2025 SPEAKER LINEUP

Amanda oversees organic compliance across a wide network of farming, food processing, and manufacturing operations at Taylor Farms. She has worked at Taylor Farms and Earthbound Farm for 14 years, being a robust internal advocate for maintaining high integrity in both organic standards development and implementation. Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Monterey Bay. She currently serves as a Processor Representative on the California Organic Products Advisory Committee and on the National Organic Standards Board as a Handler/Processor Representative.  

Anders Lundberg is Director of Farming Operations at Lundberg Family Farms, a leading grower of Regenerative Organic Certified® rice and maker of best-selling packaged rice and rice snacks. As a fourth-generation member of the Lundberg family, Anders has been farming since he could hold a shovel. He’s worked at Lundberg Family Farms for almost 14 years, first as Regional Farm Manager and then as Grower Services Manager, leveraging his deep understanding of regenerative organic farming practices to support Lundberg’s network of farmers. Now, Anders leads Lundberg’s internal farming operation. Plus, he’s already teaching the next generation of Lundbergs to carry on Albert Lundberg’s legacy of leaving the land better than he found it.

April brings over 18 years of experience in organic certification and organizational leadership. She leads with a deep commitment to organic integrity, operational excellence, and inclusive leadership. April holds an MBA from CSU Monterey Bay’s Responsible Business Management program and has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of organic and cannabis certification. At CCOF, April spearheaded the launch of three add-on certification programs and led the integration of the Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule. A fourth-generation Californian who grew up in farming, she brings a lifelong connection to agriculture and a passion for supporting the communities that sustain it.

Blake Alexandre is a 4th-generation dairy farmer who, with his wife Stephanie and their five grown children, founded the first certified regenerative organic dairy and egg ranch in the U.S. On their five grass-based dairies in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA, the Alexandres graze 5,100 crossbred cows and 35,000 hens across 6,000+ acres of lush pasture and organic farmland. Seventeen years ago, they pioneered A2/A2 organic dairy genetics in the U.S.. Today, they steward one of the nation’s largest strictly A2/A2 organic herds. Blake’s leadership in adaptive grazing has boosted soil organic matter from 2% to as high as 13%—turning their land into a powerful carbon sink and a model of regenerative agriculture in action. A farmer advocate, Blake has worked with groups like the Savory Institute, the USDA, and Army Corps of Engineers to advance environmental stewardship. He co-founded the North Coast Regional Land Trust, served on the California Farm Bureau state board and USDA Farm Service Agency, helping shape state policy.

Brian (BK) is the tree fruit & nut purchasing specialist for Organically Grown Company. Over his 30 years with OGC, he has overseen category diversity & growth, working with farmers to realize best possible outcomes for the farms, customers, and the land. BK is also Co-Chair of OGC’s Stakeholder Giving, funding nonprofits and on farm sustainability projects, fostering the organic community through OGC’s Mission Fund.

Before working at Viva Terra, Ford was the organic and food service category manager for Oppy. He has also worked in management and purchasing at Alfalfa’s and Wild Oats Markets, commodity management at Earthbound Farm and Global Produce, and a floral purchasing team leader for Whole Foods Market. As global senior produce buyer at Whole Foods, Ford was a daily purchaser of table grape, apple, pear and stone fruit.

Chrissie Davis is the Agri West Team Leader and Key Account Manager for Koppert, based in California for over 18 years. She holds a Master of Science in Agriculture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (2002), where she developed a deep passion for beneficial insects and sustainable farming.  Chrissie specializes in pollinators, macro-biologicals, and microbial solutions, supporting growers across key crops including berries, vineyards, tree fruit, and vegetables. Her work focuses on building long-term, successful Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs that incorporate natural enemies, pollinators, and microbials—enhancing crop health, productivity, and ecological balance.

Christopher has over 25 years of experience building, scaling, and supporting systems-based solutions in global communities.  Prior to joining ROA, Christopher was Chief Growth Officer at 4P Foods where he helped the public-benefit corporation build a scalable, equitable regional food system in the mid-Atlantic - including launching a pioneering locally sourced Food-is-Medicine initiative. He is the founder of Forward Impact, which has helped direct over $30M in public/private capital to place-based systems change efforts, and the co-founder and past CEO of Forward Cities, – a national nonprofit that worked with cities and rural regions to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship and small business growth.  He is co-author of the nationally acclaimed book Life Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives. He has started and scaled several social ventures including co-founding SMARTHINKING - a venture-backed online tutoring company that served 1,000 universities and colleges before being acquired by Pearson Education.

Daniel completed his Ph.D. in 2013 and undergraduate studies in 2009 at Stanford University’s Department of Biology. Following his graduate studies, Daniel became an inaugural NatureNet postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley and the Nature Conservancy before joining the faculty at UC Davis in 2016. Daniel’s interests center on developing innovative methods for harmonizing food production with wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes. His research program has three domains. First, he studies the ecology of agriculture to uncover novel strategies for conserving wildlife in farming landscapes. Second, he quantifies the effects of alternative agricultural practices on agricultural pests, predators, and their interactions. Third, he investigates how identifying tradeoffs and synergies among conservation, food production, and food safety outcomes can inform the development of multifunctional landscapes.

With over 30 years in agribusiness, Dave has led sales and growth strategies across agronomy, grain processing, biofuels, and renewable energy. Dave has held leadership roles at National Starch (Ingredion), Beck’s Hybrids, Cargill, Dow AgroSciences (Corteva), and Jensen Foods/Shamrock Foods. His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in plant and Soil Science from Southern Illinois University, and Executive Education from Texas A&M’s Executive Program for Agricultural Producers. A former member of the Indiana Agriculture Research Institute, Dave is passionate about helping MyLand’s growers achieve success and advancing sustainable practices that positively impact the agricultural community. 

Originally from Imperial Valley, CA, David’s early life was spent immersed in the Scaroni Family of Companies, following commodity harvests across California. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Managerial Organizational Communications with a minor in Accounting from Point Loma Nazarene University, and prior to his current role, he managed the family's Sprint Cellular Phone Stores before migrating to the logistics and maintenance side of the harvesting and labor operations. Currently residing in Salinas, CA with his wife, Corinne, and children Sloane and Paxson, David manages a broad spectrum of responsibilities for fresh harvest labor and SMD Logistics, overseeing the maintenance, logistics, procurement, business development, human resources, and H-2A operations.

Doug Perkins is the Business Development Manager for Homegrown Organics Farms where he leads new projects with growth, relevancy, and innovation in mind. With just over 25 years of experience in the fresh blueberry industry, Doug has been a grower, packer, salesman, CEO and owner along the way. He has served on the California Blueberry Commission board for many years and was the first member from California to represent the state at the national level with United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC). Today, he spends most of his time building relationships with key suppliers in other parts of the world while managing and researching new genetics for future Homegrown projects.

Eric Morgan is the CEO of Rooted Ag Inc. and founder of Soil Health Lab LLC, with nearly 30 years of experience in pest control, soil science, and regenerative agriculture. A Cal Poly SLO Fruit Science graduate and former VP of Environmental Science at Braga Fresh, Eric is a frequent public speaker on regenerative farming and organic agriculture and its vital role in the future of agriculture. He helps brands as a trusted ambassador, identifying market fit for innovative ag products. Eric also serves as an advisor to The Reservoir and consults as a crop solutions expert for growers.

Gina Bella Colfer is the Sustainable Solutions Manager for Wilbur Ellis Ag. She works nationally with the Wilbur Ellis team of trusted advisors who consult with organic growers, helping to discover new organic inputs, technologies and practices for a sustainable organic farming system. Gina has been involved in organic farming for 30 plus years as a Pest Control Advisor, Certified Crop Advisor and Field Researcher on the Central Coast of CA in the specialty vegetable market. She has been involved in the development and promotion of organic biological inputs and efficient use organic fertilizers and is dedicated to promoting organic agriculture, wanting growers to have tools and methods in their tool box for success.   

Houston Wilson is an Associate Cooperative Extension Specialist in the Department of Entomology at the University of California - Riverside. Based off-campus at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center (near Fresno), his research focuses on the development and adoption of integrated pest management practices for arthropod pests in orchards and vineyards. In addition to his entomology work, Houston is also the Founding Director of the UC Organic Agriculture Institute, which was launched in 2020 to facilitate the development of research, extension and education programs for organic agriculture.

Ian LeMay is a lifelong resident of the San Joaquin Valley and a dedicated advocate for his community. Ian's passion for community has deep roots, influenced by his parents' commitment to responsibility and stewardship. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

On January 8, 2024, Ian joined the California Table Grape Commission as the incoming president. Following a sixteen-month transition with longtime President Kathleen Nave, he assumed the role of president on May 1, 2025. The Commission, established by the state legislature in 1967 and approved by growers in 1968, works to maintain and expand markets for fresh California grapes, including intrastate, interstate, and foreign markets.

Before this role, Ian served as President of the California Fresh Fruit Association, a voluntary public policy organization that advocates for growers, shippers, marketers, and associates involved with permanent fresh fruit commodities. The Association ensures a unified voice for the industry in legislative and regulatory arenas.

From February 2011 to January 2015, Ian was District Director for Congressman Jim Costa, representing California’s 16th Congressional District. He advised on key issues such as agriculture, water, and transportation, and ensured effective operations for district offices in Merced and Fresno.

Earlier in his career, Ian worked as a California Market Specialist for Lindsay Corporation, a leading agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Outside of his professional life, Ian and his wife Molly, married in October 2011, reside in Fresno with their three children: Emery, Ellison, and Aiden.

Jeff started in the grocery industry over 40 years ago, first receiving freight, then quickly moving into the produce director job two years later. Over the next 15 years Jeff was a key member of the Nature’s Fresh Northwest team that grew the business from a two-store to nine-store chain. In 2000 Jeff became one of the founders of New Seasons Market in Portland, creating a unique neighborhood-focused grocery chain with stores ranging from 17,000 to 40,000-square feet in size. When he retired in 2023, New Seasons had grown to 20 stores opening locations in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area. Today Jeff works at Organically Grown Company in Portland supporting the New Seasons chain through purchasing, merchandizing support, and working on setting add/retails. Jeff is also active in supporting the sales team at Organically Grown through stores consultations and doing hands-on resets.

Jennifer has been deputy administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service’s National Organic Program since 2018, after being its associate deputy administrator for seven years. Before joining USDA, she was a consultant, working primarily with scientific and technical organizations. She earned a bachelor’s in environmental science from Wesleyan University, a master’s in management from Purdue University, and a doctorate in science and technology studies from Virginia Tech.

Jessy leads a team that delivers education, policy support, and direct assistance to help farmers thrive in organic agriculture. She has helped secure over $25 million in grants to support small and underserved producers. She’s a regular speaker at farmer-focused events, and she’s known for making complex topics—like regenerative agriculture and labor risk—accessible and actionable. Jessy’s background includes producing the soil-focused documentary Symphony of the Soil and a Master’s in Community Development from UC Davis and a Certificate in Ecological Horticulture from UC Santa Cruz. She serves on advisory committees for the UC Organic Agriculture Institute and Cal Poly’s Grimm Organic Center, ensuring farmer voices guide organic research and policy. Fluent in Spanish, Jessy is committed to reaching diverse farming communities. Her mission is simple: to make organic farming more accessible, profitable, and sustainable for all.

Joelle works alongside growers to improve approaches to food safety and sustainability challenges. She has a background in Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment, building microbial testing laboratories, evaluating and designing microbial diagnostic tools/approaches, and firsthand produce experience, managing food safety for global supply chains. Before Western Growers, she was Senior Director of Technical & Regulatory Affairs for the Organic Trade Association (OTA), was the chief scientific officer for the Eurofins Produce, and held food safety and business leadership roles at Earthbound Farm and Olam Spice & Vegetable Ingredients. She holds a B.S from the University of Maryland in Microbiology with honors in Molecular Biology and holds a M.S. in Food Science focused on pathogenic food microbiology from the University of California, Davis.

Foster has long been involved in certified organic food and agricultural projects. His 30 years in corporate, small-scale and nonprofit enterprises has earned him national recognition in organic certification and policy, business strategy, growth management, and strategic planning — all focused on developing and growing the organic sector. For more than 10 years, he managed organic compliance at Earthbound Farm and then was director of supply chain strategy under White Wave Foods and Danone NA ownership. He is experienced in the development, implementation and monitoring of National Organic Program standards for crop production, livestock, processing, wholesale, distribution and retail operations. For the last three years, Foster has focused on business growth, including new regulations under the Strengthening Organic Enforcement initiative. 

Kristen Smith Eshaya is President of JV Smith Companies, a family-owned fresh produce business with operations in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Mexico. She has been active in agriculture and community leadership, including work with Western Growers’ Future Volunteer Leaders Program and serving on the board of the Children’s Museum of Yuma County. A Yuma native, she graduated from Yuma High School as valedictorian, went on to earn a B.A. in Economics from Colorado College, and later an M.Ed. in Human Relations from Northern Arizona University.

Landi has worked for over two decades in service of the organic food and agricultural trade, from a number of different multifunction leadership roles in California, the Pacific Northwest and New England. His career has included stints in retail, wholesale distribution, international trade and more recently as part of a regional start up effort in Vermont. Landi also previously served as board chair for OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute), board president for the SFTA (Sustainable Food Trade Association) and as a board member for the Homeless Garden Project. He also wrote a food and agriculture column in the Santa Cruz Sentinel titled “County Bounty,” and earlier this year stepped into his new role at OTA.

Matt manages AgSocio, a full-service farm labor contractor that helps growers comply and compete by providing ethical, efficient access to the H-2 guest worker visa programs. AgSocio delivers a modern, compliant, and technology-driven approach to farm labor—built to meet agriculture’s evolving needs. Before launching AgSocio, Matt spent many years at Whole Foods Market, leading strategic purchasing initiatives and addressing social, environmental, and food safety issues in the produce supply chain. His work with growers across the U.S., Mexico, Central, and South America revealed the need for a new model of agricultural labor—one that better serves both workers and growers. This vision led him to secure a lead investor and found AgSocio. Matt also serves on the boards of Grower Shipper Association of the Central Coast, the Equitable Food Initiative, and CIERTO-Global.

Michael teaches courses focused on data analysis, research methods, and applied economics.  His research interests deal with California production agriculture including the regulatory environment currently faced by producers, as well as the economics and policy of beer and wine. Mike has worked on a range of agricultural cost studies for private and agency clients across California. This includes grower interviews to develop production cost studies and assess regulatory costs. He has taught 21 different courses to thousands of students at multiple universities, mentored hundreds of senior projects, and served on or chaired several master’s committees. In addition, Mike is the Chief Executive Officer of the Beeronomics Society, the international academic society studying the economics and business of beer. He was awarded the Cal Poly CAFES Sustained Excellence in Scholarship award for 2022-2023 and was the most recent recipient of the Outstanding Agribusiness Faculty Member in 2025.

Nishan supports Driscoll’s district teams to develop strong relationships with independent growers and develop and deliver on the company’s strategic supply plan. He began his career at Driscoll’s 18 years ago as a raspberry and blackberry grower liaison, delivering regional supply forecasts and communicating closely with sales. He subsequently led the business management function for Driscoll’s raspberry and blackberry programs in North America, from balancing day-of inventory to writing strategic berry business plans. Since 2014 he worked in production management, serving as the district manager for Oxnard from 2014 to 2018 and for Watsonville and Salinas from 2018 to 2020.

Ramy has over 25 years of experience in the farming industry, specializing in leafy vegetable crops and other specialty crops grown in the Western United States. At True Organic Products he leads efforts to optimize agricultural fertility systems and enhance soil health, crop nutrient availability, and crop resilience through the use of organic fertilizers and organic soil amendments. Previously, he worked at Earthbound Farm, where he developed wholistic programs to manage pests, diseases, and crop nutrients in organic leafy greens farming systems. Dr. Colfer earned his Ph.D. from UC Davis.

Reyna runs a team in charge of national assortment planning, pricing, sourcing, merchandising, and anything else that falls into the category of customer experience. She is a retail leader with over 20 years of experience in multiple industries, including department stores to pets and now grocery/produce. Her roles range from financial planning, inventory planning, category management and process & project management, to most of the time spent in private brand product development. It has been a career obsessed with retail, the customer, and the shopping experience. She loves to bring joy through customers discovering new products.

Ricky Volpe received his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Davis in 2010. He then spent four years working as an economist at the USDA Economic Research Service in Washington DC. There he researched a variety of topics, including food price formation, competitiveness in the food industry, and the healthiness of grocery purchases in the U.S. Ricky was also responsible for forecasting retail food price inflation at the national level.

Now at Cal Poly, Ricky teaches courses on food retail and supply chain management, transportation and logistics, and data analysis. He also maintains an active research agenda using a variety of large data sets to study issues related to market structure, firm performance, food prices, consumers’ food choices, and health outcomes. He also works closely with industry leaders in food retailing, wholesaling, and distribution to facilitate collaboration on public-private partnerships, student internships, and scholarships.

Ron Lautrup is the Vice President of Baugher Ranch Organics (BRO), with two decades of leadership in agriculture, sales, and grower relations and almost 40 years of organic industry experience. A graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Ron began his career at retail then moved to Mountain People’s Warehouse / United Natural Foods, Inc.  Ron served as the National Director of Commodities Purchasing overseeing procurement for all dry edible bulk products while also acting as the Director of Purchasing for UNFI’s company owned brands division and the import / manufacturing division.  Under his leadership, UNFI became the first national food distributor to receive certified organic status, setting a new benchmark for organic standards in distribution.

As Vice President, Ron has played a central role in scaling BRO’s operations while preserving its core values. Since joining, he has led the company’s sales efforts, building trusted relationships, domestic and abroad while simultaneously leading the company’s grower-based work.  Ron works closely with a diverse community of organic almond growers across California, supporting them with a commitment to transparency, education, and long-term partnership.  He is an organic champion and advocates for the economic viability of farming, ensuring that BRO continues to deliver the highest-quality almonds while supporting the long-term resilience of its grower community. Ron’s work is guided by the same values that brought him to BRO in the first place: authenticity, environmental stewardship, and a belief in building something meaningful—together.

In his role as commercial credit manager for the Central Valley, Russell manages credit underwriters and credit officers covering middle market and business banking level clients from Sacramento to Bakersfield.  In addition to his main role at Bank of America, Russell is the Bank’s Western US Food, Ag, and Wine Executive. He started his career in banking at Wells Fargo over 20 years ago under their credit management training program.  At WF he was a Relationship Manager and was later promoted to a Loan Team Manager.  Prior to starting his banking career, Russell was a CPA at Deloitte and Touche in the audit department.  Russell has a business degree with an emphasis in Accounting from Fresno State and is a lifelong resident of Fresno where he lives with his wife and two daughters.  

Ryan Tomlin is the Technical Services Manager at Duncan Family Farms, a Pest Control Advisor, and a Certified Crop Advisor with seven years of experience in organic leafy greens with a lifetime spent on the farm. Originally from Las Cruces, NM, Tomlin studied Plant and Environmental Soil Science at Texas A&M University. Ryan’s career began with Robinson Fresh, where he worked for three years specializing in watermelon cultivation and harvest. After that, he spent a year in rural Ghana as an Agriculture Development Fellow with AgriCrops.

Since founding Happy Dirt (formerly Eastern Carolina Organics), Sandi has been a driving force in fostering sustainable, organic food systems in North Carolina and beyond. Launched in 2004 with a $48,000 grant from the North Carolina Legislature, Happy Dirt was originally established to help NC tobacco farmers diversify into an emerging organic marketplace.  The pilot program generated $240,000 in its first year and, as a farmer- and staff-owned distribution business, was quickly established as a national model.  Happy Dirt has helped many farmers transition to organic fruit and vegetable production, and paid farmers over $100 million dollars for their produce. Today Happy Dirt is proud to partner with hundreds of organic farmers, providing distribution as well as other holistic support for their operations. 

Sara Neagu-Reed is the Director of Production and Environmental Policy at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), where she leads federal legislative and regulatory efforts focused on production challenges across conventional, organic, and regenerative agriculture. With a strong foundation in farm policy and a career dedicated to supporting the specialty crop sector, Sara advocates on behalf of fruit, vegetable, and horticultural producers on critical issues such as crop protection, organic policy, and Farm Bill implementation.

Sara brings deep expertise in navigating the complex intersection of agricultural production and environmental policy. Her work spans a broad spectrum of federal issues impacting growers, ranging from pest management and pesticide regulatory reform to organic certification standards. She plays a central role in developing IFPA’s policy strategies that promote a more resilient, science-driven, and economically viable future for specialty crop producers nationwide.

Prior to joining IFPA, Sara served as Advocacy and Government Affairs Director at AmericanHort, where she managed a diverse portfolio including employment policy, pest and disease management, and key provisions of the Farm Bill. Earlier in her career, she represented California agriculture as Associate Director of Federal Policy at the California Farm Bureau Federation, where she engaged directly with Congress, USDA, and the Department of Labor on behalf of the state's fruit, vegetable, and nut producers. She also served in the Obama Administration as a Senior Legislative Analyst at USDA, supporting Marketing and Regulatory Programs with a focus on specialty crop priorities and organic agriculture.

Sara holds a B.A. in Politics from the University of San Francisco and recently earned a Master of Public Administration and Policy from Texas A&M University. With a commitment to practical, producer-driven policy, she continues to be a strong voice for advancing innovation, sustainability, and regulatory clarity within the U.S. specialty crop sector.

Scott Mabs is a third-generation grower who grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley, shaped by the values and hard work of family farming. With more than 25 years in the agriculture industry, his career spans leadership roles in sales, marketing, and executive management. Scott joined Homegrown Organic Farms in 2008 as Director of Sales and Marketing, bringing a passion for connecting people with produce. In 2013, he became CEO, leading the company’s mission to partner with family farms to grow, pack, and market certified organic produce across the United States and beyond. Under his leadership, Homegrown Organic Farms has become a trusted name in organics, known for integrity, innovation, and a commitment to stewardship farming practices. Scott also serves on the Board of Directors for California Citrus Mutual, helping to guide and advocate for the state’s citrus industry. Outside of work, Scott enjoys an active family life with his wife, his college sweetheart, and their four children. An avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, he finds joy in the same wide-open spaces that have shaped his life and career.

After farming 47 years, Scott is now a retired regenerative-organic certified farmer working for his son, and farm owner, Brian Park. Scott farmed conventionally his first few years, but started appreciating healthy soil as a problem solver in the mid 1980's. Over the last 40 years the farm grew processing tomatoes, rice, corn, wheat, garbanzos, dry beans, alfalfa, seed crops, as well as fresh market squash and melons. The diverse crop rotation, combined with multiple soil health practices, takes place on 1,800 acres spread over twelve miles on 28 regenerative organic-certified (ROC) fields in Meridian, CA.  The farm received the California Leopold Conservation Award in 2023. Scott’s forthcoming book, Growing Rogue, chronicles the farm’s journey and will be in bookstores next year.

Stephen serves as the CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Grounded Capital, working with the team to manage holdings in the portfolio and collaborate with aligned partners to build a more regenerative food system. Stephen has spent more than two decades studying our food system and investing private capital in ways that support more regenerative farm practices, the production of healthy food at scale, and connect people to the source of their food. During the first part of his career, Stephen invested across a broad range of assets on behalf of family offices and their related entities.  He serves as a director for Traditional Medicinals, Lotus Foods, and Straus Family Creamery. Stephen earned a degree in Agribusiness from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. When he isn’t focused on our food system and Grounded Capital, you can find him skiing or hiking in the mountains, playing tennis, or traveling with his family.

Sylvia R. Tawse is a senior Marketing Associate for Wolf & Associates and the co-founder and Chief Fresh Officer of FIG, the award-winning PR, Digital & Branding agency specializing in the natural and organic products industry since 1995.  Sylvia has been leading true (never spin) storytelling campaigns for 35+ years, from managing national product launch and issues campaigns to overseeing communications strategy during crises, to facilitating rebranding for national and international clients. In 2020 and 2021 she served as Director of Communications for global brand leader Charlotte’s Web Inc.  

Prior to founding FIG, she served as the Consumer Affairs & Public Relations director for Alfalfa’s Markets. She was honored in 2017 by Naturally Boulder receiving its “Industry Leader /Community Champion of The Year” award. She and her husband owned Pastures of Plenty Farm in Longmont, CO for 28 years and sold at four farmers markets each week; in 2021 they moved their organic cut flower and vegetable operation to Taos, NM, where they now sell at Taos Farmers Market. She loves to help ‘better for you’ companies, nonprofits and trade associations at all stages of their development, to thrive with true brand storytelling that is magnetic.  

Teah is the Integrated Pest Management Program Lead at Zirkle Fruit Company, where she oversees pest management across multiple orchards and mentors emerging professionals through an internal IPM training program. With over 22 years of experience researching and applying beneficial insect strategies, Teah has been instrumental in advancing sustainable practices that reduce chemical inputs, promote tree health, and increase crop yields. She holds a Master of Science in Entomology from Washington State University and serves as a commissioner for the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, currently chairing the Apple Crop Protection Committee.

Tim’s career bridges agriculture and technology. Raised on a dairy farm, he bought his own land at 16 and built it into a thriving vineyard and olive orchard. While also leading several successful tech companies acquired by Apple, Microsoft, and Dell, Tim continued farming and experienced firsthand the labor and efficiency challenges growers face. In 2021, he combined his two passions to co-found Agtonomy, a company that partners with manufacturers like Bobcat and Kubota to deliver factory-fit automation solutions. His goal is simple: give growers practical tools that solve real challenges and make farming more sustainable. 

Linsky’s career of more than 35 years has taken him from a small natural-food store to the boardrooms of more than a dozen companies. Along the way, he has built some of the most prolific organic produce brands in the world. In 2015, he formed Todd Linsky Consulting, known as TLC, to advise industry investors, startups, retailers and growers. His client list includes national and international groups in the produce, medical cannabis and hemp industries. Linsky has helped people and companies — from students’ edible gardens to lobbyists to retail dietitians.

Traci joined the D’Arrigo California Production team at the end of 2021.  For the decade prior she was an independent contractor in fresh produce, greenhouse and strawberry production working with companies to establish water regulatory compliance frameworks. She supported colleagues and clients with field-level technical assistance such as soil moisture monitoring, soil and tissue sampling, discharge evaluation, and risk assessment.

At D’Arrigo of CA Traci works to ensure environmental regulation compliance.  Traci attempts to bring to her work a grounding in sustainable resource management and conservation, recognizing the soil and water we farm with today were also depended upon by indigenous people, and that our choices will impact the next generations.

Walt helps AgTech startups scale faster and work better with growers. Western Growers Innovation helps solve some of agriculture’s biggest challenges related to labor, water, and food safety. The Innovation team leads global initiatives around harvest (Global Harvest Automation Initiative) and educates the next generation of ag workers (Next Gen Ag Worker Initiative). Walt is a fifth-generation family farmer growing cattle, specialty crops, and wine grapes in Monterey County. Walt has over 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley startups, including eBay, MerchantCircle, and APTARE. Prior to Western Growers, Walt helped SVG-THRIVE build the top AgriFoodTech Accelerator. 

Wood developed and leads Agriculture Capital’s regenerative impact program, as well as its steward and stakeholder engagement. He has worked for over 30 years with international NGOs, public agencies, and consumer brands to develop ideas that restore environmental quality, regenerate working landscapes, and build community. He was previously the Vice President of Sustainability Innovation at Stonyfield Farm, an organic pioneer, and the founding executive director of Climate Counts. He was on B Corps’ original Standards Advisory Council, and advised the first Newsweek Corporate Green Rankings, Sustainable Brands, Harvard’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, and Duke University’s Campus Farm. He sits on board of the Center for Good Food Purchasing and completed a five-year appointment on the National Organic Standards Board in early 2025. He is leading a regenerative organic transition of his family’s farm in North Carolina. Wood has an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a graduate degree in urban and environmental planning and design from the University of Washington.