Chief of Staff Andria Larson is Named Executive Director; Founder Rhiannon Menn is President of the Board, Lasagna Love
BOSTON, Mass. (August 28, 2023) – Lasagna Love today announced leadership changes within its executive team. The global community impact movement that spreads kindness and strengthens community through home-cooked meal deliveries, is building on its three-year momentum and installing its next chapter of leadership.
Andria Larson, currently Lasagna Love’s Chief of Staff, will assume the role of Executive Director, effective immediately.
Larson, who began volunteering with Lasagna Love in April 2020, was quickly added to Lasagna Love’s executive leadership team to support founder Rhiannon Menn during a time of unparalleled growth and viral momentum. Larson has managed operations, financials, legal compliance, policy guidelines, and implemented various organization-wide systems and initiatives to help Lasagna Love achieve both nonprofit status and global reach in less than a year. Her proactive, highly communicative approach and keen awareness of organizational goals have been foundational for Lasagna Love’s success to date. Prior to Lasagna Love, Larson herself was an entrepreneur and successful restaurateur. Her business acumen and deep knowledge of the food and service industry have made her indispensable in Lasagna Love’s efforts to streamline various systems and navigate complex challenges during a high growth period.
Lasagna Love’s founder, Rhiannon Menn, will continue to serve in a highly strategic leadership role as President of Lasagna Love’s Board of Directors.
Menn Makes Lateral Move Inside Lasagna Love
Three years ago, mom blogger Rhiannon Menn initiated a community-focused effort to engage neighbors and deliver kindness. Her simple act ignited a viral, nationwide movement-turned-nonprofit that inspired a dedicated team of more than 45,000 volunteers from all 50 states of America, Australia and Canada to follow her lead. The organization’s exponential growth, driven by Menn’s thoughtful and innovative leadership, also created a need for succession planning.
“I never intended to become the founder of a global nonprofit,” shared Menn. “I was called to this role and in what felt like overnight, became an ‘accidental’ entrepreneur. The past three years have been an inspiring journey and an adventure I fully embraced. However, to give proper attention to my family, the time has come for me to pass the baton. I’m grateful to be passing it to skilled leaders who are poised to propel Lasagna Love forward to the next level. Our community of volunteers will forever be members of my extended family, and Lasagna Love, one of my children.”
Menn will continue to manage strategic oversight of Lasagna Love but gain distance from day-to-day operations which have been left in the very capable hands of longtime volunteer and newly named Executive Director of Lasagna Love, Andria Larson. To chart and align the nonprofit’s evolution, Larson will lead Lasagna Love’s day-to-day operations, extend collaborations and partnerships, and expand opportunities to serve.
“After a lengthy period of rapid growth in a condensed amount of time, Lasagna Love needs a moment to exhale and consider all that we’ve learned,” said Larson. “We’re actively mining deep insights from both our volunteer population and the communities we serve to determine Lasagna Love’s next trajectory, and to set goals for the remainder of the year. At the same time, we’re building innovative and scalable engagement platforms through Project Ricotta, extending relationships with National Lasagna Day sponsors including RAGÚ®, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Galbani Cheese, and re-engaging our volunteers in authentically human ways. It’s an exciting time to be a member of our close-knit community, and one that has brought smiles and warmth to hundreds of thousands of people. I look forward to carrying the torch forward.”
Upon celebrating its third National Lasagna Day in July 2023, Lasagna Love reported delivery of upwards of 350,000 meals which has fed more than 1.5 million people. The volume of inbound requests received by Lasagna Love have also proven the value of this type of community support, as well as ongoing need.
About Lasagna Love
Lasagna Love is a community impact program that connects neighbors through gestures of kindness, goodwill, and support. The nonprofit has brought together more than 45,000 volunteers from around the world and abides by a trio of guiding principles: to feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities. Lasagna Love fosters a culture of positivity, empowerment, empathy, zero-judgment, and maintains a steadfast resolve to deliver comfort when needed most. The organization’s seminal purpose is: exist to assist.
To request a meal, become a volunteer Lasagna Chef, to nominate a recipient for a Lasagna Love delivery, or to support Lasagna Love through donations or the purchase of Lasagna Love store merchandise, visit www.lasagnalove.org or our social channels @WeAreLasagnaLove.
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Media Inquiries: Wendy Agudelo, wendy@lasagnalove.org