Pathways: Catherine Van Dyke, Program Manager, The SF Market

At the break of dawn last October, we followed Catherine Van Dyke through the pallets, shelves, and loading docks that make up the SF Market, a wholesale produce market. Each night, trucks representing various food growers and businesses bring produce to the SF Market’s campus in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco. That food is then reorganized and loaded onto trucks going out to markets, grocery stores, restaurants, community organizations, and other distributors throughout the Bay Area.
As Program Manager for the SF Market, Catherine supported farmers and merchants with market access. She also supported the market’s Food Recovery Program, which makes sure that food that can’t be sold goes to local community organizations. Catherine graduated from UC Berkeley in 2016 with a degree in political economy, and again in 2023 with a masters in energy and resources, focused on agriculture and water in California.
After a tour of the market, we sat down with Catherine to learn more about her work at the SF Market, her career pathways, and advice for students interested in working in supply chains.
NOTE: This interview was conducted in October 2023. Since then, Catherine Van Dyke has transitioned to a new role as Water Policy and Organizing Manager at the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. This Q&A reflects her experiences at the time of the interview, based on her position with the SF Market.