Saulo Araújo has dedicated himself to working for the resource rights of rural and urban communities in Brazil, Mexico and the U.S. In his native country of Brazil, Saulo worked with rural communities in the arid northeast region to develop sustainable water sources and protect local genetic materials. He also worked with water management programs in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. In New England, he has worked with environmental justice groups in inner city neighborhoods, supporting the work of residents to protect open and green spaces, food security and environmental health. Currently, Saulo is a board member of two community-based organizations in Central Massachusetts--Worcester Roots Project and Worcester Earn-a-Bike--and is a member of the Grant-making Committee of the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund (NEGEF). Saulo has a Master's Degree in International Development and Social Change from Clark University.

Melissa Bailey is pursuing her PhD at Tufts in livestock production systems and their impact on the health of water, people and animals located near farm operations. As a "Water and Health" doctoral trainee fellow through the National Institute of Health (NIH) and a candidate to receive a Water: Systems, Science and Society (WSSS) Certificate through Tufts, Melissa is working to integrate the environmental health and agricultural aspects of water science and policy. Her academics have focused her efforts both domestically and in the Central American region through work on watershed assessments and management projects. In addition to academics, Melissa heads up an outreach organization (FEAST: Food Education and Action for Sustainability at Tufts) and is a part-time research analyst for SJH Inc., a Boston-based agribusiness consulting firm.

Eric is a portfolio manager and research analyst at Trillium Asset Management Corporation, a firm dedicated exclusively, to socially and environmentally responsible investing. He is co-manager of the Green Century Balanced Fund, an environmental mutual fund. Eric's research interests include alternative energy, energy efficiency and green real estate. For over ten years he was the editor of Investing for a Better World, Trillium's investment newsletter. Prior to joining Trillium in 1993, he worked for Cultural Survival, a human rights organization focused on indigenous peoples and the environment. He serves on the advisory boards of The Carrot Project, a start-up non-profit working on sustainable agriculture financing, and Interlock Media, a non-profit human rights and environmental media organization. He recently became an active member of Somerville Climate Action. Eric is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder.

ASK Apparel is an organic clothing company that utilizes natural dyeing and other traditional techniques to create fashion forward apparel. Additionally, she is co-founder of Nashville Urban Harvest, a non-profit focused on promoting sustainable agriculture and increasing food security in Middle Tennessee. Through creation and stewardship of an urban community farm and a producer only farmers' market in downtown Nashville, Sarah seeks to inform and create dialogue and partnerships around economically and environmentally viable farming systems and market outlets. Previously, Sarah worked at the Investor Responsibility Research Center as a research analyst on the food and agriculture industries and interned in the Sustainable Enterprise Program at the World Resources Institute, researching business and biotechnology . While an undergraduate in Natural Resources Policy and Management at Cornell University, Sarah managed the student run organic farm and led an elementary school tutoring program through an Americorps grant.

Allison Furbish is the Media Relations Coordinator for King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vermont, America's oldest flour company and premier baking resource. She is also a key member of the company's Stewardship Team, leading its work on social and environmental issues. Allison is the Windsor County Ambassador for Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. She also serves on the Advisory Council of 10 Bricks, a nonprofit organization working to provide guidance and temporary housing in a safe and dignified environment to individuals experiencing homelessness in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire; as well as the Windsor County Juvenile Restorative Panel, designed to give youthful offenders the opportunity to accept responsibility for their actions, make amends to their victims, and explore ways to improve their behavior. Allison is also a freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic.

Laila Goldberg is a project coordinator at The Food Trust, an organization whose mission is to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. Laila joined The Food Trust in 2004 as a project associate for their School Nutrition Program. She currently works on a new initiative to develop a stronger infrastructure for Pennsylvania produce and to ensure that farmers can gain access and better compete in the region's markets. Previously, she worked with Cornell Cooperative Extension's community gardening program in Poughkeepsie, NY and studied abroad in Chile, where she had the opportunity to learn about global food trade through her research of the table grape export industry.

Billie works to strengthen PESTed's connections to communities all across North Carolina, to find and develop activists for pesticide reform, and to help communities win safer local pest management programs and policies. Billie brings a background in education and advocacy to bear in her work, and strives to equip people with the information and skills they need to be confident and effective advocates for change. She serves on the NC State University Integrated Pest Management Committee, and volunteers at the Wake County Boys Club managing a vegetable garden.

Taneshia Nash Laird is the executive director of the Trenton Downtown Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to making Trenton, NJ's capital city, a more competitive location for business owners and a more engaging center for workers, residents and visitors. Taneshia is spearheading TDA's comprehensive initiative to promote the arts, cultural resources, heritage including historic preservation, and natural resources to enhance civic pride, develop tourism, attract business investment and increase economic growth and development in the Capital City region. Gov. Jon Corzine recently appointed Taneshia to be one of five public members of the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Authority. A history buff, Taneshia and her husband Roland co-authored Still I Rise: A Cartoon History of African Americans published by W.W. Norton in 1997. In August 2006 Taneshia had her daughter Imani, reinforcing her commitment to making their home city of Trenton the best that it can be.

Abby Lindsay is a graduate student in Tufts University's Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Program. With an environmental science background, she is now exploring ways that society interacts with the environment, looking at the intersection between government policy, economics, culture, and the natural world. Focusing on Latin American environmental policy, Abby is interested in how global policy impacts local livelihoods, such as with trade policy, agriculture, and climate change. While she has studied and worked throughout the Americas, Abby also immerses herself in her local community. In Virginia last year she led a stakeholder roundtable to instigate regional coordination of bikeways. Whether she is planting a garden with kids in the Amazon, connecting Tufts with the community through working at the Lincoln Filene Center, or holding an Environmental Leaders Roundtable at Tufts, Abby enjoys bringing people together to improve the equity and well-being of society through maintaining the environment.

Teresa Mendez-Quigley is the director of Environmental Stewardship, at Women's Health & Environmental Network in Philadelphia. She is currently working with the health care industry on pollution prevention, toxins reduction, medical waste minimization, electronics, and green building. Teresa serves as the regional coordinator for Health Care Without Harm for the Philadelphia region and Pittsburgh, PA. She also works with childcare centers and schools on greener cleaners. Additionally, she co-owns Healthy Spaces which helps people create a healthier home by addressing biological, chemical and electromagnetic exposures that can harm their health.

Dianne Moore is the Manager of the Healthy Food in Healthcare Program at the Women's Health & Environmental Network. She works with the healthcare sector in the Philadelphia region on sustainable food purchasing and practices, including including rBGH-free milk, locally grown produce, meats/poultry free of hormones and non-therapeutic antibiotics, fair trade products, and composting food waste. Dianne has coordinated and facilitated food roundtables for healthcare and assisted with overall planning of FoodMed 2007, a national conference held in Boston, MA, June 2007. She currently participates in several national and local food subgroups within Health Care Without Harm. Dianne has 15 years experience working in hospitals in the Philadelphia region with both adults and children. Additionally, she volunteered in her local school system trialing healthier snacks for possible inclusion in the school menu, and for her local Earth Day celebration She lives in Narberth with her husband and two sons.

Teresa Niedda is the director of the Farmworker Health and Safety Institute which is a unique consortium of three community-based farmworker organizations - the Farmworker Support Committee (CATA), the Farmworker Association of Florida and the Border Agricultural Workers' Project. Teresa has overseen the development and implementation of participatory environmental trainings and documentation tools that develop the leadership capacity of the Institute's member groups. She has served on various state and national pesticide committees voicing the environmental health concerns of farmworkers and was recently appointed by Governor Corzine to serve on the New Jersey Pesticide Control Council. Previously, she has lived and studied in Mexico to better understand and facilitate her work with the farmworker labor force in the United States. Teresa currently resides in Southern New Jersey where she enjoys organic farming, sailing and winemaking.

Beth Mohan Resta is the marketing specialist/community liaison for Whole Foods Market Philadelphia. Her work has furthered the company's environmental mission, helping to implement a comprehensive composting and recycling program for the store which has diverted over 600 tons of waste annually. Beth also coordinates Whole Foods Market's participation in numerous environmental events and manages partnerships with non-profits throughout Philadelphia. Previously, Beth was the Special Events Campaign Coordinator for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Board for the Bicycle Coalition's Bike Philly. She is an advocate for improved recycling in Philadelphia, sustainable food and green building. Beth is an avid bike commuter and thanks to Philly Car Share and public transit, has been car-free for three years. She resides in South Philadelphia where she is organizing with neighbors to create a civic association.

Johanna Rosen is co-director of the Mill Creek Farm in West Philadelphia. The Mill Creek Farm is a collectively run urban education farm that utilizes vacant land to improve local access to nutritious foods; it also promotes the use of sustainable resources by growing and distributing produce and by demonstrating ecological methods of living. Johanna currently serves on the Philadelphia Green Advisory board and is helping to form a network of urban farmers. Prior to co-founding the farm in 2005, Johanna worked with the Urban Nutrition Initiative, running a market-garden program and teaching nutrition and food systems at University City High School. Previously, Johanna farmed and led urban youth garden programs in Massachusetts.

Leigh Rosen is a project coordinator and founding member of Temple University's new Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE), where she connects public health, planning, and the built environment. Through Studies to Treat or Prevent Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes (STOPP-T2D), she facilitates school-based environmental nutrition and physical education interventions targeted toward reducing T2D risk factors in minority youth populations. Previously, she managed several research projects at the University of Virginia, assessing the links between neighborhood location and community health services. She also collaborated on the regional planning commission's hazard mitigation plan. Prior to that, she worked in the Transportation practice at ICF Consulting, where she contracted to EPA and a range of other federal and local government offices.

Nicole Ross is the Director of Marketing & Multicultural Affairs, Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO). With more than a decade of experience in entertainment marketing via music, theater and film, Nicole brings a robust arsenal of instinct and tested knowledge to her position. She spearheads general marketing initiatives for GPFO and its community outreach program, Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers, which includes planning and execution of workshops & events, promotional strategies, corporate branding and new initiative development. In addition, Nicole manages the marketing and advertising sales for GPFO?s annual publication, the Greater Philadelphia Film& Video Production Guide as well as for the website, www.film.org. Nicole joined GPFO in May 2005 as the Marketing Manager. An impressive two years later, in July 2007, she expanded her role to encompass Multicultural Affairs initiatives focused on engaging underserved ethnic communities, women, LGBT and professionals with disabilities in the local film industry. In 2008, Nicole will launch GPFO?s Going-Greener campaign, intended to encourage more eco-friendly film production in the region. Nicole is extremely passionate about marketing and about bringing to light new perspectives and new practices that encourage positive change in the local film production industry.

Jessica Greenblatt Seeley is the Deputy Executive Director for the FoodRoutes Network, a national nonprofit organization based in the Arnot, Pennsylvania. Her work involves rebuilding local food systems, mainly through the Buy Fresh Buy Local program, which is over 50 chapters strong across the country. Her previous work with Pennsylvania Certified Organic, a USDA-accredited organic certifier included managing a 350-client certification program, quality management systems, and grant work. Jess has spoken at numerous events, conferences, and workshops, speaking to farmers and educational professionals about agricultural, local food, and certification systems. Farming and the importance of local food systems are prevalent in her every day life - She lives with her husband on his 4th generation family dairy farm in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. They provide milk, sustainably-raised meats, and dairy products to their local community through the farm's own on-farm bottling facility, restaurant, and store.

Dawn Serra is Communications Coordinator for the Highlands Coalition, which works to protect the 3.5-million-acre PA, NJ, NY and CT Highlands as an enduring source of clean drinking water, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. Dawn is responsible for developing printed communications materials, including the Coalition's newsletter, and is currently working on a complete redesign of its website as well as its first annual report. Dawn previously worked as a junior designer and art director at different advertising and marketing firms and served as Publicity Coordinator for the Sawtooths to Selkirks Hike, an 800-mile trek from Idaho to British Columbia, which activist Josh Burnim undertook to advocate for wildlife corridors in the wild Rockies. She has contracted design work for The Alliance for the Wild Rockies, the Great Burn Study Group, Yellowstone to Yukon, Native Forest Network, the National Forest Protection Alliance and the Appalachian Mountain Club, plus design and advertising firms and private clients in NYC, NJ, MT and PA. Dawn earned a BFA in Graphic Design from The College of New Jersey and has continued her education through biology, chemistry and ornamental horticulture classes. Dawn enjoys organic gardening, reading, biking, hiking, photography and yoga. She lives with her husband and two cats in an historic Delaware River village in PA.

Yeumei Shon is founder and CEO of Cottonfield, a socially responsible and mission driven business. Yeumei is committed to building a strong community by providing an environmentally and people friendly workplace, promoting organically grown products, and adhering to the fair trade law. Prior to founding Cottonfield, Yeumei was a patternmaker for several Boston companies. She also held the position of technical designer for Talbot's and served as apparel inspector for Snyder Leather Company. Raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Yeumei graduated from Shih-Cheng College's Department of Dress Design. Following her graduation, Yeumei became an instructor of the history of Chinese women's costume, pattern making and tailoring. Yeumei participates in many trade shows including "All things Organic," "Green Festival," the "Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability Conference" and the "Northeastern Organic Farming Association Conference." She has participated in a biodynamic agricultural seminar with Bob Connor, a Dr. Rudolf Steiner seminar, and volunteered at the Waltham Organic Farm in Massachusetts.

Jennifer is responsible for the marketing and community relations for Whole Foods Market in Upstate, South Carolina, and has been a part of the company's marketing team in the South region for more than 5 years. She works to develop more and new opportunities to educate consumers and the broader community about sustainable, organic, seasonal and local foods through classes, taste events, collateral development, sponsorships, and PR and advertising, all with a special emphasis on promoting local growers and producers. Recently she founded a local convivium of Slow Food USA in Greenville, SC, and works with the nonprofit board to organize educational opportunities around the Slow Food mission of promoting "good, clean and fair" food. On a personal level Jennifer seeks to promote local and sustainable foods and lifestyles by organizing informal and pleasurable dinners and get-togethers with her friends and family.

Tes is a folklorist completing her dissertation in Communication Studies. Her academic work examines Identity and Hope-based community building and is based on an oral history project done with a Monacan tribal youth group. Tes currently volunteers with CIRA, a state-wide collaborative group working on poverty reduction through building local food systems, and she is additionally working with the Abundance Foundation to develop a farm incubator program in central NC. Serving on the board of Chatham Marketplace food co-op since pre-opening, Tes is newly the chair of Producer Relations, plus has plans to create an owner-built cookbook with the co-op chef. Tes worked for Piedmont Biofuels last year, and still does volunteer projects for them. She lives happily in rural NC with her three dogs, and also volunteers in two domestic women's shelters, teaching yoga.

Betty Bailey comes from a long line of Appalachian farm families. She has served as executive director of The Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA) for seventeen years. The RAFI-USA is a private non-profit organization based in Pittsboro, NC dedicated to cultivating markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just and environmentally sound family farms. RAFI-USA's programs address the trends and changes in agriculture that affect farmers and communities from a local to a global level. Betty has more than 30 years experience in the non-profit sector. During the farm crisis of the 1980's she directed the Farm Survival Project, which supported Carolina farmers affected by the crisis. Betty coordinated a major national implementation campaign for the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 in response to the 1980's farm crisis. She founded the Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund and other programs to support viable farm and community based enterprises. Betty is also the founder of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group and past chair of the N.C. Environmental Federation and past vice chair of the N.C. Food Policy Council. She currently serves on the North Carolina Agricultural Advancement Consortium and Farmers' Legal Action Group boards.

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Gary Grant is the Executive Director of the internationally acclaimed Concerned Citizens of Tillery (CCT) for the past twenty-seven years (1981), is also the founding president of the National Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association (BFAA - 1997), the director of the National Land Loss Fund (LLF); a founder and chairperson of the African American Environmental Action Justice Network based in Atlanta, GA(AAEJAN), and a founder and Co-Director of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN). He is the holder of a BA degree from North Carolina College at Durham - 1965 (now NC Central University), and an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Eastern North Carolina Theological Institute (1997). Mr. Grant was a teacher in the Tillery community, Halifax County School System for 12 years, and also worked with the New York City Department of Human Services. Grant has appeared on CBS 60 Minutes' "Pork Power" 1996, several appearances on North Carolina Public Television NOW, and has appeared on numerous other media outlets. He has authored and co-authored several papers on the destruction of the environment by corporate hog growing facilities and the decline of the Black farmers in America. As a progressive community activist, Grant has served on numerous boards of directors and received several awards for his tireless effort in bringing public awareness of environmental racism and justice.

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A native of Boston, Erika earned a MA in Food Studies from New York University, where she subsequently taught at the undergraduate level, and worked in various capacities for the food and non-profit sectors, including consulting, research and event management. Previously she spent several years working in the New York art world of museums, auction houses and corporate collecting, after graduating with a BA in Italian Studies and Art History from Brown University.

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