As Development Director, I collaborate with internal and external stakeholders in the successful fundraising, comprehensive project management, leadership and solicitation including Corporate, Foundation, Annual, Major Gift and Planned Giving in Ohio’s 88 counties. This rewarding role enables me to partner with corporations and the community to leverage support for farms and farmers in Ohio through education, advocacy and on farm peer to peer training. As part of my involvement, I deliver expertise in prospect identification, research, and evaluation. I create a tailored strategy for each prospect, including correspondence, solicitation materials, briefing materials, and other items, and as a result, I consistently achieve success in all areas of giving. I actively manage each step of the donor pipeline including identification, research/analysis, qualification, cultivation, briefing, request for support, gift processing, creative services, follow up, stewardship, and recognition. My ability to build successful relationships with key prospects in turn secures long-term monetary commitments for financial gifts/donations of land, with special interest in intergenerational land transfers to support land access for beginning farmers.

I believe in the power of good, clean, local food and that all people should have access to it. I am so lucky to be able to live my passion, and sustain a career doing what I love best. As owner and farmer, I serve as a last mile local food distributor for farmers, restaurants, and retailers. I manage production/distribution to wholesale outlets while improving connectivity, logistic systems, and partnerships in the food value chain. This is a crucial role, where I am able to support Ohio farmers, create supply chain optimization, and drive business growth of local food.

This is a rewarding role, as I provide technical assistance and grant writing to help small meat processors thrive by growing their operations utilizing AMS/USDA programs (MPIRG, MPPEP, VAPG, LFMPP, RFSP, LMCap), resulting in $15M of successful applications. As a USDA Technical Assistant, I serve as a trusted advisor for 110+ farmers, ranchers and meat processors, working together to build resilience through improved infrastructure, shorter supply chains, and more regional distribution through grant writing support. This position brings me such personal and professional satisfaction, as it empowers me to help small meat processors thrive by growing shared wealth of information/innovation, and by securing human and financial capital to upgrade or expand capacity, equipment, and appropriate inspection status. As a result, I am viewed as a helpful person, and a strong advocate, working diligently to ensure long-term stability and appropriate infrastructure to best assist meat processors, producers, buyers, and regulators, by coordinating, distributing, and developing resources in support of federal grant applications.

As a Farmer/Entrepreneur Mentor, I am honored for the opportunity to work with farmers across Appalachia in a program designed to grow local food and farm-based businesses to cultivate the next generation of thriving and sustainable family farms/enterprises, meaningful livelihoods. This is a challenging and rewarding role, as it allows me to merge my love of teaching and farming and enables me the opportunity to positively impact vulnerable communities. Through hands-on involvement and weekly coaching, we provide innovative, real-world scenarios where students can demonstrate their mastery of each component skill. In addition, we teach farm-based business skills, how to write a business plan, marketing channels, and small farm management.

As CEO, Cheesemaker and Owner of Lucky Penny Creamery, I produced artisan goat cheeses distributed through our sister company, Mushroom Harvest Provisions. Using old school techniques and current culinary trends, I developed award winning dairy products for Ohio Chefs. Received industry recognition for sustainable agriculture, including as one of “Cool Cleveland-13 Sustainable Businesses that make NEO Greener” (https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2018/04/12_organizations_making_northe.html) 2018.