Heather Curler, Cpa is a Senior Associate at FORVIS. She possess expertise in grants, nonprofits, grant writing, event planning, community outreach and 21 more skills. Colleagues describe her as "I came to know Heather in Spring 2007 as a student in two of my courses: Dairy Markets and Policy (AEM 346) and Agricultural and Food Policy (AEM 431). As is true of most students who take this class, Heather was a student in our Department of Animal Science, which is a common home for Cornell students who have an agricultural background and/or career interest. The Department of Applied Economics and Management offers courses in agricultural economics. My dairy course has long been taught for students who have a career interest in the dairy sector. While the focus in Animal Science is on the biology and management of farm and companion animals, many students like Heather work towards careers involving the infrastructure that surrounds livestock and dairy agriculture, including public policy. The fact that she took my more general policy course is an indication of her interest in farm level advocacy and policies related to agriculture, rural communities, the environment and food systems. I ask my students to tell me about themselves, their plans, and why they are taking my course. She indicated from the beginning that her over-arching interest was in agricultural policy. Her home state of Vermont is famously a state whose economy, culture and ambiance is closely linked to the dairy sector. Moreover, dairy policy is seen as a matter not only for dairy farmers but also local communities, tourism, and the sustainability of Vermont’s economy and environment. I have no doubt that Heather’s interest in dairy policy derived in no small part from these influences from her home State. Heather was one of the better students in my 346 class that Spring. Indeed, she shared the second highest grade I awarded that year. I would characterize her performance as dependable, earnest, and serious. I would rank her intellectual capabilities and talents above average among all students I have taught in this course but not at the top. The average level performance for all students is higher in my 431 class. Heather performed at about an average level in that class. She had a keen interest in the subject but was disadvantaged by her relatively weaker preparation in economic theory. Since leaving Cornell, Heather has continued to work towards finding her professional niche. She was a hard-working and earnest student, someone who is eager to learn more and be equipped to engage in agricultural and rural policy issues with vigor and a strong orientation towards community engagement and impacts. I suspect her current endeavors demonstrate those interests and attitudes all the more." and "Heather was a very quick learner and readily accepted new challenges."