birthe Creutz Birthe came to Oldways in 1999 with a strong background in financial management of grants and contracts and budget administration. She previously served as the Associate Director for Research Administration at the Institute for Circadian Physiology in Cambridge for 10 years, after having worked 15 years as Executive Administrative Assistant in a leading cardiovascular-renal physiology laboratory at Harvard Medical School. With her keen interest in appetizing and healthful food choices, health care, organic gardening and agriculture, and environmental issues she welcomed the opportunity to work with Oldways. Birthe holds a Diploma from the Danish Medical Society Medical Secretarial School in Copenhagen, Denmark and a Certificate in Graphic Design from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston |
 | Alison Clancy Growing up in a colorful Italian family, Alison has unknowingly followed the Mediterranean Diet all her life, and enjoys spreading the word through both traditional and new media. If she only had one last meal to eat, it would be her mother's fettucine alfredo. |
WGC Advisors
To ensure the depth and quality of its work, the Whole Grains Council also relies its Scientific Advisory Committee and its Culinary Advisory Committee. Click on either one, to learn more about their diverse talents.