Most Creative People in Business 2011

Sam Kass *

Sam Kass serves as Assistant Chef and Senior Policy Advisory for Healthy Food Initiatives at the White House. A Chicago native, Sam graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in U.S. History. During college, he took a job cooking at the restaurant 312 Chicago under Chef Dean Zanella, an experience that set him on his current path. While finishing his final college year abroad Sam was trained as a chef by one of Austria’s greatest chefs, Chef Christian Domschitz in Vienna.

In 2009, Sam joined the White House Kitchen staff under Executive Chef Cris Comerford’s leadership as Assistant Chef and, in 2010, became a Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives. In this role, he advises the Let’s Move! initiative on food policy issues and overall program strategy.

Sam has had a long interest in sustainable and nutritious ingredients and helped First Lady Michelle Obama create the first major vegetable garden at the White House since the 1890’s. To date, the garden has yielded nearly 2,000 pounds of produce that has been used to feed event guests, staff and the First Family at the White House, with further harvests donated to local food shelters.

Recent Coverage: The 100 Most Creative People in Business 2011
The White House on Twitter

Confirmed Speakers *

• 

  Colin Archipley Co-owner Veterans Sustainability Agriculture Training (VSAT) Read Bio
• 

  Sam Calagione Founder and President Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Read Bio
• 

  Leila Chirayath Janah Founder Samasource Read Bio
• 

  Eric Dishman Intel Fellow and Director of Health Innovation Intel Architecture Group Read Bio
• 

  Sam Kass Assistant Chef and Senior Policy Advisory, Healthy Food Initiatives The White House Read Bio
• 

  Carol Kruse Senior Vice President, Marketing ESPN Read Bio
• 

  Sebastian Thrun Fellow Google Read Bio
• 

  Baratunde Thurston Director of Digital The Onion Read Bio
• 

  Reshma Shetty Cofounder Ginkgo BioWorks Read Bio

* Speakers subject to change.