Juliann Salinas

Juliann Salinas

Juliann Salinas

John Liu

For over 20 years, Jules has been committed to social justice and environmental causes, in particular the empowerment and leadership of women. She brings a deep understanding of the connection and intersection of agriculture to climate change, public health and women’s equity. She is excited to apply decades of nonprofit leadership and fund development experience to help advance WFAN’s important work.

Juliann holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a MBA with a specialization in Environmental Management from Ashford University in Clinton, IA. Jules is bilingual in English and Spanish. She strongly believes that we are at a critical tipping point globally and locally, and that a collective, inclusive, feminist approach to rebuilding our society post-COVID lockdowns is the only sustainable way forward.

Prior to joining WFAN, Jules served as the Associate Director and Interim Executive Director for Enlace Comunitario, an Albuquerque community-based organization with a mission to reduce domestic violence in the Latinx immigrant community. She also served as the Assistant Director for the Greater West Town Community Development Project (GWTP) in Chicago, IL where she led the successful development of the on-site community garden – which provided service learning opportunities to local high school students – and organized GWTP’s first urban agriculture conference.

Workshop Presenter

Women Ranchers are Reconnecting and Regenerating

Kathryn Bedell

Kathryn Bedell

Kathryn Bedell

John Liu

Kathryn is a cattle rancher and agricultural consultant and grant writer. She owns Roan Creek Ranch and raises British Park White cattle in Colorado on owned and private leased lands. She also assists other agricultural businesses across the west with consulting services and grant writing. She is a current recipient of an Local Food Purchase Assistance grant which works to get local beef into regional food banks and pantries. She served on the Colorado Governor’s transition team and played a role in the selection of the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Director of the Energy Office and the Director of Natural Resources. She is currently a member of the Colorado Agricultural Commission, appointed by the Governor, which advises the State Agriculture Commissioner. Kathryn is actively involved in agricultural policy development. She was a past appointee to the Garfield County Energy Advisory Board and recently joined the board of the American Grassfed Association.
Kathryn started a grass-fed beef business and direct marketed up to 200 head per year through Farmers Markets, Restaurants, and ultimately her own retail store. She managed a 2000-acre ranch, including both private and public lands. In order to direct market beef, she developed a private label, a marketing program, and was solely responsible for starting and operating a local food store in Fruita, Colorado.
Kathryn holds a BA in Biology, an MA in Animal Behavior and a DVM.

Roundtable Facilitator

 

Marie von Ancken

Marie von Ancken

Marie von Ancken

John Liu

Marie von Ancken is a Programs Manager for HMI, advanced ceramic apprentice, and anti-oppression activist. She is passionate about environmental justice and regenerative farming as a solution to transforming our food system and addressing climate change. She grew up in Corrales, New Mexico, where her family raised chickens and has spent significant time living in Finland, France, and Nicaragua. Marie was a Rotary International Exchange student to Naantali, Finland her junior year of high school and continues to work with Rotary’s Youth Exchange Program facilitating talks on culture shock and intercultural communication. She is fluent in Spanish and Finnish, conversational in French, and works as a Spanish interpreter with immigrant rights organizations and indigenous artist communities from Central and South America. As Program Manager at Holistic Management International, Marie has spent the last eight years developing learning opportunities, both nationally and internationally, that aim to educate farmers, ranchers and food advocates in agricultural practices that increase organic matter in the soil, grow nutrient-dense foods, and sequester carbon while empowering them to strengthen their businesses and improve their quality of life. Marie has a bachelor’s degree in International Business Management and Sustainability Studies from the University of New Mexico/College of Charleston/IPAG School of Business – Nice, France.

Roundtable Facilitator

 

Angela Faughtenberry

Angela Faughtenberry

Angela Faughtenberry

John Liu

As a child I grew up helping on my uncle’s farm. With a passion for farm life I expanded my knowledge in agriculture by obtaining an OSU Master Cattleman Certification and an Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance Certified Producer Certification.

Over the years I have enjoyed studying Joel Salatin’s intensive, rotationally grazed, pasture management style of farming. Salatin is a pioneer in this farming practice. I proudly model our farming methods after Salatin’s Polyface Farm. 

I farm in Mayes County, Oklahoma where I raise beyond organic,  NON GMO: Pastured: chicken, eggs, corn free pork, turkey & duck and Grass Fed: beef, goat & lamb. My animals enjoy fresh air, sunshine, exercise and all the NON GMO feed they would like to eat. USDA Inspected. 

Plenary Speaker

Turning your passion into a paycheck: farm to food production and financial literacy

CJ Ames

CJ Ames

CJ Ames

John Liu

With a background in vegetable production and dairying, CJ has more recently taken up a role to support food producers and other land managers through relationship building. They are inspired and fueled by the reality that trusting relationships and the intentional building of good listening skills are the foundation of healthy soil, landscapes, and communities.

Roundtable Facilitator

 

James Calabaza

James Calabaza

James Calabaza

John Liu

Born and raised in New Mexico, James comes with direct experience working with Tribes and understanding the traditional knowledge and processes as it pertains to their unique values and systems. After working with the government sector, James realized his heart belongs to the nonprofit world.
James is Director of the Indigenous Lands Program at Trees, Water & People. James engages and works with U.S. Tribal Nations on efforts centered around community-based, Tribal-led stewardship projects that create economic and environmental development opportunities. In his role, James provides much needed insight and experience on working with Tribal governments that uphold traditional ethics of governance and leadership, while also respecting Tribal sovereignty. His deep rooted experiences and cultural values strengthens TWP’s approach in building honest, working relationships with Tribes and promoting cross-cultural values of landscape conservation.

Workshop Speaker

Trees, Gardens and People: Embedding Agroforestry in the Web of Life

In this workshop, we’ll hear from team members of the Southwestern Tribal Agroforestry Outreach Project and what they’ve been learning about Indigenous-led agroforestry efforts in the Southwest – including the importance of collaboration, relationships, and storytelling, and how traditional ecological knowledge shapes agroforestry in this region. We’ll share videos and other educational materials highlighting agroforestry initiatives from Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, Tewa Women United’s Healing Foods Oasis, and Santa Ana Pueblo’s Native Plant Nursery. And finally we’ll end in a discussion with participants to learn about your experiences, challenges and dreams for Southwestern agroforestry and silvopasture. This workshop is for anyone with interest or experience in agroforestry, Indigenous agriculture, traditional ecological knowledge and collaboration. Participants will walk away with knowledge about current Indigenous and non-Indigenous agroforestry efforts in the Southwest, how definitions of agroforestry do and don’t fit Southwestern Indigenous contexts, collaborations between Tribal and non-Tribal entities, and traditional ecological knowledge. We hope you walk away feeling inspired to connect with the land and foster healthy ecosystems and communities that include agroforestry practices!