Minnesota Farmers' Market Association - 2024 MFMA Annual Conference SPEAKERS

Minnesota Farmers' Market Association

2024 MFMA Annual Conference Speakers

Speaker	Bio
Allison Beauregard	Allison Beauregard joined the Ag Marketing and Development Division at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in 2022. She provides administrative support to the Commodity Council Coordinator, handling tasks like checkoff refund applications and organizing council elections. Beyond her work with the Commodity Councils, Allison oversees the AGRI Beginning Farmer Farm Business Management Scholarship program, Farm Safety Cost-Share programs and assists with the Farmers' Markets Nutritional Program.
Ka Zoua Berry	Ka Zoua is a Hmong American Immigrant farmer where she and her husband are farming Honey Bees, fruits and vegetables on their 1/8 acre homestead in Maplewood. Ka Zoua lives in Maplewood with her husband and 4 children. She has a Masters in Exercise Science and a Masters in Nutrition Education. She is a trained Restorative Circle Facilitator specializing in cultural conflict and communication. She believes that it should be a right to grow your own food no matter where you live. Culturally connected foods and culturally connected health practices are important to her. She hopes to be able to continue to help shape the work of food equity and justice through her connections, knowledge, education, experiences, and lifestyle. She is also the Farm Director of The Food Group where she oversees the sustainable farming programs. Some of those programs are the incubator training program-- Big River Farms, Agrisolar, and the Emerging Farmers Conference.
Ben Carman	Ben grew up in Grand Meadows and attended RCTC in Rochester. He joined the Rochester Farmers Market as manager in 2021. Rochester boasts a year-round market and "provides local access to quality farm products and strengthening the ties between family farms and the community."
Naima Dhore	Naima is a first-generation farmer, activist and educator committed to look after mother earth and community building. She is the Program Director at Somali American Farmers Association, where she supports the next Somali American farmers and the owner of Naima’s Farm LLC. Naima is passionate about organic farming and inspiring young people to become future farmers, specifically people from immigrant communities in Minnesota. As director, Naima’s vision comes from creating access to Farmers’ Market to disadvantaged communities. Among other factors, lack of access hinders their ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables locally. By addressing this disparity in accessing green space, Naima is able to help those facing food insecurity while continuing to educate immigrant communities providing nutrition education workshops at public forums about sustainable agricultural practices, organic farming techniques, and spreading awareness on healthy eating habits as well as the environmental, health impact in the community across the state of Minnesota.
Mallory Forseth	Mallory joined Minnesota Grown in November 2021 as Program Manager. She has more than a decade of experience in marketing, program management, and food systems, including three years in management of a farmers' market. She was raised in a family of small dairy farmers in Southwest Minnesota and is thrilled at the opportunity to promote and support the incredible farmers, growers, and food producers that make up Minnesota Grown’s membership. Mallory holds an M.A. in International Development from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. At Minnesota Grown, Mallory manages member services including Minnesota Grown logo licensing, online directories, marketing and promotional materials for members, the Cost Share program, the member newsletter, and more. She also manages Minnesota Grown's print materials and presence at events.
Justa Heinen-Kay	Justa is a social entrepreneur, biologist, and educator who is passionate about creating a more equitable and sustainable world through novel business solutions. Justa currently serves as co-director of BrightSide Produce, a Twin Cities based nonprofit organization that is dedicated to alleviating food insecurity by expanding access to affordable fresh produce. Justa also co-founded and co-leads Chumisa Community Composting, a grassroots vermicomposting NGO in Cape Town, South Africa that reduces food waste while creating fertilizer to support urban farmers. In addition, Justa is an evolutionary biologist who has published over 25 peer-reviewed scientific articles, been awarded 2 National Science Foundation grants, and has taught biology courses at the University of St. Thomas, University of Minnesota, and Tulane University. She earned her PhD from North Carolina State University, and will be completing her MBA in Dec 2024 from the University of St. Thomas.
Christina Illiev	Christina has worked with the State of Minnesota since 2011, the last 5 years with MDA as Commodity Councilor Coordinator, and in charge of the Senior / Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
Alicia Jackson	In love with the concept of balance, Alicia first saw yoga as a natural counterpart to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts in 2011 and hasn’t looked back since. Alicia completed teacher training in 2017, a 30 hour advanced sequencing training in 2018, a 75-hour advanced level training called “The Art of Teaching Kula Style Yoga: or deconstructing creative alignment based flow with intelligence and precision” in 2019, and trauma informed teacher training in 2020. Her approach to yoga is focused on developing a symbiotic relationship between movement and breath. Allowing space for the body to work as a whole is near and dear to her heart. An exuberant and inquisitive individual, Alicia strives to bring both characteristics into her classes. In addition to yoga, Alicia also loves contortion, rock climbing, reading, HIIT, and tennis. She is thrilled to be teaching and hopes to see you soon.
Chloe Johnson	Chloe Forkner Johnson is Farm Common's Staff Attorney. She has a dozen years of legal experience working with clients and in advocacy positions. As an agricultural attorney, Chloe has advised farmers on small business formation, zoning, and real estate issues. At Farm Commons, Chloe ensures the agricultural community receive sharp legal analysis as she writes newsletters, books, guides, and supports curriculum development. Chloe comes from a farming background, having farmed for many seasons on diversified vegetable and flower farms in her home state, Georgia, and North Carolina. She's worked at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, providing technical assistance to farmers on GAP certification and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance. Chloe also proudly served as a Public Defender early in her legal career and later worked to develop equity programs for lawyers and court systems with a nonprofit in Raleigh, NC. Chloe earned her bachelor's degree from New College of Florida and her law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, GA. Chloe lives in a community on land traditionally part of the territory of the Saponi people in the Piedmont of what is now the state of North Carolina.
Sam Lindblad	Sam Lindblad is a Food Justice Specialist with Community Action Duluth's food access program, Seeds of Success. She helps operate two farmers markets (Lincoln Park Farmers Market & the Central Hillside Farmers Market), the Community Mobile Market, and stewards a deep winter greenhouse and urban growing space in the Duluth area. Sam has a diverse background in farming, grocery, and food access and brings a love for community building and local food!
Derek Meyers	Derek Meyers and his wife Laura created and now own and operate Imminent Brewing, in Northfield, MN. After receiving a masters degree in political science from Colorado State University, starting a brewery was the obvious choice. Imminent quickly became a gathering place for the community and with the business well established, Derek was able to put his attention towards other things and took on the role of manager for the Riverwalk Market Fair in May of 2024. Much like Imminent, Riverwalk is a staple of Northfield and Derek has relished the opportunity to be a part of another great gathering space, bringing his experience with the business and connections in the community to the position. He's still trying to figure out how to make use of his degree.
Joe Nowak	Joe is FM360 co-founder and PhD Candidate, University of Minnesota.
Anna Richardson	The Good Acre food hub supports small-scale farms in MN and WI by offering a combination of personalized support and market development. Anna leads TGA's market development programs, including their farm-to-institution work and direct-to-consumer sales. The Good Acre prioritizes expanding opportunities for growers who have been historically excluded from wholesale markets, especially growers of color. Since 2020, the hub has seen major growth in the farm to hunger relief sector, and is humbled to be able to connect folks facing hunger with high-quality, locally-grown food. As a small-and-growing wholesale operation, The Good Acre has held their own LFPA grant and has also been a primary vendor for a handful of food shelves operating awards of their own. Anna will speak to their experience as an aggregator/hub, specifically about the reimbursement process and the opportunities she sees for market access for TGA's grower partners if the program continues.
Bret Shaw	Bret is an Environmental Communication Specialist for the Division of Extension and a professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He focuses on planning, implementing, and evaluating social marketing campaigns dealing with natural resource management issues such as water quality, land use, and environmental conservation. He teaches courses on social marketing, environmental communication, and science communication. Shaw received his Ph.D. in Mass Communication at UW–Madison, where his teaching and research experience related to strategic communication. After completing his graduate work, he worked as a market research manager in the technology industry in California.
Lindsay Stauner	As an environmental communicator, I like to approach complex challenges such as sustainability and climate change mitigation with empathy and curiosity. My rural upbringing taught me the value of community and the beauty of nature. These lessons have led me to life of sustainability, communication, education, and community-building. The global search for environmental solutions is never-ending. It calls for my creative problem-solving skills and ability to connect individuals to a common goal. My diverse background comprised of youth leadership organizations, agricultural labor, higher education technology support, agricultural education, marketing communications, corporate sales support, and environmental public service has given me the ability to form meaningful relationships with people from all walks of life. I believe my enthusiasm for community and environmental justice illuminates all my work. I know how to meet people where they’re at and work with their unique strengths to help build a better tomorrow for us all.
Friendly Vang-Johnson	Friendly Vang-Johnson is MFMA's Government Affairs Director. Friendly grew up in the Frogtown neighborhood of Saint Paul, farming in Rosemount, and at markets all across the Twin Cities. She holds a Master's of Public Policy from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and served two decades as a federal performance auditor and investigator. During the height of COVID, she founded Friendly Hmong Farms, a social enterprise business that supports local Hmong and other Black, Indigenous, and people of color farmers and communities. Her body of work has included value chain coordination, public policy advocacy, research, and technical assistance/coaching/mentoring to farmers. Friendly considers what she does an exercise in community solidarity; she believes that farmers' markets and local, regenerative agriculture are cornerstones for food sovereignty.
Raji Vela	Raji Vela: Founder, Documentary Filmmaker, and Emerging Farmer Raji Vela is the founder of ROQA Productions, a creative production agency, and serves as the creative lead for video production at Organic Valley. A documentary filmmaker and emerging farmer, Raji is passionate about storytelling and sustainable agriculture, effectively bridging the gap between innovative media and food systems. As a filmmaker, Raji has created impactful short-form documentaries that amplify the voices of underrepresented communities, including Black farmers and local agricultural entrepreneurs. These films highlight their challenges, achievements, and vital contributions to the broader food ecosystem. In their role at Organic Valley, Raji leads the creative vision for video content that advocates for regenerative farming practices and emphasizes the importance of pollinator-friendly environments. These innovative campaigns engage audiences and foster connections with the values of organic food systems. As an emerging farmer, Raji brings a unique perspective to the Minnesota Farmers Market Association (MFMA), combining firsthand experience in sustainable farming with a comprehensive understanding of how media can drive meaningful change.
Sina War	Sina War has extensive experience as the former Market Manager and Director of Programs & Partnerships at Minneapolis Farmers' Market. Sina excels in enhancing food access, community engagement, and effective communication. She played a key role in overseeing Minnesota's largest farmers' market, fostering interactions between farmers and vendors, and promoting local, sustainable food. As the Engagement & Inclusion Director at MFMA, Sina's unwavering dedication extends to the support of farmers' markets, food hubs and small-scale farmers. She actively forges creative partnerships that embrace diverse communities within Minnesota's agricultural landscape. Sina's responsibilities encompass not only raising consumer awareness, providing educational opportunities, and advocating for sustainable and equitable food systems but also fostering inclusive collaborations that enrich the agricultural community. Sina is currently leading on: MFMA Grow Your Green - Profitability Coach Emerging Farmers Conference Committee LSP Emerging Farmer & Land Access Policy Working Group MDA & MDE Farm To School Institute Coach Kare11 Community Advisory Council MISA Board Nominating Committee & Sustainer MidCity Farmers' Market - Co-Founder
Sarah Warmka	Sarah is president & CEO of the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce, and manages the marketing for the New Ulm Farmers Market.
Betsy Wentz	Betsy Wentz farms with her family outside of Cannon Falls on their produce farm Rotational Roots. Their focus is on sustainably growing vegetables and meat in a way that is regenerative for the soil and healthiest for the consumer. They do not use pesticides, insecticides, or hormones. Betsy also serves as marketing manager of Riverwalk Market Fair in Northfield.
Jill Westfall	Jill has been with Hunger Solutions Minnesota (now merged with The Food Group) since 2015. She is now the Statewide Food Access Manager.
Margaret Wiatrowski	Margaret has a background in horticulture and habitat restoration. She managed the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Hemp Program from 2016-2021. Margaret was the general manager for Hemp Acres, a hemp food and fiber processor in Waconia, from 2021-2023. She returned to state employment in 2023 to manage compliance and enforcement activities for the Office of Cannabis Management.
Leo Yair	Leo grew up on a coffee farm in Colombia. His parents and grandparents were also coffee farmers, so it runs in the family. Growing coffee is a business that requires dedication, diligence and passion. Generation by generation, these values continue to flourish in the region where he grew up since coffee production is one of the main economic activities there. When Leo came to the United States for the first time, he learned that coffee is a big deal. The world consumes it for multiple reasons, and coffee is very important to Americans. Studies show that coffee increases energy levels, burns fat by jump-starting the body's metabolism, improves productivity and brain function. Drinking coffee together is also a way for family, friends and colleagues to connect. "Norte Café is a dream come true. I always wanted to be able to create value for the society. And what better way than by creating a brand that offers the best coffee in the world? Norte Café is a source of coffee information, so you know what you are drinking, where it comes from, and the faces behind the production," notes Leo.
Rivianna Zeller	I have held many roles, identities, and relationships throughout my life. The ones that currently guide me are my identities as a dancer, a farmer, a mixed-race person, and a gender performance artist. I'm blessed to be in relationships that make me an auntie, a cousin, a nephew, and dog dad. Currently I work as the Farm Distributions Supervisor at Dream of Wild Health, and am settling into my 3rd growing season with this organization. I have been working in the Minneapolis native community since 2020, and worked in professional kitchens for 7 years. I feel grateful for the ways this role allows me to combine that experiential knowledge, as well as my academic experience studying education.
Kathy Zeman	Kathy started working with MFMA in September 2012. She is also the owner of Simple Harvest Farm in Nerstrand. Kathy has spent most of her career in food farming and brings those connections to MFMA, which has helped MFMA build strong collaborations with diverse groups and has paved the way for successful public policy efforts. Kathy is determined that MFMA achieves its mission and vision of building a thriving local foodshed. Following the COVID pandemic, MFMA earned the national Gus Schumacher award from the Farmers Market Coalition, in recognition of MFMA's work to keep farmers and farmers' market open to grow food and feed their communities. Kathy brings MFMA leadership to numerous groups: Chair of the Food Innovation Team of the Minnesota Food Safety and Defense Taskforce Steering committee of the statewide Local Food Advisory Committee Member of the Sustainers Coalition for the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture Secretary of the Minnesota Grown Promotion Group Appointee to the Minnesota Department of Health's HEAL Council (Health Equity Advisory and Leadership) Founding member of The Wifery Livestock Skills Consortium