2025 SPEAKERS
Keynote Speaker:
Leah Penniman
Founding Co-ED and Farm Director, Soul Fire Farm
Leah Penniman is a Black Kreyol farmer, author, mother, and food justice activist who has been tending the soil and organizing for an anti-racist food system for 25 years. She currently serves as founding co-ED and Farm Director of Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York, a Black & Brown led project that works toward food and land justice. Her books are Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land (2018) and Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists (2023). Find out more about Leah’s work at www.soulfirefarm.org and follow her @soulfirefarm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Keynote Speaker:
Valerie Segrest
Co-Founder, Tahoma Peak Solutions and Former Regional Director, Native Food and Knowledge Systems, Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF)
Valerie Segrest, an enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, works as a Native Nutrition Educator and is the Co-Founder of Tahoma Peak Solutions, a consulting company that specializes in strategic communications and food systems strategies that serve tribal communities. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Health Sciences from Bastyr University and a Master of Arts in Environment and Community. Ms. Segrest has dedicated her work in the field of Native American Nutrition towards the efforts of the food sovereignty movement rooted in education, awareness and overcoming barriers to accessing traditional foods for tribal communities throughout North America. Ms. Segrest has co-authored several publications, including “Feeding Seven Generations: A Salish Cookbook” and “Indigenous Home Cooking: Menus Inspired by the Ancestors”.
Valerie aims to inspire and enlighten others about the importance of a nutrient-dense diet through a culturally appropriate, common sense approach to eating.
Keynote Speaker:
Instructor, College of Agricultural Sciences and Faculty Advisory, Organic Growers Club (Student Farm), Oregon State University
James Cassidy
James Cassidy has been an Instructor of Soil Science and Sustainable Agriculture at Oregon State University for over 20 years. The introductory soils class now has over 100 students each term . James is also the faculty advisor for the wildly popular OSU Organic Growers Club - OSU's student farm. Coming from a non-traditional background (the music industry for over 40+ years), he is passionate about soil and popular with students because of his dynamic speaking style. The student farm project has over 300 student volunteers on its list-serve and continues to grow. The farm cultivates over 50 different fruit and vegetable crops and is just beginning its 25th season.
Keynote Speaker:
Brenna Davis
Chief Executive Officer, Organically Grown Company
Brenna Davis, M.S. is an organic food advocate, sustainable business expert, environmental scientist, and CEO of a mission-driven food company. Her work has been featured on every major news network, including live morning television. She is the two-time #1 International Bestselling Author of She’s a Boss and Hello Success and was featured in Global Chorus: 365 Voices on the Future of the Planet. She is a sought out public speaker on national and international stages, including at the Obama White House, at international climate events, and on a panel facilitated by Vice President Al Gore.
Keynote Speaker:
AMS Deputy Administrator (Acting), National Organic Program
Chris Purdy
Christopher "Chris" Purdy has served as the AMS Deputy Administrator of the Specialty Crops Program since 2023. Chris will be serving in an “Acting” role with NOP for the foreseeable future helping to operate and promote the program. Prior to his selection with Specialty Crops, Chris served for over 10 years in several key roles for AMS, including Associate Deputy Administrator in the Commodity Procurement Program, where he helped lead several initiatives and special purchase programs important to the specialty crops and other agricultural industries. One of the accomplishments Chris takes most pride in at USDA was the opportunity to help lead the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program, which distributed more than 173 million food boxes to Americans across the country during the food distribution disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 2025 SESSION Speakers
Janaki
Anagha
Director of Advocacy, Community Water Center
Christina
Allex
Domestic Supply Chain Manager, Equal Exchange Produce
Paul J.
Arciero
Clinical Research Advisor, Essential Provisions
Tom
Chapman
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Organic Trade Association
Rodrigo
Bedoya
Co-Founder, La Grama
Jo Ann
Baumgartner
Executive Director, Wild Farm Alliance
Mike
Dill
Director of Advocacy and Sustainability, Organically Grown Company
Evan
Domsic
Graduate Research Assistant, Soil Health and Sustainable Seed Systems Lab , Department of Crop and Soil Science, Washington State University
Joe
Dickson
Board President and Interim Executive Director, Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO)
David
Gould
Senior Sustainability Advisor
Ben
Johnson
President, Bridges Organic Produce
Jeff
Fairchild
Buyer/ Organically Grown Company
Dan
Kent
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Salmon Safe
Scott
K
Account Representative, Organically Grown Company
Krista
Kinder
Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Organically Grown Company
Peter
Koehler
Founder and Partner, Lumo Group
Kendra
Klein
Deputy Director of Science, Friends of the Earth
Monique
Kirby
Senior Account Representative, Organically Grown Company
Alan
Lewis
Vice President Advocacy & Governmental Affairs, Natural Grocers
Matt
Landi
Vice President of Industry Relations, Organic Trade Association
Laura
Lewis
Executive Director, Organic Seed Alliance
David
Lively
Pioneer Emeritus, Organically Grown Company
Nate
Lewis
Conservation Manager, Farmer, NOSB member, Washington Farmland Trust
Andrew
Lower
Sr. Director of Operations, MegaMex Foods
Humberto
Maldonado
Safety & Compliance Manager, Organically Grown Company
Jessica
Luhning
Senior Sustainability Manager, Organic Valley
Brigid
Meints
Organic Grains and Pulses Extension Specialist, Oregon State University Center for Resilient Agriculture & Food Systems
Dominica
Navarro
Deputy Director, Organic Farming Research Foundation
Lucas
Nebert
Organic Seed and Planting Stock Extension Specialist, Oregon State University Center for Resilient Agriculture & Food Systems
Maynard Mallonee
Lewis County, Washington
Organic Valley Farmer-Owner
Justin
Overdevest
Practice Lead - Climate and ESG, Parametrix
James
Myers
Professor of Vegetable Breeding and Genetics, Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University
Mike
mEnes
Chief Technical Officer, True Organic Products, Inc.
Johanna
Phillips
Director of Business Development and Technical Affairs, Strengthening Organic Systems (SOS)
Athena
Petty
Senior Manager of Sustainability, New Seasons Market
Addison Peterson
Senior Policy Manager, California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)
Nate
Powell-Palm
First Generation Organic Farmer, Owner & Consultant, Cold Springs Organics, LLC
Natalie
Reitman-White
Sustainable Food & Ag Purpose Trust Committee Member & Principal, Purpose Owned
David
Posner
CEO and Founder, Awe Sum Organics
Kia
Ruiz
Scientist and Indigenous Science Educator
Chris
Schreiner
Chief Executive Officer, Oregon Tilth
ScotT
Rice
Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Organic Trade Association
Asha
Sharma
State Policy Manager, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
Aimee
Simpson
Chief Executive Officer and Founding Counsel, Sustainability Law & Strategies PLLC
Amber
Sciligo
Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
Jon
Steinman
Author, Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants
Cameron StearnS
CEO/CFO, Mountain Rose Herbs
Melissa
SPear
Executive Director, Tilth Alliance
Gustavo Vallejo
President & farmer-owner, PRAGOR
Les
Szabo
Chief Strategy & Impact Officer, Dr. Bronner's
Jake
Streeck
Supply Chain Coordinator, Equal Exchange
Daniella Velazquez
de Leon
General Manager, Organics Unlimited
Thelma
Velez
Director of Research and Education, Organic Farming Research Foundation
Narendra Varma
Founder, Our Table Cooperative
Rebekah
Weber
Policy Director, CCOF Inc.
David Weinstein
Owner, Cheshire Services
Mayra
Velazquez
de Leon
President & CEO, Organics Unlimited
Tom
Wright
Principal, Table 2 Farms
Amy
Wong
Coalition Director, Oregon Organic Coalition
Kevin
White
Sr. Account Manager, K&S Recycling
Abby
Youngblood
Executive Director, National Organic Coalition
Gwendolyn
Wyard
Founding Partner, Strengthening Organic Systems (SOS)