Meet The Team
Get to know the faces behind our work
Rafat Solaiman
Founder & Executive Director
Bio: Rafat founded Fasting For Friends during his junior year in high school after noticing a shortage in supplies at his local food shelf. After launching a successful pilot year for the organization in Saint Peter, MN, he began expanding and further developing the organizations' mission and reach. He received his BA in Human Physiology with a minor in Management from the University of Minnesota.
Nick Seitzer
Operations Director
Bio: Nick is a recent graduate from the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota. He joined the team in 2018 because he wanted to become part of an important cause with the potential to make a large-scale impact. In addition to regional and national awards in agriculture, he's spent time abroad in Italy and Greece studying sustainable food systems.
Vienna Branom
Content Creation Director
Bio: Vienna is a recent graduate from Gustavus Adolphus College with degrees in Communication Studies and Studio Art, and a minor in Administration. Vienna has graphic design experience with multiple organizations. With a strong creative background, Vienna contributes to design, content creation, and fundraising for our organization.
Abigail Oldenberg
Fundraising Intern
Bio: Abigail is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying Strategic Communications. She has previously helped other organizations with media management and forming partnerships. With a strong background in communication, Abigail contributes to fundraising and strategic partnerships for our organization.
Previous Team Members
Hannah Hansen
Communications Director, 2019-2021
Josie Carlson
Policy & Advocacy Intern, Summer 2021
Mia Hansen
Advocacy Intern, Summer 2021
Leif Annexstad
Communications Director, 2018-2020
Matthias Annexstad
Operations Director, 2018-2020
Angela Nguyen
Advocacy Director, 2021-2022
Taylor Woommavovah
Marketing Director, 2021-2022
