WASHINGTON – Today the Environmental Working Group announced that Johanna Hellrigl, acclaimed chef-owner of the Washington, D.C., celebrated restaurant Ama and a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist, has joined its board of directors.
A longtime supporter of EWG’s work, Hellrigl brings her nationally recognized leadership in food, public health and sustainability to EWG.
Hellrigl is the visionary behind Ama, a mission-driven Northern Italian restaurant located just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Ama, which means “love,” has earned recognition for both culinary excellence and environmental leadership.
Hellrigl uses EWG’s science-based research, including the Dirty Dozen™ and Clean Fifteen™ lists of pesticides on produce, to guide produce sourcing and menu decisions. These values extend throughout the restaurant, which operates without single-use plastics and features an all-electric, water-efficient kitchen designed to reduce its environmental footprint.
“Johanna is an extraordinary leader whose work sits at the intersection of food, health and sustainability,” said Ken Cook, EWG co-founder, president and board chair.
“She brings a rare combination of lived experience, values-driven leadership and practical insight into how food systems affect people’s health, workers’ well-being and the environment.
“Her belief in food as a powerful force for connection and change make her perspective incredibly valuable to EWG, and we’re truly excited to have her advising our board as we move our mission forward,” said Cook.
Dialogue and collaboration
Hellrigl joins the board at a pivotal moment. Her work is grounded in the belief that food systems, labor, agriculture, the environment and human health are deeply connected and that real change requires breaking down silos. She regularly convenes policymakers, farmers, chefs and community leaders at Ama to foster dialogue and collaboration.
As EWG continues to lead national conversations on the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, pesticide regulation, food chemicals and ultra-processed foods, Hellrigl will provide a critical boots-on-the-ground perspective on how these issues affect consumer behavior.
“As a business owner, chef, mother and advocate, I see firsthand how environmental toxins impact our bodies, our food and our communities,” said Hellrigl. “Joining the Environmental Working Group feels like a natural extension of my life’s mission.
“I’m honored to contribute to EWG’s efforts to reduce harmful exposures, increase transparency, and help build a healthier, more resilient future for people and the planet, because combining our platforms allows us to reach chefs, the food industry, our farmers, and families at home, and move the needle toward meaningful, systemic change,” she added.
Protecting health and the environment
Founded in 1993, EWG is led by experts dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Its board of directors helps guide the organization’s work to ensure clean water, safer food and healthier consumer products for communities nationwide.
Hellrigl joins Cook, David Baker, Natasha Beck, Brandon Beck, Suzan Bymel, Arianne Callender, Rob Fetherstonhaugh, Christine Gardner, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Bojana Jankovic Weatherly, Dr. Harvey Karp, C.J. Kettler, Karen Malkin, Nina Montée Karp, Elise Museles, Randy Paynter, Michelle Pfeiffer, Drummond Pike, William Ross Jr., Kim Rozenfeld, Laura Turner Seydel and Shazi Visram.
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
