A Passing of the Torch: A Leadership Transition at Fullwell

December 15, 2025

Dear Friends of Fullwell,

As the year comes to a close, Fullwell is transitioning to new leadership. Eli Zigas, our current executive director, will be stepping down to pursue new professional pursuits. Katie Ettman, our current deputy director, will become the new executive director starting January 1, 2026. 

Letters from both Eli and Katie are below.

From Eli Zigas, outgoing Executive Director

There is so much about Fullwell’s work that gets me fired up each morning. Which is why writing this feels so hard. But, for a while now, there’s been a voice in my head telling me that it’s time for a professional change — and I decided I couldn’t ignore that voice any longer.  

Thankfully, I have colleagues who were supportive of me making this change. For many months now, we have been planning for this succession so that the work of Fullwell will continue uninterrupted as I pass the torch. And, I am especially thankful that Katie is willing to take the torch. 

That’s because Katie is a policy advocate who knows how to move things from a kernel of an idea to a law on the books. For example, back in the fall of 2019, less than a year into her job, Katie joined a group of doctors, health advocates, and non-profit leaders in San Francisco who were beginning to think about how to get healthcare to pay for food that helped improve health – policy work often shorthanded as “Food as Medicine.” Despite being the newest member of this group, Katie quickly became the co-chair of this budding initiative and adeptly steered the group towards concrete policy impact. Fast forward a few years and the California Department of Health Care Services now allows public health insurance to pay for medically supportive food and nutrition, helping hundreds of thousands of low-income Californians receive medically tailored meals, grocery boxes, and produce prescriptions. Katie, in partnership with Denisse and in concert with a strong steering committee and coalition, is now leading the charge to make this a permanent Medi-Cal benefit so that the idea can take the final step in its transition from pilot concept to a permanent part of California’s safety net. 

That story is just one illustration of the keen advocacy skills, coalition-building expertise, and dogged persistence of Fullwell’s next leader. On top of all that, Katie’s an excellent fundraiser, thoughtful manager, and fantastic colleague! I leave knowing the organization is in great hands — those not only of Katie, but also those of Lena, Grecia, and Denisse.

After 14 years of pushing for policies that promote health, justice, and sustainability — first at SPUR and most recently at Fullwell — it will be an adjustment for me watching the work of the organization from the outside. We have only been able to push forward on making healthy food more affordable for low-income Californians and building a more local and sustainable food supply chain because of the support from you: our partners, colleagues, and friends. 

So now I will join you — as one more Friend of Fullwell — cheering on the work of this small, but mighty organization that pushes for big change.  

Warmly,