In addition to digital communications and public affairs, my career has another thread line of expertise.

With food prices increase, extreme weather threatening farmland, and industrial pressures changing the agricultural economy, our food system is in an evolution. From the highest levels of federal research and international food security policy, to the grassroots work of family farms and local markets, I have made a point throughout my career to examine this issue that is growing in importance and effecting everyone increasingly each year.

Knowing the roots of our disrupted food prices and the threat of climate change is the story of today. Finding the innovators and problem solvers of our food system is the story of tomorrow. My work tells the story of both.

Professional Experience in Food Security & Environment

  • Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

    The United States is home to some of the most productive farms in the world that feed our nation, and make us the #1 exporter of agricultural goods in the world. And a key reason for that is our commitment to agricultural research through programs like the Farm Bill. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research is the institution in charge of granting that funding to grow the most cutting edge innovations in the fields of food and farming.

    As a member of the science program, I was in charge of reading through this research and organizing teams of experts to peer review them. This also meant seeing first hand how climate change, our growing population, and the risks of desertification and soil erosion were going to

    I also worked on organizing a grant competition, assisting in internal office communication, and creating original media for grant applicants to navigate the online portal. A true first hand look into

    Visit the FFAR Website

  • Weber Shandwick

    In my role running social media across multiple platforms for the Youth Ag Summit, I was tasked with finding up and coming agricultural innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world and promote them on the client’s accounts.

    Be it automated farming robots or small scale financing for family farms in Africa, I was able to learn from and highlight the amazing achievements of grassroots innovators worldwide. All of this to promote a global conference where young farm innovators like them could meet and be connected with the resources and tools they needed to bring even more innovation back to their home communities.

    I also made original social media promoting the Youth Ag Summit’s own AgVocate podcast, giving voice to the farmers, scientists, and entrepreneurs leading the way for the next generation to feed the future.

    Learn about the YouthAg Summit

  • Beeson's Nursery

    Having had a career working on agriculture and environmental topics from a more formal office position, But I realized that in order to understand the challenges that farmers and producers face on a daily basis, I had to experience first hand. Given that our family had also begun to embrace and grow our own homestead, the time was right to go and learn hands on from a multigenerational grower. That led me to Beeson’s Nursery, an almost 100 year old business that propagated, sourced, and sold a wide range of plants and resources. I was the head manager of the 10,000 square foot greenhouse and tree lot, leading a team of salespeople, propagators, and landscape specialists.

    I also learned the challenges that too many farmers are facing. The land around the nursery became residential, and a team of real estate developers fought hard to acquire the land that the nursery sat on despite the owner’s refusal. The fight for family farms to survive in today’s era of corporate takeovers and farm consolidation became very real and it taught me a lot. Most importantly, it reminded me of the importance of protecting and supporting small scale farms.

    Visit Beeson's Nursery's Site