Elena Lopez is the Operations Manager at the Butterfly Equity Foundation. Ms. Lopez oversees the Foundation’s day-to-day operations, including administrative systems, grantmaking processes, financial coordination, and event management. She is passionate about supporting grantee partners and the overall food systems network in Los Angeles.
Ms. Lopez brings nearly a decade of experience in nonprofit food systems, environmental justice, and community-based programming, with a longstanding commitment to advancing equitable food systems in Los Angeles.
Prior to joining the Foundation, she served as Senior Communications Manager at LA Compost, where she built and managed organizational systems spanning grants administration, communications strategy, and partnerships. She also designed and scaled outreach and volunteer programs, engaging over 2,000 active participants and more than 21,000 online supporters, expanding access to and awareness of community-based waste systems.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Lopez worked with the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute, supporting grant development and program evaluation, and held roles in farmers’ market operations and community programming, where she administered EBT and Market Match programs and coordinated community food initiatives.
Ms. Lopez holds a Master of Arts in Communication Management from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, she remains deeply committed to building community through food, sustainability, and systems that foster connection and equity.
