Staff
Jackie de Batista, Executive Director
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Jackie joined Farmers Rising in 2019 and feels, in many ways, it was like coming home. She is a local, sustainable farmer who went through the Stateline Farm Beginnings program in 2007 when she and her husband took over her family’s multi-generational farm in Pecatonica, Irish Grove Farms. Jackie’s greatest passion is bringing people together; if she can do this through food and farming, even better.
Jackie is dedicated to ensuring a vibrant, healthy, equitable future for all inhabitants of this amazing planet, making her a natural fit for an organization that embodies these same values. Jackie has a strong programming background in environmental education and leadership, a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, and an M.A. in Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development, and Policy from the University of Illinois—Springfield. [email protected] |
Trisha Wilks, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS director
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Trisha came to Farmers Rising in 2018 as an On Farm Educator. In 2019, Trisha moved into the role of Administration Director. In the spring of 2023, Trisha transitioned into her current role of On Farm Education Director, where her heart truly lies!
Trisha attended Rock Valley College and Northwestern University, and has a deep passion for Environmental, Social, and Climate Justice. She loves working at the Learning Center and is consistently inspired by her co-workers, saying, "This team of people is dynamic and passionate. Being able to take “Goat Breaks” and to hold and play with baby goats is pretty amazing too." She also enjoys serving the community in a number of environmental conservation roles including the Trail Stewardship program with the Winnebago County Forest Preserve and as a River Watch participant. [email protected] |
Tedd Snowden, URBAN FARM Director
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Tedd began working with Farmers Rising as an on-farm educator in 2011. Since 2012 he has worked with the Roots & Wings program in Rockford, first as the Marketing Manager and now as the Program Director. Tedd brings more than 20 years of sales experience to his work at Farmers Rising and has successfully expanded the youth Community Supported Agriculture program from 5 to over 40 CSA share holders, established innovative markets at workplaces of health-minded organizations, and started on and off site market stands at Blackhawk Courts and other Rockford Housings Authority complexes. Tedd recognizes that working within our urban communities in this way can have positive impact, socially, economically, and educationally, while providing food security through urban agriculture.
[email protected] |
Kate Larson, Farmer Training Director
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Kate joined the Farmers Rising team in January 2022. With her husband, Andy, Kate owns and operates a free-range egg farm in Pecatonica, Illinois where they are currently raising their three daughters and 600 chickens. Previously, Kate worked as a high school teacher in Des Moines, Iowa where she taught Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science. Kate holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where she double majored in Anthropology and Environmental Science. Kate also holds her M.A. in Teaching for Secondary Science from Iowa State University. Working with the team at the Learning Center feels like the culmination of a journey for Kate; bringing together her professional experience with her passions for education and farming. She says, “I love how we reach a wide range of farmers. I truly believe that everyone, from farmers who are just starting out to seasoned experts, can learn something new to improve their farming business.”
kate@farmersrising.org |
AJ Boucek, Administrative Manager
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AJ studied political science and environmental studies at Augustana College. He joined the Farmer Training department at Farmers Rising in 2018, transitioned to the role of Administrative Assistant in late 2019, and now works as our Administrative Manager. He continues to lend his talents to the Farmer Training when possible.
AJ lives with his wife, Olivia, and his three cats: Buffy, Leo, and Julian. His favorite thing about working at Farmers Rising is hanging out with Ninja, our resident farm cat. [email protected] |
rashad x, farm BEGINNINGS & COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
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Rashad joined Farmers Rising after spending years teaching topics ranging from social entrepreneurship to community organizing, running startup ventures ranging from an indie film social streaming platform to an adult bootcamp cooperative, as well as growing organic veggies/herbs on farms, backyards, and community spaces in both Virginia and Illinois.
Joining the team was an opportunity to merge all of his experiences in the pursuit of expanding the sustainable farming ecosystem in the region. He hit the ground running and has no intention of slowing down until we heal our societal ruptures from the land and each other. When Rashad isn’t working, he conducts rigorous and innovative sociology research and advises social movement organizations nationwide. Otherwise, you will find him asking someone what made them smile recently and how they feel! [email protected] |
Ritchie Wai, Farmer INCUBATOR Coordinator
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Ritchie hails from the low, red clay and sandhills of North Florida. In his past, he studied environmental science and policy near the dredged sand beaches surrounding Tampa Bay and served amongst the limestone cragged Appalachian foothills of South Middle Tennessee with AmeriCorps.
Ritchie has worked with high tunnel horticulture, aquaponics, regenerative grazing, and small organic vegetable operations in a temperate continental climate. He has also coordinated between educational institutions, students, and communities developing and running environmental and food production focused programming. He is a member of the National Young Farmers Coalition and the current secretary of the Southeast Tennessee Young Farmers Chapter. [email protected] |
Andy Skupien, chef
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Andy has always had a passion for food and nature. He's spent over twenty years in the restaurant industry and has been blessed to work for some of the best chefs in our area.
In the summer of 2020 Andy opened Man Bundt Bakery which specializes in plant-based baked goods with a heavy focus on locally sourced ingredients. It brings him great joy showing the kids who attend our camps how tasty farm to table can be! Andy thinks it's wonderful introducing kids to vegetables they may not have ever seen before. In his free time you can find Andy hanging with his family, hiking, or in his garden. There are no strangers, only friends we haven't made yet. [email protected] |
Bertha Jurado, livestock manager
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Bertha was born on a farm in Mexico where she lived until the age of 5. Later, Bertha received her accounting degree in Durango, and soon after moved to the United States. Bertha joined the Farmers Rising as Livestock Manager, caring for our livestock and directing the goat breeding program.
Bertha is passionate about all animals and loves working with them. Her talents extend beyond the flocks and herds at Farmers Rising: Bertha is also our resident soap-maker! Using goat milk from our herd, Bertha creates the deliciously scented, beautifully sculpted bars of soap you can find on our Farm Store shelves. [email protected] |
Randy Mermel, lead educator
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Randy Mermel has 15 years of experience working as an Educator at Farmers Rising. He graduated from Arizona State University with a BS in Environmental Science. He enjoys sharing the farm as a living classroom with people of all ages and backgrounds, and specializes in teaching about natural building, forest ecology, wilderness survival, and organic gardening (with an emphasis on compost building). Randy loves to teach about regenerative farming, and especially loves to witness the magic and wonder of a participant's very first farm experience--from sampling fresh broccoli from the field, milking a goat, or splashing in the creek. He lives with his family in a geodesic dome in Roscoe and loves to travel and explore the natural world.
[email protected] |
Jessie Mermel, Educator
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Jessie loves to nurture opportunities for people to experience wonder and awe in the natural world. She graduated with a degree in Sustainability Studies from Roosevelt University but is driven to go deeper than sustainability and study systems of regeneration, restoration/re-storying, and rewilding. She has been an Educator at Farmers Rising since 2008 and a Master Naturalist since 2012. A longtime activist, she helped organize the Rockford chapter of 350.org and now leads women’s circles.
Jessie loves to help people think about our connection to the soil and choices in food systems as a solution to climate change. Jessie has a wanderlust for exploring the natural world by canoe, foot, or bicycle and loves to indulge in camping and backpacking. She lives with her husband - also an educator at the Farmers Rising, teenage children, dog, cat, and chickens in a geodesic dome. [email protected] |
alo rosemore, IL EATS Lead Coordinator
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Alo came to farming and food systems work by way of an MEd in Learning Sciences and Human Development from University of Washington, and these days they are curious about what each of us learns by participating in the food system in the ways we do. Aside from coordinating with farmers and pantries to equitably distribute local food, Alo stewards an urban vegetable and mushroom farm in Rockford and offers gardening and food education through Farmers Rising and other community partners.
What Alo loves most about their work is when a question or idea from a community member allows them to guide a conversation that deepens everyone's ideas about our relationships to food, each other, and the more-than-human world. [email protected] |
Board of Directors
brad kemp, President
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Brad joined the Farmers Rising board in early 2021 after spending much of 2020 cooking at home with the CSA boxes from various local farms. While he has always been a passionate home cook and interested in local food, the pandemic really fertilized (pun intended) this part of his life and drove him to join the board. Brad owns and operates Second Bedroom Studio where he works as music composer and producer in Chicago. He has collaborated on projects with notable artists such as Yvie Oddly (RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11 winner), Shea Couleé (RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5 winner), and Chris Redd [SNL, Disjointed]. He currently composes music for podcasts with iHeartRadio and has written original music for over 20 musicals that have been produced in New York, Los Angeles and of course, Chicago. Brad is also a member of comedy hip hop trio Handsome Naked (NBC's Bring The Funny, Billboard Comedy top 10, #2 iTunes comedy chart). He loves the Green Bay Packers, his dog Bootsy, and his incredible, supporting wife.
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Jamie zimmerman, Vice President
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Jamie is obsessed about the food we eat for our health and how we grow our food for the wellbeing of our families and the planet. She is passionate about learning and serving by assisting families and local farmers grow and provide healthy, sustainable food for our community. Jamie is a CPA and has her Masters in Business Administration and works with a local engineering firm. She is also an educator in the accounting field teaching at various colleges and universities. Jamie and her family have 5 acres of property where they experiment, grow and share their food sources utilizing and learning as much as possible about regenerative farming.
Part of their land is also registered as a natural pollinator habitat through the Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation. Any extra time she devotes to being out in nature with family, gardening, reading and trying to master the perfect loaf of sourdough bread. |
andrew larson, treasurer
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Andy is a Farm Outreach Specialist for the Food Finance Institute and SBDC at University of Wisconsin. Andy works with entrepreneurial farm businesses in Wisconsin to build farm financial management capacity and access the capital they need to grow. Andy has expertise in farm business and marketing, agricultural lending, and grantsmanship. Prior to joining FFI, Andy worked as an Agriculture and Commercial Loan Officer at a community bank, providing commercial credit to family farms and small businesses in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. His portfolio included crop farms, dairy farms, and a wide variety of local food farms. Before that, Andy worked in university extension in both Iowa and Illinois, providing programming on the business and marketing side of small farms, local foods, and sustainable agriculture. Andy earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois, and a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University. Andy grew up on a dairy farm, and now lives with his wife and three daughters on a small-scale poultry farm just down the road, where they produce free-range brown eggs for local restaurants, retail stores, and farmers markets.
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Rebecca Adewumi
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Rebecca was first introduced to community gardens in her youth. Seven years ago she rediscovered her love for gardening with a small balcony garden. About 5 years ago she started maintaining a spot in her local community garden, so she really understands how needed and useful these gardens can be. She believes there is a vital connection between the food we eat & our overall health. Rebecca earned her MBA from Florida A&M University and is a proud Rattler. When she is not working, she loves helping the community & participates in many service projects with her sorority and other community organizations.
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charles johannsen
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Charles Johannsen grew up working in his family’s greenhouse business and, later, spent a few years doing organic gardening and farming. His love of plants, the natural world, and good farming runs deep. He has been a small-scale filmmaker for 50 years, putting together numerous pieces about conservation and education subjects. Beginning in 2007, he made a number of videos for Farmers Rising. He has a B.A. from Stanford University and an MA in Teaching from Rockford University.
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Cliff mcconville
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Cliff joined the Farmers Rising board in July 2014. He is the founder and head farmer at All Grass Farms LLC, a regenerative livestock farm producing grass fed beef, raw Guernsey milk, and pasture-raised pork, chicken, turkeys, and ducks on approximately 560 organic acres with farm locations in Dundee, Illinois and Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He is passionate about rebuilding a local food system that prioritizes nutrient-dense, chemical free foods, grown in healthy soils, and produced in a manner that respects the community, the environment, and the animals that feed us. Prior to starting his transition to farming in 2011, he worked in the insurance industry in Chicago for over 20 years.
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Gina Polito Jahn
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Gina Polito Jahn grew up in the area and lives just a few miles from the Farmers Rising campus with her husband, two daughters and two Labradors. She first discovered Farmers Rising when she was looking for a summer camp for her girls and has been a big fan ever since! Gina has a MS in outdoor education and has worked at several environmental education centers. She was part of a team at the Field Museum in Chicago that developed the Underground Adventure exhibit on the diverse and interconnected life found in the soil. She then moved into higher education as a community college biology and environmental science instructor and earned an MS in biology. From there she transitioned to a career in university research administration and grant writing. Currently Gina works at a non-profit in Wisconsin which provides research development and grant support to the UW system campuses. Gina spends her free time shuttling kids to and from their activities and trying to maintain a small herb garden. She is excited and honored to be able to contribute to the local gem that is Farmers Rising.
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steve faivre
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Steve was born and raised on a family farm in DeKalb County. He has his BS in Engineering from University of IL and an MBA from Northern Illinois University. He worked on the Faivre Family Farm for 20 years during which time he helped develop one of the first commercially available yield monitors. He was then recruited by Case Corporation (now CNH Global) to manage the development of Case's advanced farming system products. In 2000 he joined Deere and Company's Agricultural Equipment Division where he served as Director of Innovation for John Deere AgriServices. Over the years he has been awarded 21 patents for precision farming concepts and products. Upon retirement he has been active locally serving on the DeKalb County Board, DeKalb Area Heritage Association, and the DeKalb County History Center. His model train layout and woodworking shop also keep him busy!
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Shelby Leick
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Shelby has a passion for promoting local food systems and regenerative agriculture. Shelby has a multi-disciplinary background in conservation, sustainability, communications, research, planning, policy, and economics. She holds a BSc in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London. Shelby currently works for American Farmland Trust (AFT) as their Midwest Senior Program Manager. Prior to AFT, Shelby worked for a local government agency and several conservation non-profits. When not at work, you can find her testing out new plants and perennials in the garden and spending time with her baby Arlo and farmer husband Mike.
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frank stonaker
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Frank has a diverse background - grounded in organic production. He got book-schooled as needed (BS in Agronomy, MS in Entomology, PhD in Horticulture), but learned most of what he knows from his time farming, greenhousing, orcharding and listening to his colleagues.
Along the path he’s had the good fortune to work as a biocontrol and pollination consultant, do applied research and teach about organic vegetable and fruit production. And help raise a couple of fabulous kids. Frank has “retired” but continues to advocate for and work with farmers as a volunteer. Frank and his wife Beth now live in Beloit, WI. |
