Giving Kitchen, the nonprofit providing emergency financial assistance to food service workers in crisis, has named Carmen Jackson as Chief Operating Officer, effective September 14. Jackson brings 18 years of operational and strategic leadership spanning Fortune 100 enterprises, mission-driven organizations, and independent consulting. Her background includes early-career work in food service and retail—experience that Allison Padilla-Goodman, Giving Kitchen's CEO, identifies as critical to the role. "Carmen understands both sides of this work - what it takes to run an organization well, and what it feels like to work a closing shift. That combination is rare, and it is exactly what this moment calls for. As our community grows, Carmen will make sure our ability to show up for it grows right alongside," Padilla-Goodman said.
Scaling Operations to Meet Demand Giving Kitchen reported that in 2025, a food service worker in crisis reached out to the organization every 36 minutes. Jackson's mandate is to strengthen the operational backbone supporting case management, request routing, and rapid-disbursement processes as demand continues to climb. "The mission here is personal, the team is exceptional, and the work ahead is exactly the kind I was built to do. The best outcomes happen when people are brought around a table and invited to build something side by side - that is how I intend to lead here," Jackson said.
Background and Track Record Jackson's consulting career includes roles at IBM, KPMG, and McKinsey, where she led post-acquisition integrations, built global centers of excellence, and delivered performance improvements across financial services, technology, travel and hospitality, and energy sectors. She has also held internal leadership positions as Fractional Innovation Director for a national financial education nonprofit and Executive Director of a community development corporation, where she rebuilt operational and financial infrastructure and developed community partnerships. More recently, through her independent consulting practice Metric Strategy Partners, Jackson has worked with nonprofits on governance frameworks, technology infrastructure, and operating models to support sustainable growth. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and completed engineering coursework at Georgia Tech Lorraine in France. She succeeds Brooke Kamke, Giving Kitchen's first Chief Operating Officer, who established the systems and processes the organization operates on today.
Why It Matters
Giving Kitchen's staffing move signals the organization's commitment to operational scaling at a time when demand for emergency assistance among food service workers remains acute. For operators and industry stakeholders, the appointment underscores the ongoing economic fragility within the sector and the infrastructure required to support workers in crisis.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
