Staff
 Maureen Wilmot - Executive Director
Maureen Wilmot is the former deputy director of OFRF (2008-2010) and a trained biologist with strong professional background in policy development,
non-profit management and community activism. Her professional and personal life is focused on sustainability, with an emphasis on organic foods, ocean conservation, and green building. Wilmot holds a B.A. in biology from the University of California Santa Cruz and an M.A. in marine affairs from the University of Rhode Island. She lives with her family in La Selva Beach, Calif.
maureen@ofrf.org
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 Denise Ryan - External Relations Director
Denise leads OFRF’s External Relations Team, which is comprised of development and communications. Denise has extensive strategic marketing experience in the technology, renewable energy, alternative healthcare, natural product and eco-travel industries. Prior to operating her own strategic marketing business, Denise served as Director of Channel Marketing at Oracle Corporation and Executive Director for The Enterprise Network, one of Silicon Valley's most successful entrepreneurial incubators. Denise serves on the Board of the Marina Technology Cluster and several early stage ventures. Denise was the Communications Strategist for Ocean Champions, the leading political voice for ocean health and sustainability and also Marketing Strategist for California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Denise enjoys all things related to the outdoors including surfing, hiking, and skiing. denise@ofrf.org
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Jane Sooby - Research Grants Administrator
Jane manages OFRF's grantmaking program and serves as an information
specialist on organic research. She tracks and documents
organic research and extension activity in the U.S. land grant system,
which is published in OFRF’s State of the States bulletins.
Jane has worked with the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society
and University of Nebraska as a sustainable agriculture organizer
and research technician. Her educational background is in biology
and agronomy.
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 Faith Grant - National Policy Advocate
Faith comes to OFRF from EcoAnalytics, an environmental markets consulting firm focused on sustainable investments. Prior to EcoAnalytics, Faith was a legislative aide to a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. In this role, she was responsible for advising her Member of Congress on all agriculture, natural resources, energy and environment legislation and policy. Faith began her professional career as a financial advisor at American Express in New Orleans, Louisiana. She holds a B.A. in Government from Smith College and an M.A. in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Florida International University in Miami. She is fluent in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese and has a passion for politics, healthy living, the ocean, and travel. Faith is based in the Washington, DC office so that she can better follow legislation and policy developments on Capitol Hill.
faith@ofrf.org |
 Udi Lazimy - National Policy Organizer
Udi helps farmers advocate for federal policies that support organic agriculture. Before coming to OFRF, he ran the farmland preservation and agriculture outreach program for Cascade Land Conservancy in Seattle. Udi has also directed programming for nonprofit conservation and sustainable development organizations across the country and abroad. He holds a Masters in Public Affairs from the University of Colorado-Denver, and a B.A. in Conservation Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. udi@ofrf.org |
 Melissa Hornaday - Great Lakes Organizer
Melissa works on the ground in Michigan and Ohio to ensure that organic family farmers and other diverse stakeholders actively participate in the 2012 Farm Bill process. Before working
with OFRF, Melissa managed a four season, certified organic farm in
Michigan. She has been an active organizer in urban agriculture
initiatives, labor and environmental justice issues statewide. She is
currently a founder and board member of a growing sustainable farmers'
cooperative in Michigan. She hopes to have her own farm in Detroit
City very soon. She holds a B.A. in International Studies, with an
emphasis on agriculture and trade policy, from Michigan State
University. melissa@ofrf.org
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Jessica Finney - External Relations Coordinator Jessica's ten-plus years in non-profit management experience includes board and committee leadership, conferences and education programs, legislative advocacy, marketing and publications. Prior to working with a variety of trade associations, Jessica served as project manager and event planner for a California health improvement initiative administered by the Public Health Institute. Jessica holds a Master's in Public Health from San Francisco State University and is an alumna of the Women’s Health Leadership (a program of the Center for Collaborative Planning). Jessica is currently pursuing her Certified Meeting Planner designation through the Convention Industry Council. She enjoys wandering the Hwy 1 coastline for hidden gems of beaches, hiking trails and delectable edibles. jessica@ofrf.org
 Rachaelle McCorkle - Executive Assistant
Rachaelle received her B.S. in General Biology from UC San Diego in 2006 with a minor in French Literature. Since then, she has worked as project manager at a law firm, research assistant in a pharmaceutical lab, and most recently worked in administration, event planning and management at a local business. She is a relatively new arrival to the Santa Cruz area from Santa Monica, and she is ready to put down roots and grow here in Santa Cruz. Rachaelle chooses organic products because she is allergic to pesticides. She is passionate about public health, advocacy, integrity, red wine, dogs, and Santa Cruz beaches. rachaelle@ofrf.org
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 Mikaela Burns- External Relations Intern
Mikaela recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a B.S. degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Biology. Her last year at UCSB she was part of a research team that examined the Santa Barbara County food system, looking at ways to connect all levels, from farm to fork, and work towards increasing sustainability. She personally focused on the major barriers of lack of access and education people have to healthy, fresh food. Mikaela also studied in Costa Rica, living with a family on their organic shade-grown coffee farm and doing her own research on earthworm abundance in different soil conditions, as well as work with Vermicultures. She is excited to continue her passion in working towards healthy, fresh food for all. Outside of food, Mikaela enjoys running, hiking, and playing soccer. mikaela@ofrf.org |
 Amy Teller - Policy Intern
Amy recently graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota with a B.A. in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on food and agriculture. Her food/ag studies took her to China, where she met wonderful farmers who had started some of the country's first CSAs, and Tanzania, where she conducted her undergrad thesis research on the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change. Amy has also worked domestically on biodiversity conservation on Minnesota farms and studied how variation in bitterness taste perception may make it easier for certain people to maintain a vegetarian diet. She is excited to bring her academic and field research background in agriculture to the policy world and to gaining a better understanding of advocacy, federal policy-making, and how research informs policy. Amy enjoys the outdoors, tennis, live music and theater, and exploring new places – including DC! amyt@ofrf.org
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