Our Team

Dr. Kathleen N. Spears is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University, where she earned both a Master of Healthcare Administration and a PhD in Community Health. She joined Waste Not Want Not in September 2024 as Executive Director, bringing with her extensive leadership experience across the nonprofit and healthcare sectors.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Spears worked in healthcare sales and marketing with two of our nation's largest corporations, Humana and Walmart Health, where she focused on expanding access to care and strengthening community engagement. Earlier in her career, she served as President and CEO of two nonprofit organizations in Indianapolis, where she significantly increased fundraising, expanded mission impact, and elevated organizational visibility. Her leadership earned her recognition as one of the Indianapolis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and as one of the Best & Brightest in Nonprofit Leadership.

In addition to her executive roles, Dr. Spears has served as an executive consultant to nonprofit organizations around the world, helping leaders strengthen strategy, sustainability, and community impact.

Christie Hingst brings a lifelong commitment to public service to her role on the Waste Not Want Not team. A Tallahassee native and Florida State University graduate, she served as senior class president and later earned a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University before beginning her career in city planning in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

During her time as a city planner, Christie met and married her husband, whose Naval career took their family to California, where she completed a post graduate teacher certification program. Christie and her family later settled in Fleming Island, where she taught second grade at Clay Hill Elementary and spent many years raising her children while serving on multiple boards and service organizations in Clay County, all of which deepened her passion for serving those in need in her community. She currently serves on the Clay County Land Conservation committee as an appointee of Clay County Commissioner John Sgromolo.

Linda McKenzie joined Waste Not Want Not August 1, 2016 as Volunteer Director and continues to coordinate over 130 rescues weekly through the services of 200+ volunteers. Prior to joining Waste Not Want Not, Linda spent 40 years in Land and Marine Transportation companies, retiring from Crowley Maritime Corporation in 2014. In her role as an accounting services professional, she dispersed $750M annually and managed a staff of over 20 in the US and El Salvador.

Linda is a graduate of Knoxville College and Edward Waters University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Organizational Management and holds a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University.

Having witnessed staggering amounts of perfectly good food being discarded—often “dumpster diving” during her undergraduate years not out of necessity, but out of environmental concern—Avery Cecere developed an early and unwavering commitment to reducing food waste. That passion deepened during her time at the Palm Beach County Food Bank, where she saw firsthand the realities of hunger in her community.

These experiences shaped Avery’s belief that food insecurity is not simply a matter of scarcity, but a systemic issue influenced by social, economic, and environmental forces. She is driven by a desire to unpack and address those root causes while advancing practical, measurable solutions.

At Waste Not Want Not, Avery brings together her dual passions for environmental sustainability and hunger relief. She leads the organization’s mission impact strategy, overseeing impact analysis and managing data systems that track outcomes across programs. Through thoughtful measurement and evaluation, she ensures the organization’s work not only rescues food, but creates meaningful, lasting change.

Avery earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. Originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, she currently resides in Madrid, Spain, where she completed a Master of Science in Sustainability and Global Governance at the University of Madrid.

Alise Dillow is a loaned employee from LM Henderson, an accounting firm located in Indianapolis, IN. Alise has nearly two decades of experience in bookkeeping and accounting with certifications in Quickbooks, Peachtree, and SAGE. Alise has worked with dozens of medium and large organizations including several non-profits. She works closely with nonprofits to implement financial controls, structure, and streamline accounting and bookkeeping processes to ensure the nonprofit is achieving its best financial health.

Esther is a lifelong Florida resident, born in Gainesville (Go Gators!) and raised in Orange Park and Jacksonville. She began her journey with Waste Not Want Not as a dedicated Tuesday “Castle” volunteer, assisting with filling partner agency orders. Through her service, she developed a deeper understanding of the organization’s mission to fight hunger and food insecurity in our community. In this role, she strengthened her skills in collaboration, conflict resolution, inventory management, and customer service, while contributing to the efficient distribution of rescued food to local partners. Her naturally positive attitude and willingness to step in wherever needed quickly made her stand out as a dependable and valued team member.

In her current role, Esther is responsible for overseeing the intake and distribution of food—ensuring it moves efficiently in and out of the Castle and into the hands of those who need it most. She also manages Castle operations and maintenance, helping to ensure a safe, organized, and effective work environment. Her creativity, service-oriented mindset, and commitment to community impact make her a valued member of the Waste Not Want Not team.