I lead the Savanna Institute mission area responsible for agroforestry research and value chain development, laying the groundwork for agroforestry to grow to its full potential. Our Research team develops improved tree crop varieties and expands the knowledge base on agroforestry systems and practices, while our Commercialization team helps organize diverse pathways to market.

Completed three major projects, as well as several smaller ones, for a total of seven nonprofit and university center clients in the perennial and continuous living cover agriculture spaces. Services included strategic planning, white paper development, coalition leadership, federal policy engagement, and fundraising.

I led the founder transition at The Land Institute, succeeding Wes Jackson as chief executive. The team and I moved the organization's flagship perennial grain crops research program fully onto the global stage, established a commercialization strategy for Kernza and future perennial grain crops that reflected the organization's values, started an innovative program in the social and cultural dimensions of sustainability, and revamped fundraising and administrative systems top to bottom.

As part of my university duties, I helped found and then led the primary public-private biomass energy development roundtable in Illinois, focusing on perennial biomass feedstock crops.

I managed the Value-Added Sustainable Development Center within the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA), overseeing programs in agriculture, energy, and sustainability for the lead entity for rural community & economic development in Illinois. I also managed the Illinois Cooperative Development Center at IIRA, providing information and assistance to cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses around the state. IIRA is housed at Western Illinois University (WIU).

Managed field research operations for the alternative crops research program in the WIU School of Agriculture.

Assistant coordinator of a statewide on-farm research network and field day program, focusing on sustainable crop and livestock production.

Jointly appointed in Iowa State University Extension Agronomy during my time at Practical Farmers of Iowa.

Work on my family's 1,000 acre cash grain and hog farm. Ongoing to the present on an occasional basis.