Dr. Aimee Budnik was born on the east coast and currently lives in Ohio. She is a public health dietitian, educator, and Vice President of Operations for Community Action Akron Summit where she focuses on infant mortality, poverty and programs that support self-sufficiency and systems.

Growing up in a racially and culturally diverse metropolitan area and moving to a different area illuminated the reality for Aimee that many areas are not diverse. This personal experience led Aimee to question and critique who holds power in organizations and communities. The Racial Equity Institute training gave Aimee the vocabulary to describe structural and institutional racism. Her commitments to dismantling racism are on multiple levels, from individual education to policies. 

Aimee is most hopeful about her children and the next generation of leaders. There is hope in that we can teach individuals about the world while giving them context about systems and their impact on the individual. 

For Aimee, every day is a gift: the sunshine, the moon, and the people in her life bring her joy. Finding time to relax and recharge is equally important to engaging in intense work and moving closer to achieving equity.