Our Team

With over 20 years in food retailing, 10 years in marketing, and an MPH, Julie brings a unique perspective to promoting healthier eating. In 2006, she led the launch of the world’s first storewide nutrition guidance program, Guiding Stars at Hannaford Supermarkets. In various roles at Ahold Delhaize, she oversaw Guiding Stars’ evolution from a simple shelf tag guide to a trusted standard for Food-as-Medicine nutrition incentives and ESG target setting. Julie is always looking for new ways for Guiding Stars to enable and reward consumers, manufacturers and retailers for selecting and preparing nourishing products.

Julie resides just outside of Portland, Maine with her husband, two college-age children and always-hungry beagle. 

Elizabeth manages and enhances relationships with a wide variety of new and existing clients. Elizabeth brings knowledge of nutrition and environmental sustainability to Guiding Stars. She is passionate about food: cooking, baking, consumption, and education on the balance between food choices and their role in human and environmental health. Elizabeth has experience in community, research, and clinical nutrition as well as food policy and sustainability.

Elizabeth lives in Portland, Maine with her two daughters.

Favorite Guiding Stars Recipe: Warm Hummus Flatbreads

Garrick is a Registered Dietitian and joined the Guiding Stars team as a nutritionist in 2018. In his current role, Garrick works with Guiding Stars clients to ensure the program meets customer needs and contributes to strategic health goals of the company. He enjoys staying up to date on the latest nutrition trends, research, and food policy.

Garrick earned his bachelor’s in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine and his master’s in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Rhode Island. He lives in South Portland, Maine with his wife and two children.

Favorite Guiding Stars Recipe: Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Jada supports communications and relationships for Guiding Stars. She joined the Guiding Stars team in 2025, bringing her experience in nutrition education, food security, and community public health. Jada earned a master’s degree in Nutrition Interventions, Communication, and Behavior Change from the Friedman School at Tufts University, and a bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College. Jada loves to cook and bake, and believes food is a connecting force for building community.   

Favorite Guiding Stars Recipe: Weeknight Shakshuka

Ken brings to Guiding Stars a great deal of relevant success as a business systems analyst, and formerly as a scan systems support specialist. Ken has over 30 years of experience at Hannaford and Delhaize America in supply chain, merchandising and retail operations. He has long been recognized as the company’s lead expert on shelf tag systems. Ken was very involved in the Guiding Stars implementation over 10 years ago when we first launched and put the Guiding Stars logos onto full color digital unit price tags across all Hannaford and Food Lion stores.

Favorite Guiding Stars Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Salsa

Karen has been part of the Guiding Stars Data Team since 2016, ensuring accurate product data and nutritional star ratings. Her primary focus has been store-prepared items and recipes for print and digital marketing. Over the years she’s been excited to see positive trends as consumers demand healthier and more sustainable options. After receiving her BA from Ohio University, Karen worked in book publishing. non-profit event production, and as a backcountry guide on horseback in Yosemite National Park. She currently lives in the Lakes Region of Maine, where she is thrilled to be continuing her work with horses.

Favorite Guiding Stars Recipe: Corn Avocado Salsa

Tricia thinks that Guiding Stars is an important program that can easily be used to allow people to eat better. It means a lot to her that her role as data collector and verifier contributes to helping others. She accurately enters product data and proper algorithm selection to ensure accurate ratings of client’s products, protect the integrity of the Guiding Stars program and accurately represent product in our Food Finder.

Favorite Guiding Stars Recipe: Italian Baked Cod