Courtney is a program coordinator with ISU Extension and Outreach Farm, Food and Enterprise Development and Community and Economic Development.  She manages the Food Systems Team and coordinates the Community Food Systems Program, a community process to develop and design local food systems in partnership with communities. Courtney has been working with local food systems and design for access to healthy, local and regional foods since 2010 with various appointments and research. She is currently pursuing a PhD in sustainable agriculture from Iowa State. 

Chelsea’s work supports farm to school efforts across Iowa. She serves as the state partner representative for FoodCorps Iowa, on the Iowa Farm to School Network, and leads evaluation efforts around state farm to school programs and events. Equitable and just food systems grow through farm to school, and Chelsea is committed to centering this in her work and partnerships. She has a BS in geography, a degree that centered on local and regional food systems, food justice, and natural resource conservation.

Hilary earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural business from Northwest Missouri State University. She and her husband Matt and live on an acreage near Fremont, Iowa, where they run an antique business and raise meat goats. Hilary began her career with ISU Extension and Outreach in Wapello County in April 2019, as coordinator of the Produce with a Purpose food box program. This grant-funded position focuses on improving access to local foods in the Wapello County area.

Steve Adams, CEcD, is a community and economic development specialist for ISU Extension and Outreach. He has spent over 30 years in business and community development, assisting in the creation of numerous jobs and business starts and expansions. His primary responsibilities are for providing community and business development education and planning for cities, counties, small business and various nonprofit organizations around the state.

Thanh is a Fulbright graduate student in horticulture and sustainable agriculture at ISU. He studies the impacts of Iowa’s community gardens and farms on immigrant communities. He is a co-founder and co-director of Green Youth Collective, an organization provides educational and vocational training for disadvantaged youth in urban gardening and environmental awareness in Vietnam.

Samantha is an agricultural marketing specialist for the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Her most recent and current work focuses on community and urban agriculture, mobile markets, measuring economic impacts of local food systems, food value chains, and community outreach and development. Samantha also works closely with the AMS Grants Division and provides technical assistance on their grant programs to potential and current grantees.

Marie is executive director of Healthy Harvest of North Iowa, a small nonprofit that works to connect and educate in support of the local food system in north central Iowa. They work with producers, consumers, communities, and regional partners to host programing and develop a strong culture around knowing where your food comes from. Some programing includes recipe demonstration and cooking classes, local food business networking, producing an annual local food guide, and more.

Greg joined Practical Farmers of Iowa in 2016. He oversees the Next Generations programming ensuring resources, events and learning opportunities are available for beginning farmers and farmers looking to transition their farm and land. He manages the Savings Incentive Program and helps plan many events and workshops across the state each year. A native of eastern Iowa where he was raised on his family farm, Greg continues to build on his passion for gardening and growing local food with his family on their farm in Newton, Iowa.

Nancy has diverse experiences in agriculture, from an agronomist to local farmers in a Fortune 500 corporation to grassroots organizing and management for nonprofit community organizations. She served as CIO for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands, where she led award winning programs, increased technology integration, and supported improved organizational outcomes. In 2010 Nancy co-founded No More Empty Pots, a nonprofit supporting the development of resilient local food systems through education, self-sufficiency, and advocacy. She began her role as CEO of No More Empty Pots in January 2016.

Kaley is a program coordinator at Iowa State University with a split position between Community and Economic Development and FFED. She is involved in food systems development programming and projects, helps coordinate and deliver Local Food Leader and Community Food Systems certification workshops, and manages the online learning component for both certifications. She grew up in Bondurant, Iowa, and received her BS from ISU studying child development and family services.

Kim holds a joint appointment with the ISU Center for Industrial Research and Service and the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative program. Her areas of expertise include FSMA, food safety, food manufacturing, industry support for food and feed safety compliance. Before joining ISU, Kim worked in private industry and at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an investigator with the US Public Health Service. Kim conducted inspections of food and medical device manufacturers, with recognition for her work on recalls and official action cases.