Cofounder & Board of Trustees Member

Steven Bier has been involved with philanthropic work since he was fourteen-years-old. His family ran fundraisers in the 1970s for the National Association. of Patients on Hemodialysis and Transplant. He helped fund the first summer camp with dialysis machines so teenagers with renal disease could attend camp. He is a former board member of MyGOAL Autism and a co-founder of Popcorn for the People. He has coached in various Disability Leagues in NY and NJ. He currently is an attending at St. Peters University Hospital and Jersey City Medical Center.

Cofounder & Board of Trustees Member

Barbie Zimmerman Bier M.D. is a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician and mother of four children. Her clinical and research experience over the past 22 years has centered around improving medical care and services for children with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. She has been the P.I. and Co P.I on many research and service grants, including NJ Governor's Council for Medical Pilot Studies, NJ Autism Center of Excellence, industry funded clinical trials as well NIH and CDC Grants, Dr Zimmerman-Bier has also served as a Academic member of the New Jersey Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism and as a Board Member of MyGOAL Autism. When her oldest son, diagnosed with Autism, entered Adulthood, she was dismayed with the lack of job opportunities available for him. She co- founded Popcorn for the People with her husband Steven Bier in a quest to provide meaningful and sustainable employment for a growing neurodiverse workforce. 

Advisory Board Member

Bob Kaufman brings over three decades of invaluable experience in the food industry to our board of advisors. Currently serving as the divisional president of Woodstock Farms Manufacturing, a division of UNFI (the largest retail food distribution system in the country), Bob's extensive background speaks volumes. Before joining Woodstock Farms, he spent 31 years at Performance Food Group, where he served as the director of special segment sales and was previously on the board of directors for MOJO Organics. He discovered our nonprofit through a colleague and was instantly captivated by our mission. With a deep sense of gratitude for his own success, Bob is committed to paying it forward by championing the right causes and supporting meaningful initiatives in the food and beverage sector. 

Events Director & Advisory Board Member

As a parent of an adult with special needs, Steve’s goal in life was to make sure that his daughter Mia had purpose beyond graduation from school. When Popcorn For The People was established in 2015, the dream became a reality and Mia is now an employee that is not judged by what she is not able to do but praised for the tasks that she was able to do. Steve left his job with the New York Times to become the event director for Popcorn For The People. “ At the age of 51,  I went from a dead end job with no meaning to getting up every day and fulfilling my dream of working side by side with a population that is showing the world their untapped potential." Steve resides in East Brunswick with his wife Gabrielle, his son Alex and his daughter Mia, who was his inspiration and driving force in making this career change come.

Advisory Board Member

Priya Shukla is a strategic PR and Communications Executive with over 15 years of expertise. She is an ambitious, highly entrepreneurial professional with a strong record of innovative program development and creative leadership. Born and raised in Australia, she has a cross cultural sensibility with international work experience. She resides in New York City with her husband and two daughters. A member of Priya's extended family is on the autism spectrum and this has inspired her passionate support of the mission.

Treasurer & Advisory Board Member

Amy first encountered the nonprofit,  Popcorn for the People when helping her twins seek part-time employment while in High School. Initially, it was a small entity with a handful of employees that operated located in Brunswick Square Mall. Inspired by its mission statement, Amy joined the nonprofit organization and has been committed to its success as it has grown to over 70 employees and  maintains an edict to hire a majority of its staff from a neurodiverse community. Today, with 35 years of public Accounting experience, Amy is the Treasurer, handling both the financial and HR responsibilities of the nonprofit.