Press Releases
Field to Market Welcomes Inaugural Cohort of the Resilient Futures Leadership Program: Financing Sustainable Agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture® is pleased to welcome 29 individuals to the inaugural cohort of the Resilient Futures Leadership Program: Financing Sustainable Agriculture. Developed in partnership with Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, this experience is designed to equip professionals in the finance, agriculture, and sustainability sectors with the skills to scale sustainable agriculture practices.
Joining the 2026 cohort are:
- Allison Randell, Director of Sustainability, American Peanut Council
- Andrew Baskin, Channel Partnership Manager, Arva Intelligence
- Bess Waldram, Project Manager of Corporate Dairy Partnerships, EDF
- Brittany Smith, Senior Agriculture Project Manager, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
- Carlos Romero, Senior Sustainability Manager, Nutrien
- Cassio Ferreira, Head of Digital Value Chain Solutions, Bayer
- Claire Smith, Founder & Managing Director, Tenera Grains
- Elena Bell, Director of Sustainability, Growers Edge
- Eric Moon, Sr. Project Manager of Sustainable Ag, North America, Nutrien
- Erin Leonard, Project Manager, Finance and Markets for Climate Smart Ag, EDF
- Heidi Baxter, Co-Founder, Creekside Carbon
- Janice Bitter, Chief Communications Officer, Farm Credit East
- Jeff Fore, Director of Agriculture and Water, TNC
- Joel Leland, Dairy Program Specialist, TNC
- Johanna Herron, Intertribal Food Business Center Project Director, Intertribal Ag Council
- John Keller, Portfolio Manager of Strategy Department, Intertribal Ag Council
- Kathryn Tomasi, Sustainable Sourcing Specialist, Nestlé Purina PetCare
- Leigh Cooper-Swisher, Director of Sustainability Solutions, Indigo Ag
- Mai Lan Hoang, Senior Research Analyst, Climate Smart Ag, EDF
- Makayla Brister, Federal Relations Manager, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- Mary Fales, Midwest Division of Regenerative Crop System Program Director, TNC
- Matt Hellwig, Regional Vice President – Omaha, CoBank
- Matt Marzolo, Product & Solution Development & Delivery Lead, Adaptation & Resilience Solutions Team, OCP Nutricrops
- Roberta Anderson, President, Global G.A.P.
- Samuel Porter, Agricultural Economist, Minnesota Farmers Union
- Sean McMahon, Global Sustainability Lead, Farmers Edge
- Siva Avvaru, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Farmers Edge
- Sofia Laurent, Assistant Director, Government Relations (Agriculture & Renewable Energy), Roeslein Renewables
- Sydney Miller, Sourcing Specialist for Sustainable Ingredients, Nestlé Purina
Across six months, these individuals will gain a practical understanding of regenerative practices, the agricultural value chain, sustainability indicators, policy signals, and innovative finance mechanisms, while engaging directly with leading voices from finance, agriculture, technology, and academia.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome such an outstanding inaugural cohort to the Resilient Futures Leadership Program,” says Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, President of Field to Market. “This group represents an impressive mix of talent, perspectives, and expertise across finance, agriculture, and sustainability. Their passion and leadership give us great confidence in what’s possible as they work to advance and scale sustainable agriculture practices.”
The program will begin on February 10, 2026 with a virtual orientation, followed by three in-person learning modules that combine classroom training, field-based learning, and expert-led sessions. It will conclude with a completion ceremony during Field to Market’s Annual Meeting on June 3, 2026.
This program would not be possible without the support of our generous partners and sponsors, Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the Walton Family Foundation, CoBank, Farm Credit Council, Farm Credit East, Farm Credit Services of America, AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Compeer Financial, Frontier Farm Credit, and PACT.
Learn more about the program, this year’s cohort, and how you can be involved at: https://fieldtomarket.org/resilient-futures-leadership-program/financing-sustainable-agriculture/