Rhode Island Environmental
Education Association

Meet RIEEA board member Dean Faiola

Dean is the Executive Chef of Rhode Island College Dining Services.

He says getting involved with the environmental field was “a natural progression while working in the food industry… especially at a college.” When students at RIC pushed dining services to become environmentally friendly, Dean says he was “more than happy to help.”

When the RIEEA Annual Summits started being held at Rhode Island College, Dean was involved only in food prep – but as his role as Executive Chef developed, he became more involved with the Summit setup, and eventually joined the RIEEA board.

What’s your favorite outdoor place in Rhode Island, and why?

I have always loved the beaches. As a family growing up we spent many days at the shore. The ocean is so beautiful and calming.

What’s your favorite environmental fact to share?

That honey never spoils. When the tombs in Egypt were discovered there were jars of honey that were thousands of years old and had not spoiled.

What’s your favorite part of working with RIEEA? 

The Summits have to be my favorite part of RIEEA – even when I was just working the event and sneaking a seat at the back of the room to listen in on the presentations.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. 
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