Father, founder, husband, farmer, Appalachian, loving, curious, fun

What do you need to have a greater impact? Some way to facilitate clarity for farmers to understand how to improve their land through metrics like Ecological Outcome Verification.

Bio: Jamie and his wife Amy co-founded Hickory Nut Gap Meats and Hickory Nut Gap Farm based in Fairview, NC. Hickory Nut Gap is dedicated to changing the food system by selling regenerative, pasture raised meats under the Hickory Nut Gap brand name. Jamie is a fourth generation family farmer and is the current CEO of Hickory Nut Gap companies.

Pronouns: He/him

Exerciser, active, learner, responsible

What is the greatest advice you’ve ever received? Work hard, treat people right, and be a good person.

Bio: After graduating from South Dakota State University in 1982, John Anderson started working for the USDA in 1984. He spent 20 years as a loan officer and another 18 as a district director. Two years ago started working with climate smart commodities, drawn by the opportunity to work with new, proactive projects. John lives in De Smet, South Dakota, where he and his family operate a small farm.

Funcle (fun uncle), swimming hole enthusiast, salamander crossing brigade volunteer, mushroom forager, foodie, thrill seeker, cold plunger, ballroom dancer (in training)

What’s your superpower? Helping people connect with their inner child and sense of wonder.

Bio: As Co-Founder of Public Good Provisions, Zack develops regenerative agriculture strategies and partnerships for global food and apparel brands interested in being market leaders in the regenerative movement.

Zack formerly led global sustainability at Timberland. In this role, Zack developed and implemented Timberland’s product sustainability strategy, setting public-facing goals and driving internal processes for success. With Zack’s leadership, Timberland and parent company VF Corporation built new regenerative agriculture supply chains for their top volume natural materials, including leather, cotton, and natural rubber.

Prior to joining Timberland, Zack worked for international government and non-profit organizations focused on marine plastic pollution, oil spill response, and sustainable energy development in the United States, Australia, and Ghana.

Pronouns: He/him

5/1 Heretic Investigator, mushroom forager, golden retriever mother, agate collector, generational trauma breaker, heirloom tomato connoisseur, justice seeker, organic and regenerative food advocate, biodiversity protector

Where at the intersection of your community, your work and your identity do you feel isolated? It can feel defeating to be in a corporate space and work within the confines of capitalism without being perceived as idealistic and unrealistic. I feel often like data can be key to help advocate for change and creating a business case to protect the planet.

Bio: Kristen lives in Red Wing MN with her husband Dan and golden retriever Luna. She has been with Red Wing Shoe Company for the last 8 1/2 years occupying various roles with a focus on material development, innovation, and sustainability. On the weekend you may find her foraging for morels or searching for agates on the shores of Lake Pepin. June-September she spends Saturday at the farmers market sharing heirloom tomatoes and other organic produce grown by Dan with the community.

Pronouns: She/her

Mother, rancher, westerner, lifelong learner, networker

Who are your people? My people are other farmers & ranchers who choose to directly feed their community. I relate to those who are self-employed to feed local food to local people.

Bio: Kathryn is a cattle rancher and agricultural consultant and grant writer. She owns Roan Creek Ranch and raises British Park White cattle in Colorado on owned and private leased lands. She also assists other agricultural businesses across the west with consulting services and grant writing. She served on the Colorado Governor’s transition team and played a role in the selection of the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Director of the Energy Office and the Director of Natural Resources. She is a member of the Colorado Agricultural Commission, appointed by the Governor, which advises the State Agriculture Commissioner.

She is currently on the policy committee of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and the Chairperson of the Food and Agricultural Committee of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. Kathryn is actively involved in agricultural policy development.

Kathryn is currently working with the City of Grand Junction and Mesa County on a project to build a Public Market in a city park along the Colorado River creating direct access to consumers for area farmers and ranchers and other food producers.

In 2005, Kathryn started a grass-fed beef business and direct marketed up to 200 head per year through Farmers Markets, Restaurants, and ultimately her own retail store. She managed a 2000 acre ranch, including both private and public lands. In order to direct market beef, She developed a private label, a marketing program, and was solely responsible for starting and operating a local food store in Fruita Colorado.

Kathryn has a BA in Biology from Mount Holyoke College, an MA from UCLA in Animal Behavior and a DVM from UC Davis, specializing in large animals.

Pronouns: She/her

Father, husband, visionary, beef marketer, CFO/CPA

Who are your people? My people are curious, not judgemental, choose truth over tribe, and are willing to work to learn what is true

Bio: Throughout his career, Todd has offered Strategic CFO and accounting services to startups and fast-growth businesses in the food and ag industry, specializing in all parts of the beef supply chain, from seedstock to putting beef on the plate. He founded Thousand Hills Cattle Company in 2003, which was listed on the Inc. 5000 list in 2011-2013. He pioneered distribution of premium U.S. grassfed beef directly to over 1500 retail and foodservice locations. Todd focuses on designing accounting systems for his farm and ranch clients that deliver Enterprise-level P&Ls.

Todd is a partner in his family farm and ranching operations in IL and OK, and he and his wife and kids raise horses and market their home-raised grassfed beef from their farm in Cannon Falls, MN.

Pronouns: He/him

Minnesota farm-girl, mother, photographer, community place-maker, social strategist, teacher, twin, scarf hoarder

Who are your people? My people are stewards and caretakers - I come from farmers and nurses. They are stoic and strong, tight lipped and patient with their words. They aren't afraid of hard work but definitely conflict-avoidant.

Bio: Anna Claussen is the Founder of Voices for Rural Resilience and Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications for the Growing GRASS Project.

As a rural cultural worker and trained landscape architect, Anna centers participatory approaches that spark curiosity, creativity and action - particularly the individual and collective action necessary to create more just, equitable, diverse and inclusive communities. In 2017 Anna founded Voices for Rural Resilience, convening and connecting unlikely allies to build smarter climate change policy and stronger civic minded communities. Formerly she was the Director of Rural Strategies at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy; was chosen as a 2017-18 Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellow; and has advised a number of organizations working on civic engagement and local place-making, including: Coordinator of the Minnesota Rural Urban Exchange, Advisor to the National Rural Assembly; Board Director for Art of the Rural, Department of Public Transformation, and Resource Media; and former adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota College of Design. Anna has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Studio Arts from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master's in landscape architecture from the University of Minnesota. She’s grounded in Minnesota, where she and her husband and their three young children call home.

Pronouns: She/her

Big ideas, science & tech frontiers, connecting dots, innovation, energy, health, agriculture, environment, and the thermodynamics of life

Who are your people? Innovators with purpose grounded and guided by science.

Bio: Russ is a 40+ year energy veteran and tech geek that evolved into a passion for the biological solar energy play we now know as regenerative agriculture.

He chose engineering (mechanical) and spent 1st 30 professional years in "big oil" energy (Shell) in career roughly split 50/50 between finding and producing oil & gas all around the world (specifically, measuring and counting dead carbon in the deep earth), then after a brief detour into corporate finance/strategy (incl "scenario planning"), helped start and lead Shell's first foray into corporoate venturing and energy tech starting late 90's. That became 2nd half career investing in the very early R&D stage energy technologies (still oil/gas, also solar, wind, bio, nuclear, geothermal, carbon capture...) leading Shell's then angel-stage breakthrough energy-tech efforts (Shell GameChanger).

He retired~10 yrs ago to mentor energy tech entrepreneurs, but stumbled into the field now known as "regnerative agriculture" more rightly framed where he became an entrepreneur myself (Standard Soil). Although regen ag is now my primary focus, he maintains some activity on board of one small energy tech startup, and as a venture partner for a young VC firm (Ecosphere Ventures).

Pronouns: He/him

Cook, gardener, winemaker, advocate, organizer, reader, writer, podcaster, thinker, carnivore, community-lover

What hobbies, projects, groups or community activities keep your attention & why? My hobbies, projects and community activities are what I use to maintain empathy and a positive vision despite the crises that surround our world. My garden is a constant link to the natural world and its miraculous life-affirming complexity. This is particularly true of Hennypenny, the chicken who escaped from the farm supply center across the street that has lived in my tree and garden for almost eight years. He teaches me how to live in the now.

Bio: Michael is a thought leader, strategist, organizer and advocate for food and farming systems change. He heads Roots of Change (ROC), a program of the Public Health Institute. Since 2006, Michael has been spawning education and policy campaigns, and facilitating community dialogues and creative engagements with government and corporate leaders to advance food and farm policies and practices that make agriculture and food enterprises solutions to critical global challenges. His leadership has helped pass one new law and funding program at the federal level and three new California laws that include two new funding programs sustained by ROC’s five successful budget requests. As a result, nearly $400 million in funding for improved nutrition has flowed to CBOs. He has been a key player in passing California's regenerative agriculture policies that have resulted in nearly $600 million in funding to provide farmers with incentives to reduce emissions and/or capture carbon and retain water in the soil and reduce the use of toxic chemicals on farms and antibiotics in livestock operations. He is focused on advancing regenerative meat production nationally. He is the host of the podcast, Flipping the Table, featuring honest conversations about food, farming and the future. He is currently writing a book about how the confluence of the many streams of the good food movement could save the world.

Pronouns: He/him

Change maker, nature lover, meditator, tree hugger, challenger, visionary, climate champion, mother, daughter, decision maker, optimist

What’s your superpower? Inclusive Solution Development - Practical Action. My super power is evaluating problems from many angles and developing solutions that provide a win for many different stakeholders. I have a focus on what is practical and actionable, and how to communicate about solutions in languages that are understood by all.

Bio: Caitlyn Dudas is the Senior Advisor and Co-Founder of the Pet Sustainability Coalition – a nonprofit that advances business through environmental and social business practices. Caitlyn is a 2022 Power50 winner, a 2019 Woman of Influence recipient, winner of the 2019 Vanguard award, and a 2017 40 Under 40 award recipient in honor of her innovative approach to bring together industry leaders to strengthen their businesses while also leading the industry toward a future where pets, people, and planet prosper. Between 2013 and 2023, Caitlyn served as Executive Director and Co-Founder, where she grew the Coalition from 8 Founding corporate members to a thriving community of 200+ pet companies that actively measure and improve their impact through PSC’s sustainable business services.

Under her leadership, the Pet Sustainability Coalition has pioneered collaborative solutions that advance sustainable ingredients, sustainable packaging, climate action and social responsibility. Her leadership has led to notable successes including Flex Forward, the industry’s first return-to-retail plastic collection program, the DEI challenge that inspired the pet industry to take more than 6,000 individual actions toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry, and boldly bringing together industry competitors to breakdown competitive barriers through a unified vision toward an inclusive, vibrant and more sustainable industry.

Originating from rural Northwest Indiana, Caitlyn now resides in the front range of Colorado.

Pronouns: She/her

Mother, food systems practitioner, Kentuckian, big thinker, lover of the outdoors, planner, home chef, traveler

Who are your people? Operators, farmers, chefs, etc.: the folks doing the hands-on work. The focus of my work is to build solutions that will work for them, because that is how the solution will be successful for the long term.

Bio: Carolyn Gahn is the Senior Director of Mission and Advocacy for Applegate. In this role, she is responsible for setting the long-term overarching mission objectives that will allow Applegate to remain the number one brand and trusted leader in the Organic and Natural meat industry. Prior to this, Carolyn was the Director of Farm-to-Institution for Aramark, a leading global foodservice provider. As part of the Global Supply Chain & Procurement team, Carolyn worked to build scalable solutions for increasing institutional food purchasing from small farms and businesses. She started her career as a community organizer with Community Farm Alliance, has worked on several diversified organic farms (including her own), and spent a decade as a founding entrepreneur of a food manufacturing business. She serves on the boards of the Organic Association of Kentucky and The FruitGuys Community Fund.

Pronouns: She/her

Mother, animal lover, nordic skier, climber, outdoors, friends

Who are your people? My people are those who share my passion and commitment to contributing to a better world, and share an equal commitment to building strong relationships along the way and, most importantly, having fun!

Pronouns: She/her

Father of 3, ocean lover, environmentalist, empathetic, mediator, orchardist, dog lover, lover of hockey

What is the greatest advice you’ve ever received? My mentor once told me not to forget that we are in a struggle. They said that the forces of capitalism, dehumanization, patriarchy, racism, and exploitation are always at work and that we need to keep that top of mind in our work.

Bio: Tim Greiner, a Pure Strategies Co-founder and Managing Director, has pioneered approaches to building environmental and social integrity into products, brands, and businesses. His experience spans the spectrum from developing sustainability strategy, drafting sustainability goals, designing product sustainability programs, creating approaches to transform sustainable supply chains and fostering collaborative mechanisms to lift the sustainability performance of entire industries. He is currently working with several progressive businesses on developing science-based targets and comprehensive climate strategies. He is a co-founder of the Chemical Footprint Project and has guided sustainable chemicals management strategies for companies across diverse industries. He has also led regenerative agriculture projects with food brands and retailers. Current and former clients include Annie’s, Walmart, Seventh Generation, Ben & Jerry’s, The North Face, Stonyfield Farm, Timberland and U.S. EPA.

Tim holds Masters’ degrees in Environmental Policy and Business from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor's degree in Materials Science Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a founding member of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Planners Association and a former Board member and President. He is also founder of the Cape Ann Climate Change Network.

Pronouns: He/him

Indigenous, Black, LatinX, environmentalist, scholar, runner, outdoor enthusiast, and helper

What do you need to have greater impact? More connections and introductions to Indigenous communities & organizations.

Bio: Terrius Harris serves as the Director of Indigenous Partnerships & Inclusion at the American Sustainable Business Network and Businesses for Conservation & Climate Action. In this role, he champions Indigenous-led, community-based initiatives in social and economic development, entrepreneurship, and environmental conservation, adopting a community-centric approach. As part of the Growing GRASS Project, Terrius leads outreach and communications with Tribal leaders and communities nationwide, ensuring their active participation and contributions to program initiatives. He facilitates internal communications among Indigenous leaders and acts as a liaison with the broader project team. Terrius is currently pursuing a Master's in Public Policy at the Harris School of Public Policy and is a 2023-24 UChicago Obama Scholar. Outside of his professional and academic pursuits, Terrius enjoys outdoor activities and watersports, writes eco-poetry, competes in marathons, and travels extensively.

Pronouns: He/him

Geographer, visual arts practitioner, urban sketcher, naturalist, cat lover, language learner, librarian at heart, early music enthusiast

Where at the intersection of your community, your work and your identity do you feel isolated? By profession and skillset I am a technologist but am critical of much new technology and believe that our future-oriented society needs a lot more connection with the past.

Bio: Dr. Allan D. Hollander is a geographer in the Institute of the Environment at the University of California, Davis, whose work focuses on the use of information systems for environmental management. Areas of emphasis include spatial analyses of land cover and species distribution patterns, statistical analysis of large environmental datasets using multivariate techniques and machine learning approaches, and developing systems and standards for sharing environmental information, making use of digital cataloging systems and semantic web technologies. Common across this work is his use of a wide variety of open-source technologies ranging from geographic information systems to web development platforms.

Pronouns: He/him

Explorer, 2nd generation geographer, maps, mountain west, Colorado, California, biodiversity loss, family, active community participant, healthy planet for my kids

What song best describes your life? Beethoven Symphony #9

Bio: Dr. Patrick Huber is a researcher at the Institute of the Environment at the University of California, Davis. His Ph.D. is in Geography, and he focuses his professional work on conservation planning in working landscapes. He has worked with a large number of public and private organizations on subjects that include wildlife connectivity, reserve design, food systems, and conservation informatics. His current focus is on building the Internet of Conservation.

Pronouns: He/him

Outdoor adventurer, Wisconsin native, mountain dweller, Mexican food lover, world traveler, sustainable materials expert, authenticity seeker, Green Bay Packers fan, partner, aunt, twin

What gets you up in the morning? The purpose-driven, meaningful work I am fortunate to do - along with the sunrise views over the mountains that can be seen from my house.

Bio: Beth Jensen is Senior Director of Climate and Nature Impact at Textile Exchange, the leading global nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the use of sustainable raw materials and fibers within the apparel, footwear, and home textiles industries. She oversees the organization’s efforts to achieve beneficial climate and nature impacts through leadership of four key functions: impact data and Life Cycle Assessment studies; impact tools, including the Preferred Fiber and Materials Matrix and the Materials Impact Explorer; reports and research; and policy activities. Prior to Textile Exchange, Beth held leadership roles overseeing and driving sustainable materials and products programs at VF Corporation, parent company for outdoor and active brands including Vans, The North Face, Timberland, and Smartwool; and at Outdoor Industry Association, the North American-based trade association for the outdoor apparel, footwear, and gear sector. She is based in Colorado, USA, and holds a B.A. from St. Olaf College and an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business.

Pronouns: She/her

Dad, partner, family farm crisis kid, talker, traveller, dreamer, friend, builder, wonk, animal wrangler, historian, fencer in and out of things, tree planter, Minnesotan and Nebraskan

What do you need to have greater impact? For greater impact, I need the room to problem solve, be creative and be part of a larger effort than myself. And humor. Very much need humor.

Bio: Jim grew up on a Nebraska family farm with four siblings milking cows and learning agriculture from parents who were early leaders in modern regenerative and organic farming. He headed to Minnesota for college to study history and international studies, which took him to Russia, Lithuania and Seattle, where he got his MA in international studies. But the pull of farming & home was strong, so Jim returned to Minnesota and worked - for almost 20 years - on better farming systems, family farm & rural community vitality, and the new systems needed to support them locally and internationally.

In 2015, Jim co-founded and is the current board chair of Tree-Range Farms, a mission-based business working with family farmers to aggregate and sell regeneratively raised poultry, hazelnuts and other food crops. In 2017, with his brother Mark, Jim founded Other Half Processing (OHP), out of recognition that hides and other byproducts from regeneratively raised livestock have a real value that is mostly unrealized in today’s supply chains and markets, but can be re-captured and amplified with the right verification, traceability, and processing and sales partners.

Jim, his wife Shalini, and their sons Anand and Niraj live in Minnesota on Dakota land in South Minneapolis and near Cannon Falls, where they are the current stewards of 35 acres of big woods and farm ground.

Pronouns: He/him

Midwesterner, Macalester alum, physicist, direct, bicyclist, pragmatist, swing-dancer

What’s your superpower? Asking dumb questions. Physics humbled my ego and taught me that the dumbest questions are the best.

Bio: Mark grew up on a dairy farm in Nebraska where he learned work and responsibility at an early age. He studied Physics in college because it represented "truth" and was the most challenging subject, then went for a PhD because it “didn’t feel done”. He met a girl in Chicago and now (happily) has a “Big Fat Greek” life there with three daughters (come for Greek Easter!). Mark worked in corporate America for 15 years where he learned a lot (standards and product development, marketing, finance, operations support) but always wanted to apply this knowledge to a better mission. Mark’s brother Jim, who always stayed close to regen Ag, had come up with the idea for OHP – preserving the value of regen animal by-products – and Mark couldn’t resist any more. So satisfying to spend your day and energy on the thing that is important and near and dear to your heart. Growing GRASS is an amazing opportunity to have an even bigger impact!

Pronouns: He/him

Concert goer, world traveler, teacher, animal lover, adventurous, spontaneous

What is the greatest advice you’ve ever received? You are the captain of your own ship. If you want to change something, do something.

Bio: Liza LaManna is a dynamic leader with a strong background in sustainability and environmental advocacy. Currently serving as the Manager of Regenerative Agriculture and Clean Water at the American Sustainable Business Network in Washington, DC, Liza leads initiatives to champion the business voice in policies concerning clean water and regenerative agriculture.

Liza brings a unique perspective to policy work, drawing from her experience as an Environmental Engineering Technician at Henrico County Public Works and her research roles at The Earley Lab and the Candlewood Lake Authority. Holding a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a focus on agrarian justice from American University and another in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development from the University for Peace, Liza combines her academic knowledge with hands-on experience to drive positive change in environmental sustainability.

Pronouns: She/her

Nomad, amateur everything, food enthusiast, courteous dirtbag, word lover, farmer fan club member, outdoorsy-lite

What hobbies, projects, groups or community activities keep your attention & why? Anything that's essentially just a bunch of people collaborating to make their lives and the lives of their neighbors better, richer, and more connected. Can be in the arts, for the environment, in food access — I just started working with a startup boxing gym that focuses on accessibility so that more people can feel safer and stronger for longer.

Bio: Dee Laninga is the Communications Manager for Growing GRASS and a freelance writer, editor, and content creator. Dee deploys her skills in strategic communications, creative writing, and design in support of work that nourishes the growth of new, equitable, localized food systems that can sustain more farmers and better feed our communities. Her past work in such diverse sectors as clean energy, antihunger, and agriculture inform her broad perspective. Dee hails from Michigan, but now lives near Maine's Acadia National Park, ancestral homeland of the Wabanaki nations, with her partner Emily and cats Turkey & Banjo.

Pronouns: She/her

Husband, father, believer, homesteader, holistic living, regenerative systems, human-centric craft manufacturing, buy better - buy less, no shortcuts, nature knows best, shoemaker, shepherd, scholar

Where at the intersection of your community, your work and your identity do you feel isolated? I would like to see a return to “slow living”. Life is fast-paced and accelerating each year as people demand real-time, fast responses. We’ve come accustomed to instant gratification. We’ve focused on quantity over quality, KPI’s, bigger, faster, etc. Nature can’t be rushed.

Bio: Mike is the Product Design & Development Manager for Red Wing Shoe Company’s Heritage division of footwear, which makes footwear in the USA using leather made in Red Wing, MN at SB Foot Tanning Company. As a homesteader, he and his family is passionate about small-scale Regenerative agriculture. He is studying to be an EOV Monitor for the Savory Institute.

Movement builder, facilitator, New Yorker, problem solver, advocate, organizer

Who are your people? People with open hearts and minds

Bio: David Levine is the co-founder and President of the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN). ASBN is a movement builder in partnership with the business and investor community. ASBN develops and advocates for solutions for policy makers, business leaders, and investors that support an equitable, regenerative, and just economy that benefits all stakeholders. As a multi-issue, membership organization advocating on behalf of every business sector, size, and geography, ASBN and its association members collectively represent over 250,000 businesses across our networks.

He has worked as a social entrepreneur for over 40 years focusing on the development of whole systems solutions for a more sustainable society through building strategic partnerships and broad stakeholder initiatives. Previously, he was the Founding Director of Continuing Education & Public Programs at The Graduate Center, City University of New York. From 1984-1997, David was Founder and executive director of the Learning Alliance: Options for Education & Action, an independent popular education organization.

He and his family run a farm operation in the Hudson Valley of NY to help regenerate the land, develop the local economy and help build community.

Pronouns: He/him

Curious, compassionate conservative, entrepreneural, community supporter, leader, job builder, story teller

What is the greatest advice you’ve ever received? Your challenges are not unique. Ask for help: someone has already figured it out.

Bio: Mike Lorentz is the CEO of Lorentz Meats in Cannon Falls MN. Mike has been an advocate for farm direct sales and alternative markets since 1997 when he and his brother Rob took over the family meat processing business. The business has grown to 135 staff working in a 55,000 square foot facility, all dedicated to supporting high attribute niche proteins.

Pronouns: He/him

Christian, husband, father, farmer, grazier, podcaster, outdoor lover

What gets you up in the morning? I love what I get to do, from the work I do, to the family I have, to the friends I get to see. Through blessing out of my control and also intentional decisions my life is full of people and things that I love which makes every day a blessing and something to look forward to.

Bio: Jared Luhman farms on his family's farm in Goodhue, MN along with his wife Valerie and dad Jon. They raise registered Red Angus cattle and breed livestock that are bred to thrive in their environment without the use of expensive inputs. Their goals are to manage their farm in a way that improves the land under their stewardship, the profitability of their business and the lifestyle that they enjoy. You can learn more about what they do on Jared's Herd Quitter Podcast where he talks to farmers and ranchers across the US who aren't afraid to do things differently and have found success in their businesses through this.

Swiss/Californian connector, traveler, explorer, photographer, healer, nature and animal lover

What’s your superpower? I'm a natural networker and connector

Bio: Doris brings various business and management experiences to her position as Program Manager with Roots of Change. For close to a decade, she directed an international education business and later worked as an organizational development consultant and business coach. She was recently involved in a start-up company focused on building a story-telling platform for purpose-driven brands to help consumers reconnect to the origins of the food they eat and make more ethical purchasing choices. She is very committed to facilitating the growth and success of Roots of Change and its community and to reaching the goal of establishing a sustainable, equitable and climate-smart food system in California. Doris received a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities from New College of California and a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Golden Gate University. She grew up in a small farming town in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, is bi-lingual in German and English and speaks conversational French and Spanish. She has called the Bay Area her home for the past twenty-five years and is an avid photographer, traveler & cook.

Pronouns: She/her

Lakota, student, rancher, daughter, aunt, agvocate

What gets you up in the morning? The thought of the next generation gets me out of bed every morning. I want my future kids and grandkids to be proud of the person I was. I don't want them to have to fight so hard for what is right and wrong. I want to put in more work today for the generations behind us because they shouldn't have to clean up after us.

Bio: Sha’Teal Pearman is a Lakota citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She was raised on a multi-generational ranch in the heart of South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, she is a 4th generation cattle rancher alongside her siblings. At the young age of 16, Sha’Teal created the Just Breathe Suicide Awareness Campaign, a non-profit that provides educational scholarships and activities to the youth of her Community.

In Sha’Teal’s professional career, she has been actively involved with the Intertribal Agriculture Council for ten years. Five of these years, she has been a full time employee working in Natural Resources as the Natural Resource Program Manager. The other five she has been working diligently alongside fellow native youth being a voice for Native American Agriculture. The IAC has guided and opened various doors in Indian Country for her, growing up in an organization that cares so deeply for the land, people and Indian Country as a whole has been so rewarding to her.

Pronouns: She/her

Runner, yogi, energetic, bread baker, amateur artist, New Jerseyian

What do you need to have greater impact? A broader network to know about the other work folks in this space are doing, and to learn from others to bette improve my ability to have an impact.

Bio: Kristi Peyton is a Sustainability Advisor for Pure Strategies. She works with clients to help develop sustainability strategies, advance regenerative agriculture in supply chains, and track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to align with science-based targets.

Prior to joining Pure Strategies, Kristi worked as a Technical Account Manager for Upstream Tech. She was the primary account manager for enterprise and strategic customers, providing technical expertise on leveraging remote sensing data for monitoring, analysis, and reporting across a range of conservation and environmental industries, including forestry, agriculture, carbon, and mitigation banking to enhance sustainability impacts. She also worked at EverPower Wind Holdings managing wind energy projects from the early stages of preparing for permitting and construction to maintaining up-to-date data on active projects.

Kristi holds an M.S in Agriculture, Food and the Environment from the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and a B.A. in Environmental Studies, minor in Chemistry, from the University of Pittsburgh.

Pronouns: She/her

IC-FOODS Northern outpost, farm kid, practical optimist, cultural enthusiast

What’s your superpower? Master of Chaos

Bio: Courtney Riggle is the Co-Founder and COO of the International Center for Food Ontology Operability Data and Semantics (IC-FOODS).

Building on deep experience working with ag sector and resource management challenges at all scales, Courtney leverages early work in ag sector policy and human capacity building (Central Asia, Mexico, Global) and development of niche agricultural markets (US) in her current work as Co-Founder and COO of IC-FOODS. Her current portfolio includes a series of projects focused on developing ways to capitalize and accelerate the adoption of new technologies to digitize food systems and improve their resilience, efficiency, trust, and traceability, including a set of USDA-funded projects focused on developing regional meat supply chains, developing data guidelines for local produce markets, and, of course, supporting regenerative meat and meat byproduct systems as part the Growing Grass project. Recently, she managed a NSF-funded research coordination network to develop Smart Foodsheds, and led a sector-wide sustainability assessment of Ecuador’s banana industry. Courtney skills include expertise in supply chains, community engagement, and project management. She earned her Masters in Public Policy (MPP) from University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Stanford University. Courtney, her husband, and four daughters live in rural North-Eastern Washington State near the Riggle family cattle ranch where she grew up.

Outdoors enthusiast, adventure traveler, lady of leisure, aggressively loyal friend, animal lover, prankster

If you had one extra hour in the day, how would you use it? I'd do more to intentionally tap into my creative side, which tends to get neglected in ordinary day-to-day life!

Bio: Tara Ritter is the Finance and GRASS Manager for the Growing GRASS project. Her career is focused on sustainable agriculture and climate change, and she has worked in positions from policy advocacy to community organizing to project management. Prior to Growing GRASS, Tara was managing another large-scale USDA grant at the University of Minnesota, where she learned the ins-and-outs of how large transdisciplinary projects function. Tara holds a BA in Environmental Studies from St. Olaf College, a MS in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, and a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Minnesota. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband and two dogs.

Pronouns: She/her

Homebrewer, dad of 2, Air Force brat, eater of weird foods, fluent in German

What do you need to have greater impact? Clarity on the end goal

Bio: Troy has never met a problem he didn't enjoy solving. The problems started as IT challenges for large corporations, then morphed into business + organizational strategy questions for organizations of all kinds. More recently, he has applied his structured thinking approach to challenges in data science. Because of his passion for food and a desire to contribute to the new world order, he develops data and data standards for the common good in the area of food systems. He lives in Austin, TX, with his wife + elementary school kids.

Pronouns: He/him

Inquisitive, farmers daughter, superstitious, rural advocate, craftswoman, mother, terrible singer

What song best describes your life? King of the Road: Roger Miller

Bio: Lacy Schumann is an employee of SB Foot Tanning Company. She is passionate about maintaining the tradition of tanning while seeing potential for evolving of the craft. She cares deeply about the customers that use SB Foots leathers and prides herself on those relationships. Lacy grew up on a Black Angus farm in Southern Minnesota which has allowed her to really connect with the product she's selling. When she's not in the tannery or on the road working with customers, she enjoys hanging out at home with her husband and two kids.

Pronouns: She/her

Synthesizer, doodler, ag nerd, narrator, public library fangirl, exchange student host parent, spouse, sewist

What is the greatest advice you’ve ever received? We're all just making it up as we go!

Bio: Gwen has been working in conservation and agriculture for the past 17 years, including the State of Minnesota's Board of Water & Soil Resources, Jefferson Conservation District in Colorado, and the Izaak Walton League of America. Her work has included advocating for conservation provisions in the federal Farm Bill, communicating about forest restoration practices on Colorado's Front Range, and building a statewide conservation grant reporting and outcome tracking tool. Additionally, she works as a voice actor and narrator.

Originally from Minnesota, Gwen and her spouse now reside in Longmont, Colorado. She enjoys any opportunity to be in the woods or on the water, or sewing her own clothing as part of her commitment to slow fashion.

Pronouns: She/her

Systems thinker, lifelong learner, personal growth advocate, social innovator, practical idealist, sustainable foodie, fashionista, traveler, swimmer, bright color lover

What do you need to have greater impact? A supportive culture based on continuous improvement

Bio: Emily is well versed in the natural, social, and data sciences as they relate to food and has spent 10+ years working across sectors and disciplines to build a healthy, equitable, and sustainable food system. This has included research and innovation work at USDA and CGIAR research centers, health and sustainability companies, and with food and climate tech impact investors as well as many years volunteering to support community food access initiatives.

Emily is currently working with HowGood and MyFitnessPal to build some of the world's largest food databases (food sustainability and nutrition, respectively) while also pursuing a PhD at the University of California, Davis in close collaboration with IC-FOODS—a nonprofit research institute building the Internet of Food. At UC Davis, she is a member of the Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry graduate group and conducts research in the Department of Food Science and Technology. Previously, Emily received a master's degree in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Her dissertation focuses on building a food informatics framework that integrates sustainability and nutritional quality, from the chemical to the systems level.

Pronouns: She/her

Home chef, poet, New Jersey kid, musician, introvert, goofball, dog-lover

What hobbies, projects, groups or community activities keep your attention & why? Cooking keeps my attention because for me it's the intersection of work and play. There are endless ways to get creative with ingredients and share food with community.

Bio: Anna Straus is a self-employed project manager, fundraiser, writer, and researcher for a better food system. After obtaining a Master’s of Arts in Social Work from University of Denver, focused specifically on food and environmental justice, they worked as a writer and researcher for a national food policy-focused non-profit, Farm Action.

Anna started their own consulting business in October of 2021 Straus Communications & Connections, focusing specifically on project management and fundraising for efforts poised to make the food system more equitable and sustainable.

While Anna often manages projects that are regional and national in scope, they remain rooted in the Denver community by working directly with local farmers and ranchers, and community-focused organizations like Denver Food Rescue. Anna has a love for being outside, getting their hands dirty on the farm, and cooking creatively with locally grown vegetable varieties.

Pronouns: They/She

Ontology, sustainability, food systems, biology, traveling, languages, sport, arts & reading.

Who are your people? Ontologists, sustainability experts as well as food systems stakeholders.

Bio: Giorgio is a Ph.D student at the University of Milan, Milan Italy. His project is in partnership with IC-FOODS and focuses on food system sustainability and ontologies. This project aims to provide strategies to support the building of ontologies representing sustainability within food systems. Before starting this project, Giorgio studied biology and sustainability at university in Italy and France.

Pronouns: He/him