Board Profile

James Auta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, The Psychiatric Institute for Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago. His research .interests have been on the modulatory mechanisms of Gabaergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission as targets for the study of drugs eliciting learning and memory impairments in non-human primates. He has also been interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying abuse, tolerance, and dependence on benzodiazepines and alcohol, and the changes in nicotine receptor express.ion following chronic nicotine exposure. He has been passionate about the discovery of new antidotal treatment strategies for organophosphate nerve agent poisoning. To this end, he characterized and studied extensively a potential high affinity anxiolytic and anticonvulsant benzodiazepine (imidazenil) with low tolerance and dependence liabilities in rodents and non­ human primates. Dr. Auta has more than 25 years of research experience in the Neuropharmacology and modulatory actions of benzodiazepine on GABAergic neurotransmission.
He received a Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Science in Pharmacology degrees in 1984 and 1989 respectively from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, a PhD in Neuropharmacology from Georgetown University in Washington DC in 1993, MBA from Barrington University, Alabama, in 2001, and a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) from Midwestern University, Downers Grove College of Pharmacy, Illinois, in 2007. He is a licensed Pharmacist in the States of Illinois and Indiana.

A1fred Thompson is a Founder and Chairperson of Food First, Inc and its various subsidiaries. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Licensed General Contractor. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from City University of New York in 1989 Summa Cum Laude and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (England and Wales) since 1997. He has developed almost 1,000 units of housing in New York City including Luxury Town Houses, Condominiums and multiple dwellings across the wide spectrum of income/price levels. He has been involved with Food First, Inc since inception 1990 and served an Executive Director from 1993 to 1999.

Charlene M. Ennette has been employed with the U.S Postal Service since 2006 and has served on the Board of Director since 1994. She is a lifelong resident of Brooklyn and has advocated for working poor, persons of color and victims of domestic violence for decades. She is a proud wife and mother and brings a wealth of passion and commitment to the services provided by Food First, Inc and its various subsidiaries.

Earnest Langhorne is a retired Civil Servant who spent 28 years in various positions at the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal until 2016 when he retired as Director of Development (Downstate). Earnest holds a degree in political science from Howard University (1975) and has overseen tens of thousands of affordable housing units in New York City. He is a long time resident of the borough of the Bronx and is a dedicated advocate for services for underserved communities in New York City.