As Chief Supply Chain Officer, Erika Thiem leads a team that enables Feeding America and the network to source and distribute nutritious food for people facing hunger in America. Her team works to innovate and build donor partnerships with food manufacturers, retailers, food service operators and agricultural food producers to meet today’s demand for healthy food and work to create a hunger-free tomorrow.
Erika began her career with General Mills, where she spent 27 years across a range of roles and diverse business units, developing broad end-to-end supply chain expertise. Most recently, Erika was the Supply Chain Director of the North America Dairy Operating Unit for General Mills. Previous roles include International Supply Chain Director for Häagen-Dazs ice cream and Plant Manager for the Big G Division. Erika’s early career was focused in the areas of food quality, food safety and regulatory compliance.
Erika served as a board member for six years with The Food Group, a food banking organization based in Minnesota. As a board member and volunteer, she helped grow The Food Group’s reach with mobile food banks, food waste recovery programs, farm production and gleaning programs, and the expansion of temperature-controlled warehouse storage capacity.
Known for her inclusive leadership approach and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Erika served on the Supply Chain Global Inclusion Council at General Mills and co-led the Women in Supply Chain Network for five years. She also sits on the board of the Anti-Racism Commitment Coalition.
Erika earned her Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.