Alan Lewis is director of government affairs and food and agriculture policy for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, a 60-year-old health food chain operating more than 90 stores in 15 states. He is active in many trade organizations and grassroots groups and sits on the Boulder County Food and Agriculture Policy Council. Lewis’ focus is on communicating with local and federal policymakers using frameworks that are non-confrontational and inclusive but ultimately sustainable. He has lived for extended periods in Portugal, Haiti and Dominica, where he developed an appreciation for the variables of agriculture production and food systems within different geographic, cultural and economic contexts.

 Anthony, a native of the Minnesota–South Dakota prairie border, has deep roots in grasslands and agriculture. His passion for birds began at Salt Lake, a historic prairie basin and birding destination. With nearly 20 years in communications across news media, state natural resource agencies, and conservation nonprofits, he now serves the National Audubon Society’s Conservation Ranching Program. There, he promotes the Audubon bird-friendly land certification and consumer seal on beef and bison products, connecting grazing practices to biodiversity. Anthony also works to strengthen public understanding of rotational grazing as a vital grassland management tool for stabilizing declining bird populations. 

Ben Leber is a retired 10yr NFL Linebacker whom played for the San Diego Chargers (’02-’05), Minnesota Vikings (’06-’10), and St. Louis Rams (2011). He currently works in the Minneapolis/St. Paul media market as a radio and television personality.  For radio, he works exclusively for the #1 Sports Radio in the Nation- FM 100.3 KFAN.  He appears on multiple radio shows every week and he is the radio sideline reporter for all the Minnesota Vikings football games.  On television, he is the co-host for Twin Cities Live, a lifestyle program on the ABC affiliate. Twin Cities Live is the #1 afternoon program in the Twin Cities.  He also appears on the Vikings Entertainment Network and Fox 9 as a team analyst. 

Carrie Balkcom is the Executive Director of the American Grassfed Association. AGA is the National, multispecies entity organized to protect and promote Grassfed and pasture-based farmers and ranchers.  

AGA is the leader in pasture-based production and the oldest grassfed certification in the United States. AGA certifies ruminants, pork and dairy.  

Carrie grew up on a Florida cattle ranch and has stayed connected to the agriculture and livestock industry. She has spoken, presented or coordinated numerous regional and national conferences; and is well known in agricultural, culinary and sustainable agricultural circles.  

AGA has been advocating for a change to the policy of allowing offshore beef to be labeled product of the USA, and through the hard work of a lot of folks including AGA, this egregious mislabeling was added to an executive order signed by President Biden on July 9th, 2021. She is a force and a friend in the industry.  

 Elizabeth Ries has co-hosted Twin Cities Live for 13 years and is a weekly contributor to Minnesota Live. Raised in Apple Valley, she now lives in Minneapolis, where she has spent more than a decade growing food, raising chickens, composting, and cooking. She believes every home—whether with a yard or balcony—can embrace homesteading principles. Elizabeth shares her gardening and kitchen adventures on her blog Home to Homestead. She and her husband, Jay, are proud parents to three active kids. 

Kiss the Ground Co-Founder | Producer of Kiss The Ground & Common Ground films | Partner at The Ryzosphere 

Finian Makepeace is a gifted engaging speaker and educator in the Regenerative Agriculture movement. He brings a rich and vibrant voice to advancing food systems through soil health. He is a presenter, media creator, and leader in the field of regenerative agriculture and soil health. 

Dr. Lundgren is an agroecologist, Director ECDYSIS Foundation, and CEO for Blue Dasher Farm. He received his PhD in Entomology from the University of Illinois in 2004, and was a top scientist with USDA-ARS for 11 years. 

Lundgren’s research and education programs focus on assessing the ecological risk of pest management strategies and developing long-term solutions for regenerative food systems.  

One of his priorities is to make science applicable to end-users, and he regularly interacts with the public and farmers regarding pest and farm management and insect biology. Lundgren’s research and education programs focus on assessing the ecological risk of pest management strategies and developing long-term solutions for sustainable food systems.  

Kevin Ouzts has long been passionate about sharing his Southern-style charcuterie with as many people as possible. Now, with The Spotted Trotter, the Atlanta-based chef is delighting foodies everywhere with his irresistible creations. 

The Spotted Trotter is known for bold and award-winning creations. 

While being equally dedicated to responsible farming. With great respect for the symbiotic relationship between animals and people, The Spotted Trotter raises its livestock humanely and utilizes as much of the animal as possible.  

Patrice Bailey was appointed Assistant Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in June 2019, overseeing Outreach, Agricultural Marketing and Development, Dairy and Meat Inspection, and Food and Feed Safety. A native of Harlem, NY, he holds a B.S. in Agricultural Education from Prairie View A&M University and a Master’s in Agriculture from Iowa State University. Throughout his career—including roles at the University of Minnesota’s CFANS—Bailey has focused on bridging gaps for underrepresented communities of color and advocating for them at the State Capitol. He was instrumental in creating the Emerging Farmers Working Group and the nation’s first Emerging Farmer Office, dedicated to supporting the next generation of diverse farmers.

Dr. Stephan van Vliet is a nutrition scientist at Utah State University with expertise in metabolomics. He earned his PhD in Kinesiology as an ESPEN Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and trained at Washington University in St. Louis and Duke University School of Medicine. His teaching focuses on physiology, nutrition, and metabolism.

Research in the Van Vliet Lab sits at the intersection of agriculture and human health. Collaborating with farmers, ecologists, and agricultural scientists, his team studies how production methods affect nutrient density and health outcomes. Current projects profile beef, bison, milk, blueberries, and almonds raised using different systems, with early findings showing regenerative agriculture can enhance vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The lab is also leading the first randomized controlled trial testing how regenerative food systems impact human health.

Thomas Schroeder, Senior Partnerships Manager, Audubon Conservation Ranching 

Based in Abilene, Texas, Thomas began his Audubon tenure in 2018 as the Audubon Conservation Ranching program manager for Texas. As partnerships manager for Audubon Conservation Ranching, Thomas works with national and state staff, ranchers, market partners, and other agencies and organizations to implement a wide range of programs and practices across the entirety of the Audubon Conservation Ranching program.  

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Thomas has worked as a head chef for Whole Foods Market and as a farm manager at Green Gate Farms in Austin, Texas. Before working at Audubon, Thomas was a sustainable agriculture specialist at the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Central Texas.