Philip Ackerman-Leist is the keynote speaker at the 2025 Farm Stop Conference.

I’m a free-range educator, author, farmer and off-grid homesteader with decades of experience in food systems, higher education, and environmental conservation. Based at UpTunket Farm in Pawlet, Vermont (USA), my current work is focused on models of food systems transformation at regional, national, and international scales. I’ve written three books, with another underway: including A Precautionary Tale: How One Small Town Banned Pesticides, Preserved its Food Heritage, and Inspired a Movement; Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable, and Secure Food Systems; and Up Tunket Road: The Education of a Modern Homesteader.  My hands-on experience in farming and food systems is supported and complemented by my graduate studies in Environmental Biology, along with other academic forays into philosophy, religion, and literature.

I enjoyed twenty-two years at Green Mountain College, where I  was Professor of Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems. I established the college’s 23-acre organic farm, designed and launched the undergraduate program in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, and founded and directed the nation’s first online graduate program in food systems. I then served as Dean of Professional Studies at Sterling College in Vermont, where I established the college’s first online educational initiatives and oversaw the School of the New American Farmstead.

I’ve spent nearly forty years exploring sustainable agricultural practices, generally in the company of students and family, framing my teaching and academic research with farming experiences in the Alps, North Carolina, and Vermont. I find great joy and inspiration in working with people of all ages and cultures, while also appreciating the solace of working in approximately 150 acres of pasture and woodland with my family and our heritage-breed cattle on our remote, solar-powered farm in Vermont. 

At home and as an educator, I try to combine a farmer’s pragmatism with a teacher’s collaborative quest for the future. Sometimes it works.

Abby Hurst brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, working with international organizations and fostering community engagement. Born in Jackson, MI, Abby pursued International Studies and Cultural Anthropology at Kenyon College in Ohio, where she cultivated her passion for cross-cultural understanding. Her career has taken her across the globe, leading service-learning trips and working in diverse communities. After a decade in San Francisco, where she attended culinary school and pursued food justice and youth development, Abby returned to Michigan. Her passion for food and its connection to health, well-being, and community led her to co-found Agricole Farm Stop in Chelsea, MI.  

Currently, Abby is leading efforts to transform the Federal Screw Property in Chelsea, a project that aligns with her values of creating meaningful, sustainable change. Abby finds energy and inspiration in working with passionate people and mission-driven efforts. 

Abby and her husband, Joe, have three children and live north of Chelsea.  

Adam Montri is a Food Supply Chain Impact Fellow with the Federation of American Scientists. He is currently detailed to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service as the Outreach Coordinator for the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center. From 2007-2023 he co-owned and operated Ten Hens Farm in Bath, Michigan where they grew on three acres outdoors and in six high tunnels totaling 20,000 sqft. Ten Hens sales outlets included farmers markets, individual and multi-farm CSAs, restaurants, food hubs, Farm-to-School, a farm stand, resident retirement communities, a township Senior Center, specialty grocery stores, and wholesale accounts. Adam was also the High Tunnel/Hoophouse Outreach Specialist in Michigan State University’s Department of Horticulture from 2006-2018 where he partnered with farmers and university researchers on projects focused on vegetable production, farm economic viability, market development, food access, and farm financing. He is excited to utilize his experiences as a farmer, educator, and researcher in his role at USDA.

Adam Schwieterman brings 17 years of food systems management experience to the table, ranging from corporate, startup, farming, and most recently, as the Executive Director at Local Roots - an organization often credited for pioneering much of the local farm stop model.  During his tenure at Local Roots, Adam has focused the organization's efforts on growth, and is currently in the midst of running the campaign to purchase, design, and build its new store.  When he's not actively working in the market, you can usually find Adam drinking coffee, chit-chatting on the sales floor, or crunching financial data.

Alex Canepa is the Director of Policy at Fair Food Network, where he works with policymakers across the political spectrum to develop policies that build health and wealth through food.

Alex directs Fair Food Network’s policy efforts in Michigan and works with the Fair Food Fund team to further the Fund’s policy priorities nationally. In 2020, Alex was appointed to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Food Security Council. He also provides policy support and expert technical assistance to SNAP incentive programs across the country through the Nutrition Incentive Impact Hub.

Before joining the Fair Food Network team, Alex served as the Sustainable Food Center’s Policy Officer in his hometown of Austin, Texas. In Texas, Alex led the development and successful implementation of the SFC’s policy goals in the Texas Legislature.

Alex grows tomatoes year-round and is an avid baseball player. He holds an MSc. in History from the University of Oxford and a BS in History and Politics from Trinity College Dublin.

Alita Kelly is a serial entrepreneur with several businesses under her belt. She has worked on local and national policy campaigns around sustainable agriculture. Alita has served on several boards, many in leadership positions including as Chair for the Grand Rapids Urban Agriculture Committee. She founded South East Market in Grand Rapids which sourced for several local vendors to create a small market in an area experiencing food apartheid and did it through a sustainable and equitable lens. 

Through her strategic planning and urban agriculture development company, Jade Rabbit, and as Chair of the West Michigan Young Farmers she helps organize several agricultural initiatives involving but not limited to mutual aid, farm to school, urban agriculture, farm strategic planning, and freedom school.  Since November of 2023 she's also been revitalizing a 10 acre apple orchard in Northern Michigan. 

Bobbi Boos has been dedicated to local food and farming for over 25 years.  She has farmed organically for most of those. She is a fan of co-ops of all kinds, serving on boards of consumer and agricultural co-ops. The combination made managing the Bloomington Farm Stop Collective a perfect fit. She is inspired by an amazing community of small growers, dedicated Board, all-star staff, and grateful customers.  

Casey Miller has worked with Argus Farm Stop in various capacities since 2014. After spending almost 20 years working in human resources in higher ed, non-profits, and private industry, Casey is happy to have made a home with Argus where she can meld her people and organizational skills with her love of vegetables. Energized by the tangible impact on Ann Arbor’s local food economy, she does what she can to help Argus thrive. In her current role as External Training Manager, she does her best to stoke the fires of the farm stop movement nationally and, sometimes, internationally. In her free time, she can be found pushing the boundaries of what can be grown in her tiny yard, or relaxing with her partner and son. She would love nothing more than to hear about your farm stop aspirations.

Chris Dilley has been working in and with cooperative grocery retail over 25 years. Most of his experience was with People’s Food Co-op of Kalamazoo, starting with board service in 1998 then as general manager from 2003 to 2023, where he helped the co-op to move locations and quadruple the store size and sales, take on operation of the Kalamazoo Farmers Market, and address inequities in the local food system. After leaving PFC and spending two years as a manager on contract, Chris is now the Director of Start-Up Support at Food Co-op Initiative, a national non-profit supporting the community-based efforts to develop startup food cooperatives. He is passionate about the cooperative model, great grocery experiences, local food systems development, and equitable access for all. He lives in Kalamazoo, MI, with his wife and son, and their pup, Cayanne. In his spare time, he enjoys playing board games, cooking new things, and walking in the woods. 

Cindy Freedman is a graphic arts professional with 30+ yrs of experience specializing in CPG (Consumer Package Goods). She has worked on packaging graphics for well-known brands in the food and drug, nutritional, fabric and home care, and baby product categories, including Kroger and Private Selections brands, P&G's Tide and Pampers, Abbott's Ensure, Glucerna, Pedialyte, Zone Perfect brands. She is knowledgeable of the FDA and TTB regulations as they apply to CPG packaging for the consumer retail space. She now serves as the Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) Business Advisor at Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet). She lives in Athens, Ohio which has a strong local food movement and is also co-owner of Dutch Creek Winery along with her husband, Paul, where she creates the wine labeling for their line of artisan crafted honey wines and ciders. She is also active in her local community working as a Branding Consultant with the Village of Amesville on their economic development initiatives by creating their logo and branding guidelines for local businesses and developing the concept for a local festival to draw in more tourism, The Alonzo Weed Festival, celebrating Amesville's unique history. 

Debra Tropp spent more than 26 years at the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Transportation and Marketing Program, retiring from Federal service at the end of January 2019. Throughout her career, she has embraced a systems research lens for looking at local and regional food systems, focusing on the points of connection between public health, small business development, infrastructure and logistics, and community planning in enabling comprehensive and lasting system change.  Among her most significant achievements, she served as the primary editor for the AMS-sponsored report "The Economics of Local Food Systems:  A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices (March 2016), and as a member of the four-person task force that framed and produced the Federal Reserve/USDA book "Harvesting Opportunity: The Power of Regional Food System Investments to Transform Communities (August 2017). She also spent the last three years of her career leading the USDA delegation on the interagency Local Farms, Local Places initiative hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency, which provides planning assistance (through free on-site workshops)  to cities and towns seeking to develop local food systems, preserve open space and farmland, revitalize Main Streets and downtowns, boost economic opportunities for farmers and businesses and improve access to local fresh foods, especially among disadvantaged populations.   

During the Obama Administration, Ms. Tropp was also one of the founding members of the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food task force at USDA in 2009, and was an early and pivotal contributor to the Department’s work on the role of aggregation centers and regional/local food hubs in advancing the growth and viability of local food supply chains.  At present, Debra is currently serving her second term as a non-farmer appointed delegate to the Montgomery County, MD Agricultural Advisory Council, is a member of the advisory council for the biennial National Farm Viability Conference, and sits on the leadership circle of two national non-profit organizations, the North American Food System Network (NAFSN) and the Lyson Center for Civil Agriculture.  Between late 2019 through January 2024, she served as the chairperson of NAFSN's Community and Agricultural Resilience Audit Tool (CARAT) subcommittee, which published a provisional version of the audit instrument  in the fall of 2023.  This tool is currently being tested nationwide by ten community-based organizations (mainly county food policy councils) in a pilot project managed by Indiana University in preparation for potential revision and a more formal outreach effort in 2025. 

Ms. Tropp also provides private consultation to individual clients on preparing USDA grant proposals pertaining to local and regional food systems, and participates regularly in Federal grant review panels. 

Emily Hollingsworth, Retail Food Program Manager, Michigan Department of Agriculture

Erica Blair is an Extension Specialist with K-State Research and Extension and a Program Manager for both the Rural Grocery Initiative and Kansas Healthy Food Initiative. In this role, she develops educational programming and networking opportunities for grocers, researches and elevates innovative models for sustainably operating grocery stores, and works one-on-one with communities to support the planning and operation of rural grocery stores for improved food access. Erica earned her B.F.A. in Intermedia and Certificate in Sustainability from the University of Iowa, and her M.S. in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan. Other food systems experience includes conducting research on cover crop adoption in the Midwest, working on a diverse vegetable farm, and organizing campaigns with local communities to support sustainable agriculture. 

Erika Tebbens is the Director of Impact at Taste the Local Difference and a marketing expert with twenty years experience running businesses of all kinds. TLD is a woman-owned and woman-led local food marketing agency for purpose-driven food and farm businesses. Before joining TLD, Erika spent a decade working with entrepreneurs on their sales and growth strategy as a highly-respected business consultant, and she used to farm and keep bees in upstate New York. To learn more go to LocalFoodMarketing.com 

Gordon Miller is the owner and farmer-operator of Grandview Farm in Fremont, Nebraska. He has dedicated over four decades to cultivating an understanding of vegetable production and small business management alongside his wife, Susan. Their journey has been marked by commitment to lifelong learning and a passion for delivering quality produce to local Nebraskans. Gordan and Susan have actively participated in state vegetable conferences including the Great Lakes Vegetable Conference to the Great Plains Vegetable Conference which provided a wealth of knowledge of vegetable production, cultivation techniques and food safety protocols.  At these conferences, as well as courses offered by the UNL extension office, they have attended classes focused on food harvesting, quality control measures and regulatory compliance, ensuring they meet the highest standards of freshness for their customers.  Grandview Farm actively participates in four seasonal farmer markets in Nebraska including the Aksarben Farmers Market and Legacy Farmer Markets in Omaha, as well as the Haymarket and Sunday Farmer Market at College View in Lincoln.  They also supply wholesale produce to restaurants and HyVee stores in Omaha, while also contributing to No More Empty Pots’ CSA. Gordon is proud to have played a pivotal role in the 2005 establishment and growth of the Sunday Farmers’ Market at College View, still serving on its Board of Directors of this premier market. Looking ahead, Gordon is driven to replicate this success in Omaha by establishing a Farm Stop-a place where both new and seasoned farmers can come together and sell their produce, learn from one another and cultivate relationships in the community. Through this initiative, they aim to provide high-quality, fresh food that not only is safe but also supports the growth and stability of local agriculture. 

Herron Linscott is a 10th generation Appalachian Ohio local. She is also a graduate of the E.W Scripps School of Journalism with a degree in Strategic Communication. She hopes to leverage her passion for writing and the Appalachian region to give back to the community that raised her. Her passion for agriculture stems from generations of farmers in her family, growing up on a farm herself, and earning her American FFA Degree. In her free time, she is most likely off in the woods with her dogs or spending time on her family's farm. 

Jacqlyn Schneider, partner at FGS Global, co-leads the Global Food Team where she uses her Capitol Hill experience to provide strategic, political, legislative and regulatory counsel on a wide array of food, nutrition, climate and agriculture issues.

Jacqlyn joined FGS Global following more than 16 years leading food and agriculture policy on Capitol Hill, most recently serving as Deputy Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry under Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). In her role leading the Committee, Jacqlyn directed the Chairwoman’s work on all food and agriculture policy, overseeing the development and passage of several Farm Bills, as well as a variety of key nutrition, food labeling, Coronavirus relief and climate bills and working extensively with the White House, USDA, FDA and other federal agencies on regulatory implementation. Jacqlyn also brings a deep understanding of nutrition and food access issues, and she was instrumental in the creation and expansion of key policies related to specialty crops, local, regional and organic foods, and improving support for minority and underserved farmers.

Prior to joining the Senate, Jacqlyn served as Legislative Director for Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), managing his legislative team as well as a wide variety of issues ranging from immigration and trade to education and foreign policy. Earlier in her career, she worked for the Biotechnology Industry Organization in federal government relations.

Jacqlyn is a graduate of James Madison University and a native Michigander.

Jasmin LeBlanc, a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture and community-driven food systems. Raised in Vermont, where regenerative and sustainable farming practices are deeply ingrained in the culture, Jasmin grew up with a strong appreciation for the land and the value of ethical, local food production. This foundation led her to move to Missouri in 2020 with a clear mission: to help feed her community and strengthen the local food system. 

Jasmin is the owner of Heritage Homestead, a small-scale farm dedicated to growing flowers, vegetables, raw dairy, and pasture-raised meats. Through her farm, she is committed to both promoting healthy food and empowering her community with access to fresh, sustainable options. Her vision extends far beyond her farm, as she works to create opportunities for other small farmers to thrive. 

As the Executive Director and Founder of the Ash Grove Farmers Market, Jasmin and the other board members, played a pivotal role in creating a vibrant space for local growers and artisans, with the market being voted #1 in Missouri in its inaugural year in 2023. This success is a testament to her dedication to building strong connections between farmers and community. 

In addition, Jasmin founded the Roots and Harvest Community, a nonprofit designed to address the challenges within local supply chains and help farmers scale their operations. She is also the Founder of the Roots and Harvest Community Market, the first-ever Farm Stop in Southwest Missouri — and potentially the first in the entire state — providing a year-round outlet for locally grown produce, meat and goods. 

Beyond her entrepreneurial achievements, Jasmin is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of farmers. She is dedicated to training young people in the many pathways agriculture offers, sharing her passion for ancestral farming practices, and advocating for a way of life that honors both tradition and sustainability. 

Jasmin currently lives in Southwest Missouri with her youngest three teen children, all of whom actively contribute to the work on the homestead in their chosen specialties. Her family's hands-on approach to farming is a reflection of her belief in the value of hard work, education, and building community, all while enriching the lives of those around her.  

Jasmine Lillich grew up in Clatskanie, Oregon and comes from five generations of farmers who have called the small rural community home. Her passion for regenerative agriculture grew while managing Southern Oregon University's campus farm, an experience that culminated in a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Adventure and Sustainability Leadership (2017).

Returning to Clatskanie in 2020, she and her husband started a small farm and food processing business, and joined the Clatskanie Farmers Market board. In 2023, they co-founded the Clatskanie Food Hub, a farmstop grocery store featuring a commercial kitchen and classroom designed to connect the community with local food.

Currently, Jasmine serves as the Executive Director of the Clatskanie Farmer Collective, overseeing the Farmers Market and Food Hub. She also advises local farm and food businesses for the Columbia County Small Business Development Center and participates in the Clatskanie Planning Commission and Chamber of Commerce. Jasmine aims to enhance the local food system and revitalize Clatskanie's agricultural heritage for a healthier, more resilient community.

Jazmin Bolan-Williamson joined the Center for Regional Food Systems in July 2022. She graduated from MSU with a degree in Food Industry Management with a focus in Environmental Studies through the RISE program. She has been part of many Local Food Projects including the NWI Mobile Food Truck and AmeriCorp. She was also a part of Growing Hope and the Ypsilanti Farmers Market and during the 2020 lock downs helped to implement and run the Ypsilanti Online Markets. She has also served on the Washtenaw County Food Policy Council fighting to make sure the council focused its efforts on equity within the food system. 

Within CRFS, she now works across the Center for Regional Food Systems, MSU Product Center and the Michigan Good Food Fund with a focus on increasing Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women-Owned and LGBTQ+ farm and food businesses. As part of her work she also supports the Network for Inclusive Farm Business Engagement (NIFBE). 

Jim Lively is co-owner of Lively NeighborFood Market with his wife Kelly, located in Leelanau County just outside the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. The market opened in August '24 taking as much assistance as possible from Argus Farm Stop. The NeighborFood Market is in a very rural community that experiences heavy tourist traffic in the summer to visit the National Lakeshore, and seasonal visitors to nearby Glen Arbor, Empire and Glen Lake. Already the market is  working with more than 20 farms, mostly within 15 miles of the market, providing vegetables, fruit, meats, as well as specialty products such as flowers, mushrooms, syrup, chestnuts, and Christmas trees. In 2019 the Lively family acquired a 20-acre commercially zoned parcel from the Fraternal Order of Eagles, which had a rustic campground, partially completed commercial kitchen and pole building and outdoor music event space. They have licensed the kitchen, and built out a space for the market and a small cafe seating area, but still have limitations from an undersized septic system.  The long-term goal is increased food storage and processing to sell more local food year-round under a market brand. 

Jim spent 22 years with the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities where he worked on issues as diverse as helping Taste the Local Difference grow into a private business, helping organize Oil and Water Don’t Mix to shut down the Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, and launching the Great Lakes Business Network. Kelly spent nearly a decade working at Cherry Capital Foods, and another decade as a flower farmer and wedding florist. She now works full-time for U.S. Senator Gary Peters as northern Michigan regional director, while also supporting farmer daughter Jane at The Lively Farm, which is co-located on the same property as the market. 

Jimmy Wright is a lifelong Independent Grocer. He serves as owner and operator of Wright's Market, a traditional neighborhood retail food store in Opelika, Alabama, along with Wright2U, an e-commerce fresh food delivery company. Wright's Market was the first Independent Grocer in America to offer the ability to use SNAP benefits to shop online. Wright's Market also offers its SNAP customers incentives on fresh produce purchases as part of the USDA GUSNIP program. He has testified before both the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture committees on the importance of the SNAP program in our country.
In January 2020, he formed Wright Food Solutions to offer his consulting services to retailers, wholesalers, non-profits and community development groups in the areas food access, food security and food affordability, with a focus on urban inner city and rural America.

Joel Moyer leads Fair Food Network's direct investment fund, the Fair Food Fund. As Director of Investments, Joel is responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund’s investment portfolio and leads the due diligence and investment process for potential investment opportunities. This includes working with businesses to develop a financing structure that works for both Fair Food Network and the borrower.  Fair Food Network provides and facilitates financing and business assistance to good food enterprises creating health, wealth, and resilience in communities especially in those that have not traditionally had access to capital and/or healthy food options. In addition to his work at Fair Food Network, Joel is a corporator of Walden Mutual Bank, a mutual bank focused on making a positive and lasting impact on our local food ecosystem.  

Joel has an MBA in Sustainability from Antioch University New England, where he focused on impact investing, community capital, and leveraging the positive attributes of capitalism for good. He lives with his wife and young children in Contoocook, New Hampshire where he enjoys exploring the region’s trails, mountains, rivers, and lakes. 

Julie Jesmer is the Business Builder Grant Manager for the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center. In that role she will be developing a process for distributing and identifying potential grantees for the Business Builder Awards.  This includes setting up and managing the application and review and evaluation process.   

Julie comes to the GLM-RFBC from Washington State University where she was the program coordinator for WRASAP (Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program). This program is another USDA supported project through the Farmer and Rancher Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN.    

Julie grew up in Denver, Colorado. She was raised in the city, by parents who grew up on high country cattle ranches.  She has been a clinical laboratory technician, a research scientist, a case manager in a juvenile prison, a community college instructor, a single mother, a non-profit organization manager, and a perpetual student. Julie has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work focusing on non-profit organization management, and a master’s degree in agriculture, specializing in Urban Agriculture. 

Kate Fitzgerald works on federal policy that links family farms with consumers to achieve healthier and more resilient local and regional food systems.

She has worked at the local, state and national levels designing and implementing programs, and turning the successes into improved policy. This has included piloting farmers market produce programs in Texas that became the USDA’s WIC and Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Programs; developing the first federal farm to school grant program; working with Congress to craft legislation and win permanent funding for SNAP incentive and produce prescription programs; and supporting independent grocers’ successful participation in these programs.

Most recently Kate served as USDA’s Senior Advisor for Food Systems, responsible for standing up the 12 Regional Food Business Centers and overseeing implementation of a range of initiatives to stimulate new markets for small and mid-sized producers.

Kate has received the Gus Schumacher Award, the Sustainable Food Center's Changemaker Award, and the Distinguished Appropriate Technology Award for Sustainable Agriculture.

Kate Krauss is CEO of Fair Food Network, a Michigan-based national non-profit that works to grow community health, wealth, and resilience through food. For more than two decades, Kate has dedicated her professional life to pursuing transformative, actionable solutions to deeply rooted problems. Her work isinspired by her belief in food as a source of joy, a path to justice, and a powerful way to create common ground.

Before becoming CEO, Kate served Fair Food Network as Executive Director for three years and for seven years as Chief Operating Officer. Kate’s tenure at Fair Food Network has been marked by organizational transformation and increased impact. By working to develop critical operational infrastructure and diversify funding sources, Kate has helped grow the organization’s budget nearly fivefold and the reach of the Michigan Double Up Food Bucks program tenfold.

Prior to joining Fair Food Network, she helped advance climate change initiatives at The Nature Conservancy, including a “source to delta” conservation plan for the Yangtze River, part of a blueprint for conservation developed in partnership with the Chinese government. She has also served as Managing Director of Slow Food USA, where she led a network of volunteer chapter leaders, inspiring people to explore the story behind their food—and rethink the way they grow, buy, and eat it.

A graduate of Columbia University,Kate began her career in television journalism, supporting the production of ABC’s World News Tonight and Nightline during the historic 2000 election and 9/11. She has spoken on state, national, and international stages, including at Terra Madre, the international food and agriculture gathering in Turin, Italy. Kate is currently on the board of the People’s Food Coop in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kathy Angerer serves as the Chief of Staff for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development assisting in overseeing the operation of the department’s programmatic and administrative areas.

Angerer has served the people of the State of Michigan and southeast Michigan in several roles throughout her career. Angerer was the Director of Communications at Dundee Community Schools; was elected as State Representative from 2005-2010 and in that role served as the Majority Floor Leader; acted as the Executive Director of Government Affairs at AT&T Michigan; and for over 10 years with the City of Hamtramck serving most recently as the City Manager.

Angerer is a lifelong Monroe County resident and attended Monroe County Community College and is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University.

Kathy Sample & Bill Brinkerhoff started Argus Farm Stop in 2014 as an experiment – to see if a new model of the traditional farmers’ market would work, both for farmers and consumers. Having subscribed to CSAs for years, they have enjoyed locally grown food and were interested in a way to increase the economic prosperity of smaller farms. They believe a re-envisioned retail connection between small farms and consumers is the key to growing local food systems. 10+ years in, they are as enthusiastic about this model as ever – realizing how powerful it can be both economically and socially.

They are both graduates of the University of Michigan and bring deep business backgrounds from their former careers in the pharmaceutical and international business arenas.

Kathryn Barr is an organic farmer, researcher, and local food systems advocate. She received her Master's degree in behavioral psychology and regional food systems planning at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability, where she wrote a book on how to develop Farm Stops, and a report detailing how Farm Stops strengthen local and regional food systems. She currently works as a Local Food Systems Outreach Specialist at The Common Market, a non-profit regional food distributor that connects local, family farms directly to institutions. She is a member of the Leadership Circle of the North American Food System Network, and is currently working on expanding her Master’s research on Farm Stops to include analysis on over 40 farmer interviews who participate in this model. Her work has been featured in Food Tank, and Resilience.org. Lastly, Katie also holds a certificate in integrative nutritional health coaching from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.

Katie Brandt’s two decades of farming experience inform her every day as she works alongside aspiring and beginning farmers to translate their skills and vision into attainable farm goals and farm business plans. Her main project is teaching and organizing the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program, which is a mix of field trips, online discussion and hands-on activities to help people make their farm dreams a reality. 

Katie also coordinates Michigan’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program. She works with Michigan SARE coordinator Sarah Zeiler to promote SARE grants and resources, assist SARE grant authors, map beginning farmer resources, and connect underserved farmers with SARE.  

Katie spent 5 years as a farmworker on small-scale, organic farms before co-founding Groundswell Community Farm in West Michigan. Over a dozen years, Groundswell grew from 2 farmers tilling bare land with hand tools into an organic farm employing 10 farm workers to grow over $200,000 of vegetables annually on 7 acres. During that time, she attended Grand Valley State University, where she designed an on-farm research project about organic controls for Striped Cucumber Beetles to earn an MS in Biology. In her free time, Katie enjoys biking, playing with her 12-year-old son and walks in nature with her partner Jill. 

Katie Mather, with a background in Farm to School and Elementary Education, plays a vital role in the success of Sea Goat Farmstand's Makers' Space. She oversees class scheduling, advertising, and educational programming, ensuring seamless operations and impactful learning experiences. Katie's leadership brings invaluable insights and direction, contributing significantly to the growth and development of Sea Goat Farmstand & Makers' Space. 

Kyle Haney, Farm Sales Manager at Local Line

Laura Matney, General Manager at Argus Farm Stop, has been an integral part of the company's growth since inception in 2014. Starting as Liberty St Store Manager, she organically transitioned into her current leadership role, overseeing both markets, cafes, online operations, and training. Laura's expertise lies in staff management, bookkeeping, and strategic planning. Her diverse background in wholesale, cafe, non-profit, and retail operations fuels her passion for localizing the food system and supporting the local economy. Known for her dynamic and energetic teaching style, Laura is affectionately referred to as the "Chief Cat Herder. 

Lily Gross has been determined to change the food system for the better for as long as she can remember. As a result, she's worked in or explored nearly all aspects of the food industry. 

She brings wide ranging food systems experience and expertise in: Client Relationship Management, Education, and Food Systems Research for Bon Appétit Management Company, Social Media for Food Startup Incubator: Kitchentown, Event Planning and Fundraising for Foodwise (Ferry Plaza Farmers Market), Marketing & Client Relationship Management for IN Food Marketing & Design. 

After working on the more corporate, CPG end of the food industry for several years, she grew increasingly frustrated with the greenwashing and complacency in that sphere so pivoted hard, and has been managing the Produce Department at Seward Co-op in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the last few years, in order to round out the skills and expertise needed to open a Farm Stop type model in the Twin Cities. 

Lisa McCauley is one of the founders of Meadowlark Market & Kitchen, a year-round indoor farm stop in Lander, Wyoming, and is an advisory board member to Slow Food Wind River. She formerly managed the Lander Valley Farmers Market and, as Sunfisher Farm, sells fruit sorbet and other value-added products under the Wyoming Food Freedom Act.   Before moving to Lander from the Philadelphia area, Lisa was a consultant for survey research and data analysis, taught experimental psychology, and worked in higher education administration.  

Lucas Dickerson is the owner and operator of Webbed Foot Pines LLC. located in Adrian, Michigan. Webbed Foot Pines' passion and goal is to provide  quality, clean, healthy food options for their local community, neighbors, and friends.

Webbed Foot Pines LLC. was started in 2001, where they were originally an exhibition waterfowl hatchery and hobby farm that also raised beef, pork, and produced field crops. 

Webbed Foot Pines LLC. has since expanded to a farm to table business that offers a multitude of products to their home delivery service customers as well as the 8 small stores, farm markets, and specialty restaurants they deliver to. Along with the livestock and farm to table products, Lucas and his children also produce 120 acres of hay and forage for feeding their personal livestock as well as a cash crop.  

Outside of Webbed Foot Pines LLC, Lucas is currently a poultry superintendent for the Lenawee County fair and has been for 23 years. Lucas also enjoys being a poultry judge for several fairs in Michigan and Ohio. To this day, Lucas and his family continue to hatch and raise exhibition poultry and waterfowl.

Mark Maynard has been an active supporter of Argus Farm Stop over the past decade and most recently served as a member of the planning committee for the 2024 Farm Stop Conference. He is a founding partner of Bellflower, an award-winning restaurant in Ypsilanti, Michigan that prioritizes its relationships with Michigan farms. In addition to his work in local food, Maynard operates Landline Creative Labs, an incubator space for small creative companies doing work in the areas ranging from graphic design and filmmaking, to podcasting and architecture. His career, which started in historic archeology, and most recently saw him doing communications and strategy work in the world of academic technology commercialization, includes stints as a radio host, magazine publisher, and writer for a popular website on art, culture, politics, and economic development. He lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan with his wife Linette, the owner of a design agency serving the non-profit sector, and their two children, Arlo and Clementine. 

Meg Goldwyn (she/her), Store Manager at Argus Farm Stop, is a passionate supporter of local food, community connection, and fostering "third places." Meg's background in customer and public service including a decade-long career in the library system, where she served as Assistant Director, Cataloger, and Program Coordinator of a rural library, deeply informs her interactions with the broader community. Now in her fifth year at Argus, Meg's work encompasses daily management of Argus Packard Café, internal operational logistics, and event coordination across all three Argus locations. 

Megan Blumenstein is the Executive Director of Sea Goat Farmstand & Makers' Space, a grassroots non-profit in McKinleyville, California. With a passion for environmental stewardship and community empowerment, Megan has dedicated her career to fostering local food systems, supporting artisan makers, and enhancing food access and education. Under her leadership, Sea Goat has become a hub for sustainable agriculture, offering fresh, locally sourced produce while serving as a platform for community members to share their crafts, skills, and traditions. 

Michelle Miller is a practicing economic anthropologist working at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems since 1996. In her research, she works closely with rural communities and farmers to identify ways to improve rural quality of life. She currently investigates regional wholesale markets for rural communities and Tribal Nations, and ways to democratize artificial intelligence for Smart Foodsheds through ICICLE, one of the National Science Foundation's AI Institutes. She serves on the National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food, on the Federal Department of Homeland Security, Directorate of Science and Technology’s Science Advice and Guidance for Emergencies (SAGE) program on Supply Chains, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities (FRRCC) Federal Advisory Committee. 

Nate Engle serves as the Director of Community Engagement for MDARD, engaging all types of departmental stakeholders, striving to help state government listen, synthesize information, problem-solve, and continually improve upon service delivery. He previously served in the immediate executive offices of two Michigan governors and a state representative. 

Engle spent the better part of two decades abroad, most recently working in Madagascar where he designed, built, and operated a chocolate factory and one of the global chocolate industry’s most innovate supply chain models. Engle also set up and implemented an agricultural extension system in South Sudan; managed several USAID-funded projects as a part of reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA); and volunteered for two years an agriculture extension technician with the US Peace Corps in Madagascar. 

Engle grew up on a 5th generation, small family farm in Michigan’s Osceola County. He earned a Master of Public Administration at Grand Valley State University, an undergraduate degree in urban and regional planning at Michigan State University and holds several technical and leadership certificates.

Neil Schlick is a Michigan native, University of Michigan graduate, and resident of Ann Arbor for nearly 20 years, which he acknowledges still does not make him a "townie" by Ann Arbor standards. He has been working in food service and systems for more than a decade, and currently serves as the tech guru, accounts payable manager, and systems analyst for Argus Farm Stop - a role he typically refers to as "Bean Counter." As a member of the Argus team, Neil has pursued a lifelong philosophical interest in user interface experience to identify growth areas and implement improvements to Argus' customer communications and point-of-sale systems, to the benefit of shoppers and staffers alike.  

Noah Fulmer is a Senior Fellow at Fair Food Network, a non-profit focused on the power of food to advance the health, wealth and resilience of communities. Noah supports Fair Food Network’s strategy and incubates new projects. Recently Noah is working with states, advocates and policymakers to enhance fruit and vegetable incentive programs, often called Double Up Food Bucks, to improve delivery and reach for SNAP participants. Previously, Noah co-founded and led Farm Fresh Rhode Island, an organization that develops and operates local food system programs to enhance the environment, health and quality of life in the nation’s smallest state. Noah is based in Toronto. 

Patrick D. Randolph is an educator turned aspiring farmer with a deep commitment to sustainable agriculture. After earning a degree in education from the University of Missouri and a master’s in education from Loyola University Chicago, Patrick built a career focused on empowering the next generation of leaders, specifically through his work at The Aspen Institute. 

In 2021, he took a leap into agriculture, driven by a love for regenerative practices and a vision for healing the land using natural methods. Now, Patrick dreams of opening a Farm Stop in Madison, Wisconsin—a place where small-scale farmers can thrive and neighbors can easily access fresh, local food. He sees this as a way to uplift farmers, strengthen community connections, and make eating local food a simple and accessible choice for everyone. 

In his freetime Patrick can be found competing in Ironman triathlons, fumbling his way through woodworking projects, or spending time with his wife Allie and daughter Maisie. 

Paul Freedman has a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and worked as a seasonal park ranger in Acadia National Park before moving to Ohio from New Jersey for graduate school in September of 1994. He started working for the City of Columbus as an extern while pursuing a Master’s in City and Regional Planning at the Ohio State University. After graduating in 1996, Paul was hired by the City of Columbus as a Senior Planner in the Planning Division of the Department of Development. 

He has worked for the City of Columbus in various capacities over his career, with duties that have ranged from GIS mapping and network server support to area plan development and implementation to building and zoning code development to floodplain management. Paul returned part-time to the Ohio State University in 1998 and completed his studies for a M.A. in Public Administration in 2000. 

Paul’s most recent work for the City of Columbus was as a Planning Manager in the Zoning Section of the Department of Building and Zoning Services from 2001 until 2023, where he managed the Code Development and Special Projects Section. From assisting in the development of new codes, zoning codes and regulations, to creating entire new zoning districts, his projects covered the entire range of zoning and public administration. 

Today, Paul is excited to be working for Rural Action based out of the Athens, Ohio, area helping to implement and initiate the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center cooperatively with over a dozen other partner organizations and stakeholder groups, one of 12 Regional Food Business Center (RFBC) nationwide. Paul, along with his wife Cynthia, are beekeepers and owners of a small winery that specializes in cider, honey, and fruit wines, giving him the perspective of also being a value-added agriculture product producer. 

Rebecca Gray’s introduction to local produce and farmers came from her work with the Columbia Farmers Market in Columbia, Missouri. Through this role she developed a passion for local, fresh produce and supporting local producers. Rebecca earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Service and Community Development from Black Hills State University with the intention of managing a farmers market full-time.
She is passionate about non-profit work and through the National Civilian Community Corps has worked with multiple Habitat for Humanity affiliates, Sherwood Forest Camp for low-income students and Cuivre River State Park, repairing and maintaining an equestrian and hiking trail.
An avid backpacker, she recently completed a 2,100 mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail and is now excited to plant her roots in Huntington.
In her role as The Wild Ramp’s Director, Rebecca intends to build upon efforts toward greater equity and access among farmers market operators and consumers, so that they in turn may foster a more equitable community and food system.

Rial Carver is a Rural Grocery Extension Specialist with K-State Research and Extension. Rial earned her Master of Regional and Community Planning from Kansas State University in 2019. Prior to moving to Kansas, Rial worked as the Sustainability Coordinator at Virginia Tech Dining Services where she increased local food sourcing, implemented composting initiatives, and initiated a reusable to-go container program. She received a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning with a minor in Civic Agriculture and Food Systems from Virginia Tech. Rial and her husband enjoy exploring the great outdoors with their pup, Cora, and gardening at the Manhattan Community Gardens. Rial has worked with the RGI team in various capacities since 2017. 

Richard Dubke, a Senior Financial Services Officer at GreenStone F Farm Credit, where I have dedicated eight years of service. A 2017 graduate of Michigan State University, I was born and raised on my family farm in Southeast Michigan, where I remain actively involved in farming operations. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy spending time outdoors and coaching high school baseball. 

Russ Kaercher, American Temperature Services

Rosie Estes has worked with Argus Farm Stop since 2018. Rosie currently serves as the Packard Market Assistant Store Manager and co-manages Argus Farm Stop's collection of subscriptions and wholesale accounts. Along with these roles, Rosie is a member of the food access team, working to increase fresh, locally grown food for all by partnering with community organizations.  In addition to seven years with Argus Farm Stop, Rosie's experience working on several southeast Michigan farms is woven into her holistic understanding of our regional food system. Rosie strives to build a strong, equitable, and resilient community through growing the local agriculture economy. 

Sasha Unruh spent 25 years as either the GM or owner of a chain of action sport retail stores and specialty sporting goods store in San Diego. He made the switch to the other side of the counter and now spends his days helping our customers navigate the crazy works of retail and understanding all that is involved in running your business effectively. He specializes in teaching customers the tricks of the trade and bringing them up to speed on data analysis or working through the Open to Buy and teaching all that RetailEdge POS software has to offer. When he is not nose down in an excel file, he can be found in the back country hiking and camping and enjoying time off grid.

Seth Seeger has been writing software for nearly 30 years. Local food and food systems are important to him, and he and his family have spent years connecting to the local food system in their area. He truly enjoys supporting projects that bring together communities with their local food and local products.  

Tess Rian is a manager at Argus Farm Stop as well as a leader on their Food Access Team. Originally from Minnesota, Tess brought her excitement for local food and her passion for equity and justice to the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. Here she has found the powerful combination of working for justice within food systems. Tess helped establish a yearly round up at the register to support food access at Argus, and she works collaboratively with other team members to bring more people into the local food economy. Always interested in building relationships and community, Tess is a volunteer at We The People Opportunity Farm and a board member at Growing Hope, both located in her new hometown of Ypsilanti.

Will Moyer started with Argus Farm Stop in 2019. He now runs Argus’s online store, subscription programs, and wholesale accounts. Prior to working at Argus, Will spent several years working on and managing mixed vegetable farms all over the Eastern half of the U.S. and earned a Master’s in watershed management. While at Argus he helped create and operate the online grocery store and established a year-round weekly produce box program that packs over 10,000 boxes annually. Will is deeply interested in creating and expanding new markets for local farms, allowing farmers to do what they do best- grow great food. His favorite phrase is “Yeah, we can sell that for you!”