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

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)