SAVANNA INSTITUTE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Breeding Operations Manager
As the Breeding Operations Manager, Adam works with the Tree Crop Improvement Team to transform innovation into application. He is responsible for coordinating data collection, critical field and greenhouse operations, and for performing research to optimize plant life cycles.
Adam received his Master's degree in Plant Breeding & Plant Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where his research focused on breeding for flavor and eating quality in table beets. During his undergraduate education at Rutgers University he worked in a lab breeding European Hazelnuts for disease resistance.
He is an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, a banjo player, and is the Director of Project Pawpaw, a crowdfunded research and breeding initiative dedicated to improving North America's largest native fruit.
Job Titles:
- Thank You Advisor
- Regenerative Economy Program Manager at Sustain Our Future Foundation
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Agroforestry Adoption
Barbara leads a team of program and project manager working to reduce the bariers to agroforestry adoption through increased access to technical assistance and institutional partner farms. She also leads Savanna Institute's Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities grants with The Nature Conservancy and Organic Valley. Originally from France, Barbara has an agronomy masters degree from the Institute Agro Montpellier and a PhD from UW-Madison where she was particularly interested in studying the social aspects of agroforestry.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager Tree Crop Commercialization
- Tree Crop Commercialization Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Administrative Director
- Administrator
Brandi is a seasoned nonprofit administrator who has led or supported dozens of organizations in identifying, procuring, and managing financial and operational resources to effectively execute their missions. As Director of Administration for Savanna Institute, she oversees Operational and Informational systems organization-wide, including Human Resources and Information Technology.
Job Titles:
- President, Center for Humans and Nature - IL
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- Minnesota Agroforestry Technical Trainer
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- Senior Fellow, Aldo Leopold Foundation - WI
Dave assists in the planning and implementation of farm operations within the Savanna Institute's Campus in Spring Green, WI. He specializes in prairie restoration and tree crop field management. He moved to Southern Wisconsin from Central Pennsylvania where he farmed organic vegetables and managed a native plant nursery for the last eight years.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder, Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT - IL
Job Titles:
- Director of Agroforestry Adoption
David leads the Agroforestry Adoption Team, which provides technical support to farmers in Wisconsin and Illinois, and our Spring Green Campus in Wisconsin's Driftless Region. David comes to the Savanna Institute with diverse experiences in organic farming and cooperative marketing, and a MS in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from UW-Madison.
Job Titles:
- Thank You Advisor
- Engineer & Conservationist - WI
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Food System 6 - WI
Job Titles:
- Thank You Advisor
- Founder, Sustainable and Local Food Investment Group - IL
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Partnerships
Devon (she/her/hers) supports collaboration and partnership building across Savanna Institute's programs. As well as working to build relationships and develop projects within the Midwest, she supports the Agroforestry Coalition nationally and manages Tribal engagement with Tribal farms, producers, and governments.
A graduate of Northland College, she managed climate change research for the Bad River Tribe and has worked in assessing long-term forest health in eight states with the National Park Service. Now based in Madison, WI, she enjoys getting outside, baking, and supporting families as a birth doula.
Job Titles:
- Sustainable Ag Outreach Specialist - WI
Dick McFarlane has been part of the third generation of the 100 year old family owned and operated McFarlane Mfg. Co., Inc. in Sauk City, WI since 1985. He received a B.S. from UW-Stout and a M. Div. from Canadian Theological Seminary.
He views land stewardship and ecology as a God given responsibility. He enjoys spending time with Marilyn, his wife of 45 years, 4 children, 3 are married and 10 grandchildren. Interests include traveling, camping, hiking, biking, reading, church and community involvement.
Job Titles:
- Attorney ( Retired ) - NJ
Job Titles:
- Demonstration and Partner Farm Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Spring Green Campus Farm Director
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Development
Job Titles:
- Spring Green Campus Engagement Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of Agroforestry Innovation
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- Founder, Midwestern BioAg - WI
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- Food Policy Coordinator, City of Madison - WI
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- Managing Director, Provenance Capital Group - WI
Job Titles:
- Apprenticeship Program Manager
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- Professor of Environmental Science and Biology, Madison College - WI
Job Titles:
- Director of Research
- Research Agronomist / Agroecologist, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center - WI
Job Titles:
- Demonstration Farms Director
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Impact & Engagement
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Administration
Kathy Dice grew up in the Midwest as a city girl. She graduated from Iowa State University with honors with a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, and has been teaching and implementing conservation practices in Iowa since the early 80's. Married in 1984, she and Tom Wahl bought 56 acres of steep, rugged timberland in Louisa County in 1986. In 2001, they added 31 acres of rolling farmland. Over time they established Red Fern Farm: a farm of fruit and nut producing trees, shrubs and vines. They grow high value tree crops including chestnuts, pawpaws, heartnuts, persimmons, Asian pears, and others. They also operate a small tree nursery. In 2015, Practical Farmers of Iowa awarded Kathy and her husband the Iowa Sustainable Agriculture Achievement. They have received numerous other awards and honors for their work with trees and sustainable agriculture.
Job Titles:
- Bureau Chief, Wisconsin Farm Center, WI Department of Agriculture - WI ( Retired )
Job Titles:
- Lead Scientist & CEO of Canopy Farm Management
Job Titles:
- Agroforestry Research Specialist
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- Attorney, Pines Bach LLP - WI
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- Partner & Designer, Ecological Design - MN
Job Titles:
- Tree Crop Research Specialist
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- Policy Director, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute - WI
Mary Burke has led a varied career ranging from leadership positions in the private, public and nonprofit sectors to currently pursuing a degree in mental health counseling at Marquette University.
Most recently she was CEO and founder of Building Brave, a non-profit that created digital communities to advance and empower women in organizations. Her positions have included Vice President of Finance for Intrepid Corporation, Director of European Operations for Trek Bicycle, and Wisconsin's Secretary of Commerce.
In 2014 she became the first woman to win the nomination for Governor of Wisconsin from a major party. Mary earned her BS in Business Administration at Georgetown University and her MBA from Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Technical Assistance Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Owner, Interlace Agroforestry LLC Director, Interlace Commons Inc
Michael Gold, PhD
Professor, The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri - MO
Job Titles:
- Professor, the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri - MO
Job Titles:
- Food Advocate and Chef ( Former ), Founder, L'Etoile - WI
Job Titles:
- Thank You Advisor
- Midwest Regional Manager, MadAg - WI
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- Owner, White Oak Savanna Events Farm and Sanctuary Principal, G & R Public Law & Strategies - WI
Job Titles:
- Director of Commercialization
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- Professor of Grassland Ecology, University of Wisconsin - Madison - WI
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman of the Board
Job Titles:
- President - CEO, Tree - Range® Farms - MN
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- Assistant Director of Communications
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- Professor, Northeastern Illinois University Partner, Fields Restored Farm - IL
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- Executive Director, Quivara Coalition - NM
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- Founder and Director, the Greenhorns & Agrarian Trust - NY
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- Associate Dean for Research, University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources - MO
Job Titles:
- Thank You Advisor
- Senior Ecologist, Founder, & Chairman, Applied Ecological Services, Inc. - WI
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- Mission Executive ( Retired ), Organic Valley - WI
Job Titles:
- Thank You Advisor
- Owner, Farmhouse Taverns - IL
Job Titles:
- Farm Administration and Business Development Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
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- Associate Professor in Forages and Grazing, University of Wisconsin - Madison - WI
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- Chairman in Southwest Borderlands Food and Water Security, University of Arizona - AZ
Job Titles:
- Professor of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign - IL