Greetings EcoFarm Friends and Community! We hope you are enjoying this gorgeous summer here in California or wherever you might be. On behalf of the Ecological Farming Association’s Board of Directors, I want to inform you about the important leadership transition underway, as we pursue new opportunities to heighten our contributions to the burgeoning ecological and organic agriculture and food movements.
This spring, EcoFarm’s Executive Director, Ken Dickerson, left the organization. We are grateful for Ken’s extensive, dedicated service to our organization as the Executive Director, former Board member and Board President. We wish him well in his future endeavors!
The Board is pleased to announce Jan Derecho as our new Interim Executive Director. She will provide leadership during this transition and assist with the Board’s national search for a permanent Executive Director. Jan comes to EcoFarm with a wealth of experience in event planning, organizational development, and financial management in the non-profit and banking sectors. Most recently, she was the Santa Cruz Symphony’s Executive Director where she developed diverse business and community relationships that sustain the Symphony. Jan is working closely with the staff, Board, and Planning Committee to produce an amazing 2017 EcoFarm Conference – “Cultivating Diversity.”
We are also excited to announce the addition of two new board members. Kathy Webster is the Food Advocacy Director for TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation/LeftCoast GrassFed in Pescadero. Javier Zamora is a former Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) farmer and the owner/operator of JMS Organics in Aromas. We look forward to their contributions and assistance in expanding the reach and success of EcoFarm. The Board would also like to express our appreciation and gratitude to Jesse Cool and Thomas Wittman who have transitioned off the Board to venture forward into new life opportunities. Luckily, both have pledged their continued involvement with EcoFarm.
As always, the Board thanks you for your ongoing support! Without your enthusiastic participation, our success as an organization and as a conference would not be possible.
Warmly,
Jean Cooper
President
2016 EcoFarm Board of Directors
Jean Cooper, President
Dru Rivers, Vice President
Lisa J. Bunin, Ph.D., Treasurer
Hallie Ochoa, Secretary
Hansel Kern
Molly Nakahara
Steve Sprinkel
Kathy Webster
Javier Zamora