Welcome

VP of Organizational Vitality & Trade Advocacy
Organically Grown Company
Portland, OR

Since 2005, Natalie has worked with cross-departmental teams to integrate sustainable practices across OGC and lead’s OGCs organic trade advocacy efforts. She has been on the faculty for the Institute for Sustainable Environment at the University of Oregon, was the first Executive Director of the Sustainable Food Trade Association and currently serves on numerous organic advisory boards. In 2013, Natalie shifted her focus to include “organizational vitality”. She leads human resources ensuring organizational alignment with OGCs unique “shared-ownership” culture, strategic talent management and organizational development activities. Her latest area of focus is how to bring social-environmental mission and stakeholders, into the ownership structure and financing of mission driven businesses, and she is pioneering new models.

Diana worked at PCC Natural Markets (PCC) from 2002 to 2016 and serving the co-op in community relations, communications and sustainability roles. Her background includes several years in banking and media focused primarily on marketing and market research. She earned her undergraduate degree in secondary education from the State University of New York at Oneonta and an MBA from the University of Puget Sound. Her best work and happiest work has been the raising of her son and daughter, both of whom held their first jobs at PCC. Diana is a founding member of the SFTA board.

Vice President of Communications
Organic Trade Association
Washington, DC

Tessa serves as a creative leader on OTA’s Integrated Marketing and Communications team where she is responsible for implementing a corporate communications strategy to advance OTA’s mission across its various trade audiences. She has an MBA in Organizational and Environmental Sustainability from Antioch University New England and a triple-major undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts. OTA, an umbrella organization uniting more than 7,000 member companies across the entire supply chain, promotes and protects today’s $39 billion organic sector.

Manager of Corporate Sustainability
WhiteWave Foods
Louisville, CO

At WhiteWave Foods, a leading organic and natural foods company with such well-known brands as Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, Earthbound Farms, and Horizon Organic, Hansel’s focus areas include ethical sourcing, packaging innovation, resource conservation, and consumer engagement. He received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health from Oregon State University and an MBA in Sustainable Business with a focus in Food Systems Management from Marylhurst University.

Sustainability Coordinator
LifeSource Natural Foods
Salem, OR

Michelle Suess has a combined passion for great food and environmental sustainability. She puts her degrees in biology and environmental science to use as sustainability coordinator, recycling coordinator, and health and safety administrator at LifeSource Natural Foods and on the board of Directors for the SFTA. Seven years into a formal sustainability program and five annual sustainability reports later, LifeSource has come a long way toward understanding and accomplishing its sustainability goals and was honored to recently be named the 8th Best Green Business to Work for in Oregon. Michelle is excited to share the work LifeSource is doing with the larger community.

Sustainability Consultant
Good Company
Eugene, OR

Kelly specializes in technical and market research, sustainability and greenhouse gas assessments and sustainability program development. Kelly has worked on over 50 greenhouse gas inventories for international food processors, food distributors, transit agencies, municipal government operations and entire communities. She is an adjunct instructor at the University of Oregon teaching environmental assessment and is an MBA candidate at Oregon State University. Good Company helps clients from around the country and the globe to measure, manage and market their sustainability performance.

Director of Sustainability
Annie’s, Inc.
Berkeley, CA

Shauna Sadowski is responsible for Annie’s sustainability strategy, including sustainability reporting, education, and supply chain impacts, with a particular emphasis on food and farming programs. In prior years, Shauna has been a management consultant and a farm girl; she is a graduate of the Friedman School at Tufts University and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Berkeley with her husband, daughters and boisterous Boston Terrier.

Sustainability Manager
Wholesum Family Farms
Nogales, AZ

Hannah inspires a spirit of responsibility by coordinating sustainability projects at organic farms in Arizona and Mexico and helping suppliers work toward Fair Trade certification. Working across languages, cultures, and stakeholder groups, her work helps grow a more sustainable Wholesum from the roots up. A native Arizonan, Hannah loves deciphering Spanglish on the border and listening to thunder from the monsoon rains.

Director of Organic and Sustainable Agriculture
Stonyfield Farm
Londonderry, NH

Prior to 2011, Britt spent five years as an agricultural policy specialist for Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, D.C. She holds a Master of Science in Agriculture, Food, and Environment from Tufts University. Together with Stonyfield co-founder and chair Gary Hirshberg and Dr. Charles Benbrook, she co-authored Label It Now, a book that makes the case for labeling genetically engineered foods. Britt also serves on the board of the New Hampshire Conservation Law Foundation, and as an Advisor to AGree. She has worked on organic farms in Maine, Massachusetts, and Colorado, and is an avid fiddle player.

Sustainability, Research & Grant Manager
Organic Valley
La Farge, WI

Jonathan works at the nexus of energy, water and food systems to promote farmland stewardship and improve ecosystem health while contributing to robust local food systems. He leads the Organic Valley sustainability department’s efforts in natural resource conservation, renewable energy production, environmental research and employee engagement. His experience spans sustainability strategy, non‐profit management, food systems policy, renewable energy and green design. Jonathan is active in international sustainability collaborations. He previously served on the board of the land conservation non-profit, Valley Stewardship Network. Jonathan earned his MA in Environment & Community from Antioch University Seattle.

Agromeris LLC
Estero, FL

With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Peter works closely with leading businesses and organizations on market and business development projects at Agromeris, an advisory firm that focuses on the unique needs of the specialty food and agricultural marketplace. Previously, Peter was the Director of International Business Development at SunOpta, a leading U.S. food processor. He was the founder and president of Soyatech, a consulting and publishing company of the annual Soya & Oilseed Bluebook. Currently, he also serves on the board of the World Soy Foundation, and sits on technical committees of the Organic Trade Association.

Facilities and Sustainability Manager
Chico Natural Foods Cooperative
Chico, CA

Brionne earned an interdisciplinary degree in Human Rights & Environmental Advocacy from California State University, Chico with minor in Statistics in early 2011. During her time as a student, she worked for the Recycling and Sustainability offices on campus and served as the Zero-Waste Coordinator for the university. In 2011 she joined the Lundberg Family Farms team as their Environmental Coordinator. She has since moved on to work with Chico Natural Foods Cooperative as their Facilities & Sustainability Manager. She has served on the SFTA BOD since 2013.

Sustainability Manager
Nature’s Path Foods
Richmond, BC, Canada

At Nature’s Path Foods, a leader in the organic food sector for over 25 years, Jason leads the efforts to achieve its ambitious sustainability goals such as Zero Waste 2015 and Climate Neutral 2020. He has over 10 years of experience working to support sustainable food systems, and obtained his MBA is Sustainable Business in 2008 from Pinochet University. He is a passionate foodie who loves spending his free time cooking in his kitchen with his family.