Russell Toris

Russell Toris, PhD, is Senior Director of Software Engineering at Symbotic, where he leads teams building the software systems that coordinate large fleets of autonomous robots in complex warehouse and logistics environments. He has spent his career at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, automation, and distributed systems, with prior leadership roles at Fetch Robotics, Zebra Technologies, and InOrbit. He also serves as a Board Advisor to CladisIQ, supporting the use of AI and sensor technologies for early detection of natural disasters.

Russell earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and his B.S. in Computer Science with honors from Dickinson College. His academic and professional work has focused on making advanced technologies practical, reliable, and accessible in real-world settings.

Outside of his work in technology, Russell has a deep personal connection to food, cooking, and the way food brings people together across families, cultures, and communities. He is also an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, with a strong appreciation for environmental stewardship and the natural systems that support healthy communities. Russell brings a systems-oriented mindset to Fair Food Network’s mission and is especially interested in how food systems can be designed to be more fair, resilient, sustainable, and accessible.