Tamara Benjamin Email & Phone Number

I have spent the past three decades working with diversified farming and food systems throughout the Midwest in the USA, Central America, Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. My main focus is on sustainable farm planning. I have degrees in Biology, Education, Forest Economics, Forest Biology, and an MBA with an emphasis in Project Management. My interests have lied at the junction between agriculture and natural resources, finding ways to improve our farming systems to increase environmental services provided. My expertise is in managing complex, interdisciplinary projects that are aimed at improving sustainability of farming operations.For the past decade I have worked in Land Grant Universities, focusing on improving processes with Extension services. This has focused on needs assessment of under-represented stakeholders as well as evaluation processes that lead to outcome based programs. I have also spent time working on improving internal processes such as searches, hiring, onboarding, grant management, program development, annual reviews, promotion and conflict resolution. During this time I have taught educators how to implement project management tools and increase their efficiencies through improved management skills, such as time management, facilitated discussion and grant writing.