Staff

Lori Stern

Executive Director (she | her)
lori.stern@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 702
Lori’s background includes work related to community and environmental health, social justice, and food access. From 2014 to 2020, she brought all those things into focus through her farm-to-table restaurant, Cow & Quince, a community-supported restaurant in New Glarus, Wisconsin. She lives with her wife, LeAnn, on a small farm near Monticello, Wisconsin, where they grow vegetables and raise chickens and goats.

Alexandria Baker

Development and Communications Director (she | her)
alexandria.baker@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 700
Ali has a background in environmental advocacy, food, and farming. Prior to Marbleseed, she worked at Clean Wisconsin, on a number of urban and rural farms, as an editor, and also served on the Board of Groundswell Conservancy. Ali lives in SE Wisconsin with her daughter, partner, and dog Yoko.

EMILY BEATON

Communications Specialist (she | her)
emily.beaton@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 Ext. 723
As Communications Specialist at Marbleseed, Emily is passionate about cultivating authentic connections and sharing stories that strengthen the organic farming movement. As a farmer herself, her work is deeply rooted in the rhythms of life at Fairhaven Farm near Duluth, Minnesota. There she and her husband John grow vegetables and flowers, raise Icelandic sheep, host wood-fired pizza nights, and offer on-farm educational experiences that connect people with food, farming, and community.

Sarah Broadfoot

Operations Director
sarah.broadfoot@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 706
Sarah has a degree in horticulture from the University of Minnesota and owns a small landscaping business. She enjoys spending time growing, cooking, and eating delicious foods. She lives Downsville, Wisconsin with her partner, Drew, and their three cats. Their property that adjoins family land where they manage prairie, woodland, and wetlands.

Sofia Caracci

Farmer Education Specialist
sofia.caracci@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 721
A UIC Mellon Scholar with a BA in Food Systems, Sofia brings expertise in communications, grassroots advocacy, and environmental literacy. With experience working with the Organic Farmers Association, Chicago Food Policy Action Council, and the Wicker Park Farmers Market, she has supported initiatives that amplify access to local food and strengthen farmer networks.

MAYA DEUTCHMAN

Organic Transition Resources Coordinator
maya.deutchman@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737
Maya has a background in education, farming, advocacy, and communications work, and she is excited to draw upon these experiences for her work with Marbleseed. She is passionate about growing food and working toward a world where all people have access to the food they need to live healthy, fulfilled lives. Maya lives in Minneapolis, where she spends her time farming, sharing meals with friends, and exploring Minnesota's lakes.

Tay Fatke

Farmer Education Manager (he | him)
tay.fatke@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 724
Tay’s prior experiences include on-farm food safety, organic certification and quality management systems. He lives with his partner in Milwaukee and during the growing season he farms with his parents growing produce for local restaurants while slowly but surely planting a diverse orchard. He enjoys being active outside, eating good food and helping family farmers thrive.

Alpa Goswami

Program Director (she | her)
alpa@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 727
Alpa’s background includes working in food security issues using environmentally sustainable practices and culturally appropriate vegetables in food deserts and other underserved communities. Alpa currently lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, two teenagers and two cats. In her spare time, she likes to serve her community through the Parks and Natural Resources Commission, Dakota County Chamber Foundation and doing yoga with neighbors.

Sam Gutierrez

Operations and Events Coordinator
sam.gutierrez@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 726
For over the past decade Sam has worked with multiple cooperatives and food service industries focused on local, organic, & sustainable food systems. He’s a co-founder of the South Central Wisconsin Hemp Co-operative and joins Marbleseed after working for the Creative Team at E.l.f. Beauty. Originally from Chicago, he earned his degree in Playwriting and Directing and is an avid supporter of the arts.

Tom Manley

Climate and Conservation Director/Organic Conservation Specialist
thomas.manley@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 704
Tom and his wife own a 40-acre homestead farm near Spring Valley, Wisconsin. They are working to develop a permanent, woody perennial-based system with alley cropping and grazing. He hopes to someday earn the title of “Gentleman Farmer.” He enjoys running, winemaking, and woodworking.

Sara Mooney

Conservation Outreach Specialist
sara.mooney@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 716
Sara was raised in the Milwaukee suburbs. She grew up loving books and horses and earned a degree in Biology from UW-Milwaukee. She and her husband raised a son on a rotational sheep and lamb grazing operation in Southwest Wisconsin while she was also learning and working in hydroponic greenhouse operation and management, farm startups, tiny cheese factories, and collaborative farm management. When not at work, you’ll likely find Sara at the barn with her beloved horses Larry and Lou and her good dog Buster.

Jennifer New

Communications & Policy Manager (she | her)
jennifer.New@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 Ext. 703
Jennifer is a writer with a background in strategic communications, program development, and facilitation. She is completing a graduate-level training in eco-chaplaincy and is passionate about soil and water health. Jen lives in Iowa City, Iowa where she teaches yoga and leads grief support groups.

Victoria Ostenso

Farmer Network Manager
victoria.ostenso@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 722
Victoria is a community organizer, food systems researcher, and aspiring farmer from Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Her most recent roles include Lead Organizer on a ballot campaign to regulate payday lending in Nebraska, Packshed Manager at a diverse vegetable farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Juice & Coffee Barista at an organic café in Key West, Florida. Her research (BA & MSc) has focused on racial and cultural inclusion in food systems spaces, placemaking, and the immigrant experience.

Mercedes Talvitie

Climate and Conservation Program Manager
mercedes.talvitie@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 707
Mercedes’ agricultural roots are in organic vegetable production, but the power of ruminant animals led her to work in dairy sustainability and adaptive grazing. She received her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Virginia and her master’s in environmental conservation from the University of Wisconsin- Madison.

Rachel Wood

Conference & Partnerships Manager
rachel.wood@marbleseed.org
888-906-6737 ext. 701
Rachel began her journey in agriculture during a gap year spent working on an organic farm in Pennsylvania. She went on to earn a degree in Food Systems from the University of Minnesota and she volunteered at the Marbleseed Conference for two consecutive years. After graduating, she relocated to Bellingham, WA, where she restored salmon habitat, supported farm business incubators, and developed community education programs focused on food, farming, and native plants. Now back in the Midwest, Rachel enjoys canoeing, cross-country skiing, and photographing the beautiful landscapes around her. She is thrilled to be managing the Marbleseed Conference, which served as an invaluable resource during her time as a college student.