Maggi Adamek
Founder and Principal, Terra Soma. LLC
Terra Soma’s CEO, Dr. Margaret Adamek, is nationally recognized for
her unique, impact-oriented approach to helping people and
partnerships create healthy communities. Her longstanding experience
with food systems change – from production to consumption – provides
clients with clear, strategic counsel and support as they launch
initiatives to improve local economies, public health, and
agricultural systems. Maggi played a key, collaborative role in the
design, management, and execution of the Minnesota Food Charter, a
statewide, integrated policy and systems change initiative designed
to reduce obesity and diet-related disease across the entire state.
She has also conducted numerous assessments, provided coaching and
training, and guided implementation of policy and systems change
initiatives create healthier food environments at municipal, county,
and regional levels. She has developed and executed marketing
campaigns for healthy farmer’s markets, strategic planning for many
food-focused organizations and initiatives, and research to inform
healthy food-related policy change. She frequently serves as a
consultant, strategist and trainer for state, federal, and national
organizations on how to reduce rates of diet-related chronic disease
through innovative policy solutions.
A frequently requested keynote speaker, Adamek’s work has been
quoted and featured in the New York Times and Washington Post by
Michael Pollan, as a guest on the Thom Hartmann show on Air American
Radio, and as a speaker at the national Bioneers Conference. She has
also published articles and books for popular and academic
audiences, including Alternative Medicine magazine. Maggi holds a BA
degree from Carleton College, a PhD from the University of
Minnesota, and served as a prestigious Bush Foundation Leadership
fellow.
Jamie Adams
Economic Development Planner, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Super
Chippewa
Jamie Adams joined the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Super Chippewa in
2013 as the Economic Development Planner. She earned her degrees
from the University of Minnesota Duluth in Urban and Regional
Studies and Environmental Studies with a minor in Geography. Her
primary responsibilities with the Fond du Lac Band include, grant
writing, project management, and program development. Jamie has been
involved with the Gardening Programs on the Fond du Lac Reservation
and is an advocate for teaching community members how to grow and
preserve their own food and bringing local foods to the Fond du Lac
Community.
Teresa Ambroz, MPH, RD, LD
State Nutrition Coordinator, Office of Statewide Health Improvement
Teresa’s career began as a clinical dietitian at Hennepin County
Medical Center where she saw the striking toll social factors took
on people’s health. Over the course of her thirty-year career in
healthcare, local public health and research, she has moved up
stream to address root causes of chronic disease and create a
culture that makes it possible for everyone to live a life free of
preventable disease and suffering and enjoy wholesome foods. As the
State Nutrition Coordinator, she collaborates with a diverse set of
stakeholders to identify, develop, implement and evaluate
innovative, effective, sustainable approaches to ensure healthy
options are available, affordable, accessible, and appealing. She
has strong interest and experience in childhood obesity prevention
and policy, systems, environmental and social marketing strategies
to influence food choices, food preferences and social norms.
Saba Andualem
Cook Fresh Coordinator - Urban Roots, Food Skills Assessment Work
Group member
Saba Andualem is a University of Minnesota Duluth graduate whose
focus and experience has primarily been on food systems, including
helping to start a CSA farm in Duluth. While working as the gardener
at Common Roots café in Minneapolis, she joined the Minneapolis Food
Council. As the Cook Fresh Coordinator with Urban Roots, she teaches
youth from St. Paul’s Eastside food skills, cooking, food policy and
community engagement around food access issues. She is also a
participant in The Eastside Table Program as well as a member of the
Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute’s Food Skills Assessment
Work.
Nicole Bailey
AmeriCorps VISTA and SNAP Outreach Coordinator for Hunger Solutions
Minnesota
Nicole joined Hunger Solutions in November 2016. She is a passionate
public health advocate, with a focus on addressing issues of food
insecurity and other health disparities in communities throughout
Minnesota. Nicole previously served as an abuse prevention
specialist for a large school district in southeastern Wisconsin and
has worked closely with several community-based coalitions. She
received a bachelor’s degree in Community Health Studies from
Portland State University and is currently pursuing a Master of
Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Jamie Bain
Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension
Jamie Bain works for the University of Minnesota Extension as a
Health and Nutrition Extension educator. She seeks to advance
equitable access to healthy foods for all through leadership,
coordination, and technical assistance for food networks in
Minnesota.
Alicia Bauman, MBA
Alicia Bauman leads the Community Health initiatives for Lakewood
Health System in Staples, MN. Alicia has vast experience in
community engagement, public policy and the integration of community
and clinical strategies. Alicia received an MBA in Rural Healthcare
from The College of St. Scholastica.
Jeanette Behr
Research Manager, League of Minnesota Cities
Jeanette Behr is an attorney at the League of Minnesota Cities and
manager of the research department. Her responsibilities include
researching, writing and responding to specific questions from city
staff, elected officials and city attorneys on a variety of
municipal law topics. Jeanette earned her B.A. from Cornell College
in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and her J.D. from William Mitchell College of
Law.
Andy Berndtv
Community Blueprint
At a young age Andy realized his passion for marrying grassroots
activism, communications, and advocacy. He was first involved in
high school in the fight against the tobacco industry with
Minnesota’s Target Market. He then began to travel the country and
the globe speaking and consulting with behavior change programs that
brought him to 35 states, and 8 countries. He took his passion for
activism and youth advocacy and used his expertise in graphic design
and video production to help programs deliver relevant impactful
messages.
Nadja Berneche
Healthy Comprehensive Planning Director, Terra Soma, LLC
Nadja is the Healthy Comprehensive Planning Director with Terra
Soma, a strategic services firm with a specialty in food systems. In
this role, a big part of her work is to build relationships and
provide technical assistance to city and county planners, health
advocates, and community members working to increase healthy food
access. To create long-range visions, she uses local community
planning as tool to strategically identify and implement initiatives
to increase access to healthy food and physical activity and to
promote health equity. Nadja earned her Masters of Social Work and
Masters of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota. She
enjoys chasing her 4-year old son, two dogs, and chickens around the
garden, rooting for University of Michigan football, and making
carrot pickles.
Susan Bishop
Susan Bishop brings over 18 years of experience planning, and
implementing programs to improve health to her position leading the
Healthy Communities Team at the Minnesota Department of Health. The
team supports communities throughout Minnesota to implement the
policies, systems and environmental change initiatives that support
healthy eating and active living. In previous roles, she has
developed successful workplace strategies for the Statewide Health
Improvement Program (SHIP), as well as initiatives in school and
childcare settings to improve consumption of healthy foods through
comprehensive strategies impacting systems from procurement to
classroom support.
Kristine Bjerkaas Friesen
Refugee Assistance Programs Specialist, Resettlement Programs
Office, MN Dept. of Human Services
Kristine is the Refugee Assistance Programs Specialist for the
Resettlement Programs Office (RPO), Economic Assistance and
Employment Supports Division. Her responsibilities include
coordinating the Refugee Cash Assistance program and its policies;
collaborating with other assistance programs and policy staff to
work on service access for refugees; and developing and providing
training for counties and partners around refugees, Refugee Cash
Assistance and cross-cultural work skills. Prior to joining the RPO
in February 2016, she has worked in refugee resettlement since 1998,
implementing a range of services to newly arrived refugees,
including case management, employment, housing, and education. A
favorite highlight from those years is a successful refugee-run
community garden project at an apartment complex in St Paul.
Kristine graduated from Bethel University, St. Paul, with a Bachelor
in Arts, Cultural Studies, and from Webster University, Geneva,
Switzerland, with a Refugees Studies Practicum Certificate. She also
completed an Urban Farming Certification and Advanced Permaculture
Design course through the Permaculture Research Institute Cold
Climate in Minneapolis, MN, and is passionate about local food
systems.
Gretchen Bohl
Community Health Specialist, Blue Earth County Public Health
Gretchen Bohl is a community health specialist and has worked on
healthy eating and healthy school initiatives for the Statewide
Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) in Blue Earth County since
2014. Her professional interests involve health equity, food equity,
and creating a healthy food system.
Brian Bluhm
Rutabaga Project Coordinator
Brian Bluhm is the Rutabaga Project Coordinator, with the goal to
increase local and nutritious food access in NE MN's Iron Range,
based at the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency. Brian has a B.A.
in Anthropology and a M.Ed. in Environmental Education from the
University of Minnesota Duluth.
Kathy Brandt
Extension Educator, Food Safety
Kathy Brandt is an Extension Educator in Food Safety with University
of Minnesota Extension at the Regional Office, Marshall. She has a
Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota and a
Master of Education degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
She is a member of the National Environmental Health Association,
National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences – MN
Affiliate, and Epsilon Sigma Phi. Kathy develops and provides
educational programs in food safety for many audiences including the
food service industry, entrepreneurs and consumers.
Fernando Burga
Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota Humphrey School of
Public Affairs
H. Fernando Burga is an Assistant Professor at the University of
Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a dual
appointment at University of Minnesota’s Extension. His research,
teaching and service focus on equity in urban planning with an
emphasis on immigrant incorporation and urban food systems.
Marna Canterbury, MS, RD
Marna brings more than 30 years of experience in community health
leadership, nutrition programs and health message design to her
leadership role as Director of Community Health, HealthPartners and
Lakeview Health. Marna leads the development, implementation and
evaluation of PowerUp and developed a strategic framework for
community collaboration and partnerships to improve access to
healthy foods and physical activity for children in 7 targeted
communities. She also provides leadership for other HealthPartners
community health initiatives.
Evalyn Carbrey
SNAP-Ed Coordinator, University of Minnesota Extension
Evalyn Carbrey is a SNAP-Ed Regional Coordinator for the Metro
Region. Prior to joining the SNAP-Ed team in 2016, Evalyn worked
with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children (WIC) at both the state and local level. She has worked
as a clinical dietitian in both inpatient and outpatient programs at
the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, as well
as with international nutrition programs. Evalyn earned a Master's
Degree in Nutrition with a focus on Food Policy and Applied
Nutrition at Tufts University and is a Registered Dietitian.
Jenna Carter
Senior Program Manager, Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue
Shield MN
Jenna Carter began her career with a passion for food systems change
and health improvement. She quickly broadened her perspective and
scope of work as she saw the pervasive inequities that exist across
systems, sectors, and policies that ultimately impact health. She
also recognized the need for inclusive and community driven
approaches to make meaningful, equitable, and sustainable changes.
As the Senior Program Manager for Policy and Advocacy in the Center
for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Jenna
develops and leads statewide public health policy and advocacy
strategies to reach the Center’s goals around health equity, healthy
eating, and active living. She advocates for a Health Equity in All
Policies approach where coalitions and alliances are cross cultural,
interdisciplinary and multi-sector; communities and community
members who experience health inequities are in decision making
positions; and health equity criteria are integrated in key decision
making processes. Jenna has a Master’s degree in Public Health from
the University of Minnesota and Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional
Science from Iowa State University.
Bonnie Christiansen
Regional Coordinator, Health & Nutrition Programs at the University
of Minnesota Extension
Bonnie Christiansen coordinates the University of Minnesota
Extension SNAP-Ed program in southwest Minnesota. She has a passion
for healthy living and when she's not working, she enjoys walking
her Irish Setter and riding her tandem bike with her husband.
JoDee Christianson
SNAP-Ed Coordinator, University of Minnesota Extension
JoDee Christianson is a SNAP-ED Educator working in a 3-county area
in Central Minnesota. She has worked with the University of
Minnesota Extension Youth Development Program and SNAP-ED Program
collectively for 13 years. Her work within Youth Development
included county based 4-H program coordination, volunteer
management, and youth and volunteer training development and
delivery. Her five years of experience in the SNAP-ED program
includes early childhood parent education, multi-level school
district nutrition education and health initiatives, and food access
community networking.
Heidi Coe
Produce Strategy Manager, Second Harvest Heartland
Heidi Coe is a Produce Strategy Manager for Second Harvest
Heartland. One of her primary responsibilities is to work with
growers who have excess produce and channel that into the emergency
food system. Heidi also owns and operates a produce farm of her own,
called Piney Hill Farm, with her partner Wade. She is also on the
board for a local farmers’ coop called Hungry Turtle Farmers’ Coop,
located in Amery, WI.
PH Copeland
Equity Organizer, The Good Food Access Campaign
PH was born and raised in her beloved community of North
Minneapolis. Her professional background involves youth and
community organizing surrounding racial equity and other social
justice issues. PH is the Equity Organizer for the Good Food Access
Campaign held at the American Heart Association. She believes
organizing, advocacy and storytelling are tools for developing a
sustainable life, ending cycles of poverty and forms of oppression,
creating healing spaces for growth. In her spare time, PH is a
contract employee with MN Civic Youth as the Youth on Boards Program
Director. Also, Co-Facilitator of Hope Community’s Sustainable
Progress through Engaging Active Citizens (S.P.E.A.C.) program. She
loves color, all forms of dance, camping and road trips. PH holds a
Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs from Wells College in Aurora, NY.
Here, she began to connect her understanding of institutionalized
oppression and racism to a deeper understanding of how government
and politics function, impacting communities.
Kelly Corbin
Physical Activity Coordinator, Office of Statewide Health
Improvement Initiatives Minnesota Department of Health
Kelly Corbin is the Physical Activity Coordinator for Minnesota
Department of Health. In this role for the past two years she’s
supported the efforts of communities to become more walkable and
bikable. Prior to MDH, she has feet on the ground experience working
at local public health in Greater MN leading Healthy Eating and
Active Living efforts in cities as small as 1,500 and big as 115,000
to learn that this work is all about scalability. She holds both a
bachelors and masters degrees in Community Health while living in
Greater MN.
Nikki Crowe
Extension Coordinator, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Nikki Crowe is an ethnobotanist-in-training and an Anishinaabe
scientist. Nikki is enrolled with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa. Currently she is the program coordinator for the
Thirteen Moons and Bimaaj’idiwin Fond du Lac Tribal College
Extension Program located in Northeast Minnesota. Nikki’s work
includes promoting the use of the natural resources through Ojibwe
cultural and seasonal events using social media networks that
include workshops and events, editing the 13 Moons Ashiniswi
Giizisoog newspaper page and the 13 Moons Ashi Niswi Giizisoog
Facebook page. The Bimaaj’idiwin Garden program promotes food
sovereignty, demonstration of gardening, seed saving, and training
in agriculture business and marketing.
Donte Curtis
Catch Your Dream Consulting
Donte Curtis is a natural network weaver and leader. He was born in
Houston Texas, and is now living in Saint Paul, Minnesota, At 23,
Donte lives a life that is dedicated to leadership and social
justice. He is probably one of the most energetic people you will
ever meet and he channels this energy to fight for racial equity and
to cultivate people to be the best version of themselves. Donte is a
connector and really works to build powerful and purposeful
relationships. He owns Catch Your Dream Consulting/Coaching and
believes everyone leads.
Deb Dalebroux, RN, MPH, PHN
Deb is Owner & Principal at Nourish Health Consulting, LLC. After
working as a nurse for over a decade, Deb’s experience caring for
diverse patients across the U.S. led her to a career in public
health. She has contributed her expertise to a variety of public
health initiatives, with a particular focus on healthy eating
promotion and health systems improvement. Deb’s professional
experience includes work with a variety of federal advocacy,
government agency, and community-based organizations. As a public
health consultant, many of the projects Deb is involved in are at
the intersection of healthy eating, food policy and health care,
building community-clinic connections, educating health
professionals, and enhancing healthy food access in community and
institutional settings. Deb has served as a consultant to Hunger
Solutions MN on partnership with health care organizations including
a SNAP-Rx pilot project with several Health Partners clinics over
the last year.
Jesse Davis
Manager of Membership Services, Minnesota Farmers' Market
Association
Jesse Davis is the Manager of Membership Services for the Minnesota
Farmers' Market Association. He and his husband operate Trout Lake
Garlic on their 4th generation family farm on the Iron Range. Jesse
has been part of the food access program at the Grand Rapids
Farmers' Market since its inception 6 years ago, overseeing the
highest SNAP and SNAP-incentive sales of any farmers' market north
of the Metro. In addition to his work at the Grand Rapids Area
Community Foundation, Jesse volunteers with the Itasca Community
Garden Program and is principal violist for the Itasca Symphony
Orchestra.
Joe Domeier
Minnesota Valley Action Council
Joe Domeier manages the Minnesota Valley Action Council (MVAC) Food
Hub in Mankato, MN. Joe has worked in the non-profit sector for 12
years, primarily in the areas of soil & water conservation and local
food production and marketing. Previously to MVAC, Joe managed
several federal farm land conservation grants and the Mankato
Farmers’ Market. Joe also acquired funding to start and manage the
Blue Earth County Community Farm, which grows fresh produce for a
local food shelf. Joe and his wife, Sarah, also operate Pehling Bay
Farm where they have been raising grassfed lamb on pasture for 15
years.
Suzanne Driessen
University of Minnesota Food Safety Extension Educator
Suzanne Driessen, is an Extension food safety educator in her 20th
year at the University of Minnesota. Suzanne develops and teaches
food safety programs for consumers and the food industry. Her most
recent efforts include the Safe Food Product Sampling and Food
Safety for Cottage Food Producers courses. Driessen is noted for
developing creative and interactive educational tools including the
award winning Food Safety Wheel and online interactive courses
including Serve It up Safely and Food Allergen Training for Food
Service Employees. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of
Science degree in Health Education from Minnesota State – Mankato
and a Masters of Arts in Adult Education degree from Saint Mary’s
University – Minneapolis. Ms. Driessen is credentialed as a Master
Certified Health Education Specialist and a Licensed Practical
Nurse.
Susan Draves
Extension's SNAP-Ed program, SE Regional Sustainable Development
Partnership Focus
Susan Draves, a Lake City resident and big supporter of local foods,
is the SE Regional Coordinator of Extension's SNAP-Ed program and
also is the SE Regional Sustainable Development Partnership Focus
Area Coordinator. Her local food access experiences include working
as a food co-op produce coordinator, farming for a decade in SE MN
and more recently, she has been the Farmers Market Manager in Red
Wing and currently in Lake City where she implemented both markets’
SNAP EBT/Market Bucks programs. She has been a farmers market vendor
and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program manager for ten
years, and owned and operated a local foods deli/grocery in Lake
City for eight years. She is a past president of the Lake City
Chamber of Commerce, currently co-chairs the Friends of the
Mississippi Blufflands Trail (a proposed state trail from Lake City
to Red Wing) and is a board member of the Minnesota Farmers Market
Association.
Jean Duane
Program Coordinator at United Community Action Partnership
Jean Duane is a multi-faceted employee at United Community Action
Partnership; working as a Program Coordinator and Case Manager.
Duane has managed the Willmar office VITA Tax Program for the past
two seasons with great success, this included volunteer recruitment,
training and retention. Recently adding the position of SNAP
Outreach for seniors along with her work as the SW Regional Program
Coordinator for Born to Thrive.
Anne Dybsetter
Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension
Anne Dybsetter is a University of Minnesota Extension Educator in
Health and Nutrition based in Willmar, Minnesota. Her work includes
creating professional development content for community-based health
promotion professionals, as well as supporting the development of
collaborations and food networks in Southwest Minnesota. She has
experience in cultural adaptation of curricula, community
engagement, grant-writing, and educational design. Anne earned a
Master of Science in Education degree and a Graduate Certificate in
Social Science.
Sue Estee
Executive Director,Second Harvest North Central Food Bank
Sue Estee serves as Executive Director of Second Harvest North
Central Food Bank, which partners with over 145 hunger relief
agencies in, Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Kanabec,
and Mille Lacs counties. In this role, she is responsible for $4.8
million in food volume per year.
Patricia Fenrick
Refugee Workforce Development and Outreach Specialist, Resettlement
Programs Office, MN Dept. of Human Services
Patricia has worked with diverse communities for over 17 years. Most
of her career has focused on refugee and immigrant populations. She
was the Executive Director for the refugee resettlement agency,
World Relief Minnesota, worked in community development with
immigrants for the City of Eden Prairie and oversaw the Human Rights
and Diversity Commission. Patricia has been involved in refugee
gardening programs in multiple communities across the Metro. She is
also an adjunct professor for several local universities and teaches
about social justice issues. She currently works for the Department
of Human Services Refugee Programs Office in education, outreach and
refugee workforce development.
Mike Freiberg
State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives
Mike Freiberg is a State Representative serving in his third term in
the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing the cities of
Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope and Robbinsdale. Mike is an
Assistant Minority Leader and serves on the Health and Human
Services Reform Committee, Government Operations Committee, and
three other committees. Prior to being a State Representative, Mike
spent nine years on the Golden Valley City Council. When he is not a
legislator, Mike works as a public health attorney and occasional
adjunct law professor.
Leah Gardner
Good Food Access Campaign Manager, American Heart Association
Leah Gardner is the campaign manager for the Minnesota Good Food
Access Campaign. Leah’s career has been grounded in social justice.
She led grassroots efforts at the Minnesota Budget Project for
economic justice and basic needs advocacy. Leah is a Voices for
Racial Justice Apprentice.
Lisa Gemlo
Program Coordinator for the Comprehensive Cancer Control Unit,
Minnesota Department of Health
Lisa Gemlo MPH, RD, LD. is currently the Program Coordinator for the
Comprehensive Cancer Control Unit at the Minnesota Department of
Health. She has worked on many initiatives to increase the access of
Minnesotans to healthy foods focusing on environmental and systems
changes with over 25 years of public health nutrition experience.
This experience includes work in chronic disease prevention in the
US Territory of Guam, program leadership in nutrition education for
the University of MN Extension Service as well as private practice
consultation with state programs.
In the past few years, she has worked with others to coordinate the
creation of the first Farm to School Leadership team in MN and was
the lead staff person for the development of the MN Food Charter at
MDH. Lisa and her family are avid gardeners including growing giant
pumpkins and they are on a quest to visit all 50 state capitals.
Jodi Gertken
Director of Wellness, CentraCare Health Foundation
Jodi Gertken started her career with CentraCare Health in 2004 as
the coordinator for Crave the Change, a community coalition working
to reduce exposure to second hand smoke. In 2007, she joined the CCH
Foundation team as coordinator of BLEND, a childhood obesity
prevention initiative. Jodi was promoted to director of wellness in
2015 and is presently overseeing the newest umbrella for community
health, Feeling Good MN, which is focused on creating and supporting
healthy communities.
Jodi has 20 years of experience in the public health sector having
previously served as:
• BLEND Coordinator- CentraCare Health Foundation
• Project Coordinator- Central Minnesota Heart Center
• Public Health Coordinator- Stearns County Human Services
• Health Systems Manager- American Cancer Society
• Public Health Specialist – Morrison County Public Health
Jodi received her B.S degree in Community Health from St. Cloud
State University. Presently she sits on the following committees:
• American Heart Association Statewide Advocacy Board
• Minnesota for Health Kids Coalition Steering Committee
• Steans County Public Health Task Force
• Sartell/St. Stephan Lacrosse Board
• Sartell Community Education Board
Jodi was born and raised in St. Cloud Minnesota. She’s an exercise
enthusiast who enjoys running, spending time with her family, and
shopping. She has two active children who she enjoys following them
around the state to cheer them on in hockey and lacrosse.
Sara George
Wabasha Farmers Market
Sara George is a vendor and the manager of the Wabasha Farmers
Market. She is a fruit and vegetable grower and active community
volunteer who has created farm-to-school, farm-to-hospital, and
farm-to-restaurant programs in the Wabasha area and who volunteers
in the schools, her congregation, and area non-profit organizations.
Sara also works at the Harbor View Café and has been active in
producing locally grown items to add to the menu there. Sara was
born in Montevideo, MN. She currently lives in Pepin, Wisconsin with
her partner Doug, two teenaged sons Matthew and Austin, and
four-year-old daughter Faith.
Melvin Giles
Peace and Diversity Educator
Melvin Giles works on food systems in St. Paul and provides
leadership to the Urban Farm and Garden Alliance. Melvin
participated in a collaborative grantmaking process kicked off at
the Convening of Food Network Leaders in November of 2016.
Metric Giles
Interim Executive Director, the Community Stabilization Project
Metric has been instrumental to the new life and direction of the
organization. His experience is as a Public Policy Organizer and
uses many unique and creative methods to bring people together to
advocate for their own particular needs. An important aspect of
Metric’s work is teaching people their rights and responsibilities
so that they can stand up and demand changes to policies that
restrict or deny those rights. He advocates for people to break free
of the cycle of dependency on institutions and campaign at a policy
level for fair and equitable, community-based approaches to issues.
He has been a community activist and youth mentor since the 1960s
and is responsible for the development of several community gardens.
Metric is a co-founder of the Peace Poles project. Prior to joining
CSP as a part-time organizer, he served on CSP’s board of directors.
Much of Metric’s current work focuses on the light rail project
along University Avenue. From 2007 to 2009, he worked tirelessly to
change community leaders’ perspectives regarding the number of stops
that are needed along University Avenue. He led the organization of
the “Stops for Us” Campaign and has brought together many community
residents to explain the impact of light rail on their neighborhood,
specifically how housing, economic opportunities, and transportation
will be impacted as light rail develops.
Lindsi Gish
CEO, gish & co.
Lindsi Gish is owner (and doer!) at gish&co.—a small strategic
communications and digital marketing firm in Minneapolis. She’s also
a former nonprofiteer, insatiable problem solver, digital
enthusiast, Jane-of-many-trades, and self-aware extrovert. After
spending a number of years at a regional nonprofit, followed by a
global PR firm, Lindsi saw an opportunity to use her significant
experience and robust network to develop creative approaches to
solve communications and marketing challenges for nonprofits and
small businesses—more efficiently and cost-effectively. Now entering
its fourth year of existence, gish&co. does just that.
Connie Greer
Board of Directors for CAPRW, St. Paul
Connie began Community Action career at Bi-County CAP, Bemidji in
1973. (7 years) Worked with all agency programs. Retired from State
of Minnesota, Office of Economic Opportunity. (35 years) Currently
on the Board of Directors for CAPRW, St. Paul, HHS Rural Advisory
Committee on Health and Human Services, and a CCAP.
Noelle Harden
Extension Educator, University of Minnesota, Extension
Noelle has worked on food systems change in Minnesota for the last
five years, bringing an educational background in geography,
agroecology and sustainable food production. As part of her work
with Minnesota food networks, Noelle has experimented with
collaborative grantmaking processes like shared gifting as a
strategy for more equitable grantmaking.
Melanie Heckt
Northside Fresh Engagement Coordinator, Appetite for Change
Melanie is the Engagement Coordinator for the Northside Fresh
Coalition and is serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. In her
position, she works to increase coalition engagement with northside
youth and families, co-lead quarterly meetings, lead the outreach
and events action team and special projects action team, build
capacity for communications and outreach, as well as develop
volunteer and sub-granting systems. This December Melanie will
receive her degree in Food Systems with an emphasis in community
health from the University of Minnesota. In the past she has worked
at Waite House in the Urban Agriculture Office on food and land
policy at the city and state level. Melanie is very close with her
family, especially her two younger brothers. She also loves swing
dancing, crocheting, and is just getting into sci-fi books and loves
recommendations!
Stephanie Heim
Association Program Director, University of Minnesota Extension
Stephanie develops and manages strategic partnerships at local,
state, and national levels related to healthy food access and
provides strategic direction and leadership to food networks,
especially the Minnesota Food Charter Network. She also provides
statewide leadership to Farm to School initiatives.
Nathan Hesse
SNAP-Ed Educator, University of Minnesota Extension
Nathan is a regional SNAP Ed educator with a passion for advancing
equity in the food system to ensure that everyone has access to
healthy, nutrient dense foods. He is a managing consultant for
SuperShelf, and uses his energy and experience to help food shelves
across Minnesota transform in healthy, welcoming spaces for all.
Colleen Hetzel
Waste and Toxicity Prevention Specialist, Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency
Colleen Hetzel works with organizations to reduce the environmental
impacts of products and materials throughout the life cycle. She
determines where there are inefficiencies within the life cycle, and
works with partners to address these issues. Recently her work has
diverged to include food that is wasted.
Andrea Hills
Sourcing Specialist, The Food Group
Andrea Hills is the Sourcing Specialist with The Food Group, an
innovative nonprofit organization with a mission of fighting hunger
and nourishing our community. Her responsibilities include
purchasing food for various program areas, as well as soliciting
bulk product donations with a focus on sourcing in ways that reduce
waste in the food chain. She has a Master of Science in
International Food Business and Consumer Studies from the University
of Kassel and University of Applied Sciences Fulda in Germany. She
wrote her master’s thesis about food waste management practices in
Minneapolis restaurants in 2012 and has since worked on a number of
food waste-related projects in the Twin Cities.
Megan Hruby
SNAP-Ed Educator
Megan Hruby is a SNAP-Ed Educator with the University of Minnesota
Extension, based in Crookston and serving communities in the far
northwestern corner of Minnesota. Megan has provided leadership to
the One Vegetable One Community program in several communities in
her region.
Annalisa Hultberg
Food Safety Extension Educator
Annalisa Hultberg, M.S., is an Extension Educator in Food Safety at
the University of Minnesota. She coordinates the On-Farm GAPs (Good
Agricultural Practices) Education Program, where she provides
education and outreach relating to farm food safety. The program
works with small to large scale commercial vegetable farmers, farm
to school programs, food hubs, agricultural trainers and educators
and community and youth garden programs to provide education related
to GAPs to help ensure a safe, healthy supply of local food for all
Minnesotans. She is the Minnesota state lead for the North Central
Region FSMA Training Center and the Produce Safety Alliance at
Cornell University where she brings training and education to the
state to help farmers be in compliance with new Food Safety
Modernization Act (FSMA).
Tim Jenkins
Produce Safety Data Analyst, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Tim Jenkins is Produce Safety Data Analyst at the Minnesota
Department of Agriculture. He has worked on farms, in migrant
health, environmental health, food safety, public health, and
recently with the Minnesota Department of Health as the Food Access
Coordinator, collaborating with partners to increase the access
healthy, safe food across Minnesota. In this role, he partnered with
University of Minnesota Extension and many stakeholders to create
the MN Food Charter Healthy Food, Safe Food Action Guide. Tim just
joined Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s produce safety team
that’s working with farmers, UMN, and others to build a program
around the new federal FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
Jane Jewett
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
Jane Grimsbo Jewett is part of the Information Exchange program at
the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, University of
Minnesota. Much of her work is centered on local food systems, and
particularly the regulatory landscape around local food. She
co-founded the Local Food Advisory Committee in 2013, which works at
the intersection of state food regulations and local food systems.
She has edited or co-authored a number of publications dealing with
regulatory aspects of local food production and marketing. Jane also
farms near Palisade, MN. She has a small, diversified livestock farm
and does farmers’ market and farm-to-school sales.
Ray Jobe
Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Coordinator,
Northern St. Louis County
The Virginia Digs Vegetables team includes Brian Bluhm and Marlise
Riffle with the Rutabaga Project, Ray Jobe, the Northern St. Louis
County SHIP coordinator, Chris Strand, University of Minnesota
SNAP-Ed educator, and Betsy Johnson with Extension Health and
Nutrition who serves as facilitator. We started with a Counter Tools
food environment assessment in July of 2016, chose 4 convenience
stores that were already offering some healthy options, and narrowed
our pilot to one store that is co-located in a senior high-rise
housing complex. We performed a targeted assessment of the layout
and placement of various food items in this store and are currently
working with the owner on placement and promotion of healthier
options using the MN EATs recommendations.
Betsy Johnson
Extension Educator in Healthy and Nutrition, University of Minnesota
Betsy Johnson joined Extension Health and Nutrition in 2007. The
focus of her work is health promotion and chronic disease prevention
through education, engagement, training, and facilitation to ensure
access to healthy food and physical activity for all Minnesotans.
She comes to Extension with a broad background in community health
and nonprofit management that includes work with the YMCA, United
Way, Minnesota Department of Health; and as a medical clinic
administrator, public relations manager, and a contractor for senior
health projects and rural hospital performance improvement. Betsy
holds certifications as a leader for several evidence-based health
improvement programs, health impact assessment, and as a
health/fitness instructor with the American College of Sports
Medicine. Betsy earned a Masters in Public Health Degree in policy
and administration from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities.
Kristin Johnstad
Johnstad and Associates
Kristin Johnstad works with networks and organizations to build
their network literacy and change the world by changing how they see
the world. She has an extensive history in community engagement and
partnering with large youth-serving systems like the YMCA and Boys
and Girls Clubs as well as community collaboratives. She loves
developing simple approaches for people to use in seeing,
understanding and influencing the systems and communities in a
positive direction. Network mapping is one tool to visualize and
have critical conversations and she is currently providing
leadership to a MFCN pilot project to better understand network
connectivity, vibrancy and effects. She is providing leadership to a
consulting team working to develop a network evaluation framework
and tools for Minnesota Food networks to use to understand their
health and impact.
Emily Kilbourn-Shear
Public Health Associate, Food Access Associate| Office of Statewide
Health Improvement Initiatives
Emily is a Public Health Associate at the Minnesota Department of
Health. Her work focuses on healthy eating in communities,
specifically around food retail and food guidelines. Before joining
the Minnesota Department of Health, she served as an AmeriCorps
member at a family health center in Pittsburgh, PA. In this role,
she provided case management to new mothers with the goal of
improving maternal health and in turn, future birth outcomes. She is
excited by the opportunity to address health inequities through
food.
Melissa Laska
Associate Professor, Epidemiology & Community Health, University of
Minnesota
Melissa Laska, PhD, RD is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and
Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public
Health, where she also serves as Co-director of the University of
Minnesota Obesity Prevention Center and Director of the Program in
Public Health Nutrition. In addition, Dr. Laska serves as a Senior
Research Adviser to Healthy Eating Research, a national program of
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her research focuses on
nutrition promotion and obesity prevention among young people, as
well as mechanisms for improving healthy food access in under-served
communities.
Sophia Lenarz-Coy
Associate Director, Hunger Solutions
Sophia Lenarz-Coy is the Associate Director for Hunger Solutions.
She is passionate about looking at hunger from a food systems
perspective and wants to see that all Minnesotans have access to
healthy, quality food. Sophia is a graduate of Smith College in
Massachusetts and has worked in the nonprofit sector for many years,
developing programs, managing staff, and finding innovative ways to
solve the complex problem of hunger.
Lois J. Lewis
President, MN Assn. of Family & Consumer Sciences
FACS Teacher - Indus School Food Skills Assessment Work Group member
Lois Lewis is a veteran Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at
Indus School, a former Minnesota County Extension Director in
Koochiching County, and is currently president of the state FACS
association. She holds a B.S. degree in Home Economics and
Journalism and an M.S. degree in Education. She won a national
teaching award for her program on "Healthy Initiatives" in 2012, and
was named ProStart Educator of Excellence in 2014 for her culinary
arts and foodservice management program.
Takayla Lightfield
Policy and Prevention Coordinator, American Indian Cancer Foundation
Takayla Lightfield is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux
Tribe of South Dakota and grew up in Faith, S.D. She earned a
Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Minnesota
Morris in American Indian Studies, Human Services and Psychology.
Takayla currently works as a Policy and Prevention Coordinator with
the American Indian Cancer Foundation. She is passionate about
working towards making her community healthier; especially through
health equity, nutrition education, preventative healthcare and
policy change.
Serdar Mamedov
Extension Educator, Center for Family Development, University of
Minnesota Extension
Serdar Mamedov is an Extension Educator, Health and Nutrition
Programs at the University of Minnesota Extension. He possesses a
master's degree in community health education from Western Illinois
University. After his graduation, Serdar worked as an adjunct
instructor in the Department of Health Sciences at his alma mater.
Serdar’s professional areas of interest include refugees’ and
immigrants’ health, nutritional epidemiology, food access networks,
and innovative teaching methods. He has lived in Turkmenistan and
has graduated from Turkmen State Medical Institute there.
David Manuel
Food Coordinator, Red Lake Local Foods Initiative
David Manuel is a member of the Red Lake Nation and currently
employed as the Foods Coordinator, a project of the Economic
Development and Planning Department. David was initially hired as
the assistant coordinator in April 2016, but due to personnel
changes within the department, was promoted to the Coordinator
position. As Foods Coordinator for the tribe, David is working with
other departments to develop a comprehensive local foods system that
will address the diet-related health disparities that plague Indian
Country. Incidences of diabetes and obesity are disproportionately
high in these communities. Food Scarcity and Food Sovereignty along
with job creation are also issues the Foods Initiative hopes to
address as the program grows in manageable increments with each
passing year. With the partnerships being created, the Foods
Initiative is creating a strategic plan to utilize the assets
available to develop a long-term solution having affordable, healthy
foods produced by tribal members, for tribal members.
Mary Marrow
Staff Attorney, Public Health Law Center
Mary Marrow is a senior staff attorney at the Public Health Law
Center supporting community efforts in Minnesota to use law and
policy to increase access to healthy food. Through this work, Mary
has helped a number of local partners in Minnesota identify and
navigate different legal and policy issues impacting new food
distribution models. Mary will facilitate this presentation,
providing an overview of the state and local legal and policy
framework impacting the different case studies and moderating a
discussion about challenges and opportunities experienced by
panelists in developing and implementing new and emerging food
distribution models in Minnesota.
Erin McKee
Farm to Institution Program Director, Institute for Agriculture and
Trade Policy
Erin McKee joined IATP in 2010. Her current projects focus on Farm
to School and Farm to Early Care, getting fresh healthy produce from
our local growers into school and early care meals, as well as
testing and promoting curricula and educational models that
encourage food literacy as children make the connection between
those locally grown foods and the farmers who produce them. She is
also working with a broad coalition of stakeholders to push forward
state-level policy to support Farm to School and Early Care in
Minnesota. Erin especially enjoys working with partners to advance
the farm to institution cause both locally and nationally, and is a
member of the MN Farm to School Leadership Team, the MN Child
Nutrition Advisory Group, and the National Farm to Early Care
Steering Committee, and a co-leader of the MN Farm to Early Care
Coalition.
Colleen Moriarty
Executive Director, Hunger Solutions Minnesota
Colleen Moriarty has been involved in poverty programs for the
majority of her career. She has seen the devastating effects that
poverty has had on our families and children and understands that
basic needs must be met before families can succeed. As Hunger
Solutions Minnesota’s Executive Director and the chair of Minnesota
Partners to End Hunger, she works to motivate decision-makers to
take supportive action on state and national hunger policy issues.
One of Colleen’s strengths is portraying the story of hunger to the
media and legislators in a way that is compelling and makes a
positive impact on behalf of those in need and the organizations
that serve them. Before her current leadership role at Hunger
Solutions Minnesota, Colleen was a Department Head at KARE 11, where
she organized the Health Fair 11 program; Executive Director of the
Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board; Chief of Staff to Minneapolis
Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton through her second term. She was also
elected to the Minneapolis School Board in 2002 and served through
2006.
Lorena Muñoz
Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota Gender Women and
Sexuality Studies and American Studies
Food Skills Assessment Work Group member
Dr. Lorena Muñoz is an assistant professor in Gender, Women and
Sexuality Studies and American Studies at the University of
Minnesota. Her research focuses on the intersections of food, place,
space, gender, sexuality and race. Dr. Munoz’s transdisciplinary
research agenda has been focused on Latinas/os in the global south,
particularly in the areas the (in)formal economy, food, labor,
health and productive/transformative agency. Dr. Munoz’s current
project is an interdisciplinary, collaborative, comparative study of
informal systems of access to food, labor and health in three
different urban populations of migrant and immigrant laborers in the
Global South: Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. This project examines
how street vending in the shadows of large-scale neoliberal
development projects in (im)migrant receiving centers becomes both a
sustainable mechanism of livelihood and a gendered delivery system
of food, goods, and healing remedies for migrant laborers in Bogotá
and Cancún and Latino immigrants in Los Angeles. The project focuses
on the intersection of food, health and labor in relation to street
vending as well as food-way systems.
Ed Murphy
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Ed Murphy has worked for homeless and hungry people since 1988. He
began his career by serving as Program and Development Director at
The Emergency FoodShelf Network. From 1991-2000 Ed served as
Executive Director of St. Stephens Human Services. In 2000 he left
St. Stephens to serve as Executive Director of The Bridge for Youth.
Prior to joining Open Your Heart, Ed founded Hearts and Hands – a
non-profit agency providing services and support to families of
children facing life threatening conditions, where he has now moved
into a board role.
Nancy Ness
Steele County Food Shelf
Nancy Ness is the current Executive Director for Steele County Food
Shelf, Inc. in Owatonna MN and has been in this position since
December of 2016. She has many years of experience working as an
Executive Director for the American Red Cross in Southern Illinois.
One of her first responsibilities for Steele County Food Shelf was
getting the Meals in Motion program up-and-running. The first food
packages were delivered on January 31st, 2017. Since that time, more
than 140 households in Steele County have registered for this new
service.
Shirley Nordrum
Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension
Shirley Nordrum is an Extension Educator in Water Resource
Management with the University of Minnesota, serving Leech Lake
Reservation. Shirley participated in a shared gifting circle in May
of 2017.
Margaret Palan
Community Resource Coordinator for United Community Action
Margaret Palan is the Community Resource Coordinator for United
Community Action Partnership located in SW Minnesota. Her work takes
her in many directions but very important to Margaret is Building
Partner Relationships. Sales and Marketing is her degree but never
giving up if it’s “for the good of others” is her belief. If it’s a
possibility she will press on with a positive approach while
relating the vision to the team so everyone can imagine the outcome.
With the coordination of four food shelves and partnering to bring
EBT to Farmers Markets in SW Minnesota education with healthy eating
is also very important to her. Margaret Palan was raised on a farm
by New York Mills, MN and is the 7th of 8 children. Hard work and
sharing extra food with the neighbors was instilled early in life by
her parents. Margaret along with her husband lives in Wabasso, MN.
They are the parents of two grown sons and soon to be one daughter
in December! In her spare time she loves fishing, reading Karen
Kingsbury books, and decorating. She is also very active in her
community and church. Be ready to have fun and laughter when working
on a project with Margaret!
Leah Porter
Twin Cities Mobile Market
Leah Porter is the Market Manager for the Twin Cities Mobile Market.
Leah has over 10 years of experience in program development,
fundraising, and project management in areas including food access,
long-term care, public health, disability services, mental health,
early childhood services, and youth development. She has a
bachelor's degree in English and Master of Arts in Nonprofit
Management at Hamline University.
Laura Perdue
Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension
Laura Perdue currently serves as Extension educator in Health and
Nutrition. Before joining Extension in 2014, Laura worked as a
dietitian in health promotion and heart disease prevention at a
small nonprofit organization in Minneapolis. There she worked in a
variety of settings, including schools, worksites, and youth groups.
She provided programs, education, and tools for healthy living, with
a focus on healthy eating, physical activity, and stress management.
Laura earned a master's degree in Public Health, Nutrition at the
University of Minnesota — Twin Cities.
Julie Ralston Aoki
Director of Healthy Eating & Active Living, Public Health Law Center
Julie Ralston Aoki has two decades of experience in developing
public policy for the public good. She supports tribal, state, and
local communities in Minnesota and across the country in developing
and writing laws and policies to promote healthy food systems,
active living, and commercial tobacco control. She specializes in
laws and policies aimed at supporting access to healthy food and
improving the nutritional quality of foods available in public
settings. She currently is Director of the Healthy Eating and Active
Living team at the Public Health Law Center. She has taught public
health law at William Mitchell law school; is the past president and
current member of the Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance
Board; and a volunteer member of the Robbinsdale Human Rights
Commission. Before joining the Center, Julie served as an Assistant
Attorney General with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office in the
Consumer Protection and Antitrust Divisions. She is a graduate of
Yale College and the University of Iowa College of Law.
Jenn Reed Moses, AICP
Jenn Reed Moses, AICP, is a planner for the City of Duluth, where
she works on land use, environmental, historic preservation, and
transportation planning. She has over 10 years of planning
experience and holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional
Planning from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the
University of Minnesota. She serves on the Board of Directors for
Junior League of Duluth, is the incoming Northeast Director for the
American Planning Association of Minnesota, and enjoys being
involved with her church, kids, and community. Growing up in a blue
collar family that hunted, grew vegetables, and preserved food, she
has a passion for local sustainability, and her graduate school
studies and professional work have included an emphasis on
sustainable agriculture and local food access.
Emily Richey
Planner, Community Planning Division, City of Duluth
Emily Richey is the Director of the Duluth Community Garden Program.
She has a background in small scale agriculture, environmental
education, and nonprofit administration. She has worked on numerous
farms across the country, taught oodles of children about food,
farming, and food systems, and has worked at the Duluth Community
Garden Program since June 2016. She also organizes for the Duluth
Young Farmers Coalition.
Eric Sannerud
Farmer CEO, Mighty Axe Hops
Eric R. Sannerud is a farmer, thinker, and entrepreneur. He is CEO
of Mighty Axe Hops, a Minnesota hops farm. He is a TEDx speaker,
Fellow of the Future, and advocate for the next generation of
farmers. In his free time, Eric loves food.
Sarah Schmidt
Programs Manager, The Food Group
Sarah Schmidt grew up familiar with the struggle to keep the
cupboards full. Her family used a food shelf to make it through hard
times, and this experience fuels her drive to increase access to
healthy foods and end hunger in our community. Sarah Schmidt’s
background utilizing and working at food shelves deeply influences
her focus on community-driven change. She is the Programs Manager at
The Food Group, a founding partner of SuperShelf, and is deeply
involved in the Metro Food Access Network and Partners to End
Hunger.
Robin Schow
Food Skills Research and Program Coordinator Healthy Foods, Healthy
Lives Institute, University of Minnesota
Robin Schow is the research and program coordinator for the Healthy
Foods, Healthy Lives Institute’s Food Skills Assessment Project - a
collaborative project that seeks to develop a validated food skills
assessment tool to measure food skills in Minnesota youth. She also
coordinates and teaches classes for the Institute’s Cooking for
Wellness program – a hands-on cooking class that promotes healthful
cooking and eating strategies. Robin has had a lifelong interest in
the promotion of growing, preparing, and eating fresh food. Her work
as a graduate student inspired an interest in evaluating food skills
programming. She assisted in the evaluation of the Great Trays
program, a CDC funded project of the Minnesota Department of Health,
and she has developed and evaluated community cooking skills
programming in the non-profit sector.
Liana Schreiber
Community Evaluation Coordinator, MDH
Liana R.N. Schreiber, MPH, RDN, is the community evaluation
coordinator at Minnesota Department of Health. Her focus is on
healthy eating evaluation, coordinating statewide efforts to
evaluate PSE changes within communities to increase opportunities
for healthy eating. Previous to her work at the state, she worked
with Dr. Laska on the Minneapolis Staple Food Ordinance study while
obtaining her Masters of Public Health at the University of
Minnesota. Before her career in public health, she coordinated
studies for treatment of pathological gambling, hair pulling, and
skin picking with medication.
Simone Senogles
Food Sovereignty Program Coordinator, Indigenous Environmental
Network
Simone Senogles, is the Food Sovereignty Program Coordinator at the
Indigenous Environmental Network in Bemidji, MN. She is of mixed
racial heritage- Argentinian and Anishinaabe, and is dedicated to
bringing people together across boundaries by building strong
connections around food, health and well-being. Her work is based
upon the understanding that food systems are one of the many
interconnected spheres of indigenous life that have been disrupted
by genocide, colonization, capitalism, historical trauma and racism,
and that the revitalization of traditional food systems go
hand-in-hand with the health and vitality of all aspects of life.
Kate Seybold
UMN - Farm to School Coordinator, Minneapolis Public Schools
Kate Seybold works for Minneapolis Public Schools as the Farm to
School Coordinator within the district’s Culinary & Wellness
Services Department. In addition to sourcing food for school meals
from small farmers in the region, she spearheads a variety of
educational programs and community partnerships for the district.
She is passionate about providing fresh, flavorful options for
students and supporting our local food economy. Kate is a Homegrown
Minneapolis Food Council member, AmeriCorps alumna, and graduate of
St. Olaf College.
Luke Sharman
Volunteer Coordinator & Community Organizer, CHUM
Luke Sharman works for CHUM as a volunteer coordinator and community
organizer focused on food security. He helps organize Fair Food
Access’s grassroots efforts and advocates for state-wide food
systems chang. He has a B.A. in English Literature and Sociology
from Binghamton University.
Michael Stratten
University of Minnesota Extension
Micheal began working with Extension as a Community Nutrition
Educator in 2015. He focuses his efforts on working in the Urban
community to help create healthy behavior changes in community
members diets and lives. He is a part of the Place based approach
team in the Frogtown Rondo area of St. Paul. He partners with
various agencies such as Urban Farm and Garden Alliance, Frogtown
Farm, Ujjamma Place of St.Paul, and the YWCA of St.Paul. He is
currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies at the
University Of Minnesota twin-cities.
Robin Trott
Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension
Robin Trott is an Extension Educator in agriculture and horticulture
in Douglas County and also a grower. She participated in a shared
gifting circle in May of 2017.
Miah Ulysse
Northside Fresh Coordinator & Policy Manager, Appetite for Change/Northside
Fresh Coalition
Miah Ulysse coordinates Northside Fresh Coalition and is Appetite
for Change's Policy Manager. She is passionate about cooperative,
systems-based food movements and is committed to working with
Coalition partners to continue building a stronger, for
self-sufficient food system in North Minneapolis. Miah holds a BS in
Food Systems from the University of Minnesota and has experience
managing branding/marketing and developing capacity-building
infrastructure for community food systems-focused organizations
José Luis Villaseñor Rangel
Executive Director, Tamales and Bicicletas
José Luis Villaseñor Rangel is the son of Mexican immigrants. As
founder and Executive Director of Tamales y Bicicletas, Jose Luis
works to raise awareness about the Indigenous cultural roots
underlying many of today’s “green” efforts. Through this work, Jose
Luis helps people understand that sustainability has always been a
major cornerstone of Indigenous ways of living. As a child, Jose
Luis vividly remembers the adobe home his father built. In the oral
tradition, Jose Luis’ parents would tell him stories detailing the
ways in which they constructed a sustainable life in Mexico - biking
and walking transportation systems, purchasing or bartering for
locally grown food. This process of cultural empowerment and
reclaiming Mexican Indigenous technology is what informs Jose Luis’
youth work, thereby supporting immigrant students to live in harmony
with themselves, their families, and mother earth. Following and
rebuilding on these cultural traditions, Tamales y Bicicletas serves
as a much-needed vehicle for Latino youth and families to learn
about and organize for environmental and food justice.
Jennifer Webb
Junior League of Duluth member
Dr. Jennifer Webb joined the Junior League of Duluth in 2007 and was
President of the organization in the 2015-16 year; she has been
involved with the Edible Duluth: Denfeld project in various
capacities. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art
and Design at the University of Minnesota Duluth where she teaches
classes in the history of art, architecture, and urban planning.
Susan Weisman
Senior Staff Attorney, Public Health Law Center, Mitchell Hamline
School of Law
Susan Weisman provides legal technical assistance to public health
advocates and government officials on the development, enactment,
and implementation of local, state, and federal policies that
promote healthy eating, active living, tobacco control, and health
equity. Susan has worked closely with the Minnesotans for Healthy
Kids Coalition and others on healthy food access issues, including
farm-to-school, healthy food financing, and urban agriculture policy
initiatives. She recently partnered with National Recreation and
Park Association staff on a best practices guide to promote the
reduction of food waste in out-of-school time settings.
Elenore Wesserle
LineBreak Media
BIO COMING SOON
Brooke Wetmore
Community Development Manager, Zeitgeist Center for Arts & Community
Brooke Wetmore is the Community Development Manager at Zeitgeist
Center for Arts & Community in Duluth. As part of her role, she
convenes the Fair Food Access Campaign partners to ensure effective
collective impact. She has a degree in Urban & Regional Studies from
the University of Minnesota - Duluth.
Diane Wilson
Executive Co-Director, Dream of Wild Health
Diane Wilson (Dakota) is the Executive Co-Director for Dream of Wild
Health, a non-profit farm in Hugo, MN, that reconnects Native people
with indigenous foods and medicines. She is the author of two
award-winning books that focus on issues of assimilation, historical
trauma, and cultural recovery: Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota
Past; and Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life. As a 2013 Bush
Foundation Fellow, Wilson focused on indigenous seed preservation.
Peter Woitock
Hunger Solutions
Peter Woitock is a Community Organizer with Hunger Solutions
Minnesota where he advocates for hunger issues at the Capitol. Peter
has been involved in the development and implementation of a
state-wide effort to fund and develop mobile food shelves around
Minnesota to increase access to healthy food by low-income
Minnesotans. These efforts include advocacy work to obtain state
funding for mobile food shelves as well as work with local groups to
expand food distribution through mobile food shelf operations. He
also works with the Market Bucks program to help SNAP-EBT users
stretch their dollars at farmers markets.
Samty Xiong
Equity Specialist, The Food Group
Samty Xiong is a second generation Hmong-American. Her childhood
food memories include free and reduced lunches and breakfasts,
butchering chickens with her family, feeling embarrassed about her
mom's urban foraging of Solomon's seal and black nightshade, and
growing and freezing vegetables for winter. She creates new food
memories by learning to cook and bake from scratch, growing her
appreciation for Hmong food traditions, and increasing equity at all
levels of the food system. She believes ending racial injustice is
key to ending food insecurity and hunger. As the Equity Specialist
at The Food Group, Samty facilitates and drives strategies to
strengthen equity as a core organizational value and works with
partners to build industry capacity around equity. She holds
Bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and African Languages &
Literature and a Certificate in Middle East Studies.
Song Xiong
Food Support Manager
Song Xiong is a registered dietitian and the food support program
manager at Neighborhood House where she oversees two food markets
(food shelves), over 20 mass produce distributions, SNAP outreach
and NAPS distribution among other community initiatives. As the
daughter of Hmong refugees with a curious mind, she is always
searching for new ways to improve food access for the immigrant and
refugee populations. Song is also a member of the community-based
participatory action research group Somali, Latino, and Hmong
Partnership for Health and Wellness (SoLaHmo). |