Councilmember Mitch Gruber, At-Large

 Mitch Gruber was born and raised in Rochester, New York. He holds a B.A. from Binghamton University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Rochester.

While working as a Head Start Teacher for Action for a Better Community, Mitch connected with Foodlink’s founder, Tom Ferraro, to try and minimize food waste and improve food quality for his students.  Eventually, Mitch began working for Foodlink and became Chief Partnerships Officer.  In his work at Foodlink, Mitch helped develop and implement some of the most effective public health, anti-poverty programs in the region, including the Curbside Market, Lexington Avenue Urban Farm, and a culinary Career Fellowship.

In 2009, Mitch decided to delve deeper into the historical causes of food inequality in urban areas by beginning his doctoral studies.  His dissertation, "The Degradation of the Food Retail Landscape," examines the history of the food retail trade in Rochester and the role city, state, and federal governments can play in creating a more equitable food system.

Mitch and his wife, Amy, were married at the Rochester Public Market and have owned and lived in a house in the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood since 2014. They welcomed their son, Levi, to the world in March 2020.