Kris Moon
President and Chief Operating Officer at The James Beard Foundation
A little bit about Kris…
Kris Moon is the president and chief operating officer at the James Beard Foundation.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Moon helped to lead the Foundation’s response in support of the independent food and beverage industry by launching and managing the JBF Food & Beverage Industry Relief Fund that raised and disbursed almost $4.8 million in grants to 312 food and beverage establishments across America. In summer 2020, Moon led an internal task force and volunteer Leadership Committee in the creation of the JBF Food and Beverage Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans. As of early 2021, the new Fund has awarded $555,000 in grants to 38 businesses that are majority-owned by Black or Indigenous Americans. The new Fund has been cemented as an ongoing effort of the Foundation that Moon will continue to help steer.
In his role as chief operating officer, Moon has held responsibility for all revenue at the Foundation and has worked to build the Foundation’s first-ever enterprise-wide partnerships with American Airlines and Capital One. Moon has also helped the Foundation to grow its major gifts and foundation funding. Working closely with former president Susan Ungaro and former chief strategy officer Mitchell Davis, he transformed JBF’s annual dinner and auction into a full-scale fundraising gala in 2012, making it the Foundation’s most successful event to date which has continued to grow year over year.
During his tenure at the Foundation, Moon has been instrumental in launching the Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change, which was piloted in summer 2012 and teaches established chefs necessary policy and advocacy skills for creating food system change and has educated hundreds of chefs to date on effective advocacy. Moon was also responsible for spearheading the strategic planning which led to the launch of the Foundation’s JBF Impact Programs in April 2016. These programs focused on engaging the culinary community in the ongoing process of creating a sustainable food system that provides nutritious and delicious food for all.
Before moving up the ranks to this current role, Moon held several positions at the James Beard Foundation. He first joined the Foundation in 2007 as the director of house operations and house events, a position in which he oversaw the daily operations of the historic James Beard House in Greenwich Village and the execution of the Foundation’s house events with featured chefs. After a year working with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, as manager of special events, Moon returned to the Foundation in 2011 to assume the position of director of charitable giving and strategic partnerships overseeing the Foundation’s various fundraising initiatives, and was promoted to vice president.
Prior to his promotion to vice president, Moon served as senior director, strategy and development for the Foundation and managed all fundraising initiatives for the Foundation including; sponsorship sales, grants, and major gifts; and continued to craft and develop strategic partnership opportunities to help the Foundation achieve it’s broader strategic goals. He also helped assemble and evolve JBF’s Young Professionals Committee, which was launched in 2012 to help cultivate a younger audience for the Foundation. Moon was named chief operating officer in June 2018 assuming responsibility for all Foundation revenue, operations, property, and IT.
Moon has made multiple appearances on WNBC and has been featured in numerous publications on behalf of the Foundation. He also frequently speaks on the Foundation’s work at culinary events and food conferences across America. Moon holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Boston University and is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where he was certified as a holistic health counselor through AADP.