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. She now manages a 35 acre reforestation project in Port Townsend, WA. As Program Manager at Holistic Management International, Marie has spent the last decade developing learning opportunities, both locally 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. She is an Aldo Leopold Land Ethic Leader and is glad she “will not be young in a future without wilderness.”

Roundtable Facilitator

The Unconference Roundtable

Not your average roundtable! The Unconference experience will feature an Open Space-style facilitation wherein participants engage in a participatory process to identify, and dive into, what topic(s) are most important in the moment. If you are not seeing the topics you want to discuss at the conference, attend this session. Come and pitch an idea, or come and hear what others are passionate about, then break out and have the conversations you’re most interested in having. This is also a great opportunity for anyone with an interest in learning new facilitation and collaboration processes. There is no cap to the number of participants.

James is Director of the Indigenous Lands Program at Trees, Water & People. He engages and works with Tribal Nations on efforts centered around Tribal-led stewardship projects that bolster economic opportunities and landscape-scale restoration efforts. James provides insight on best practices to work with Tribal governments that uphold traditional ethics of governance and leadership. His deep rooted experiences strengthens TWP’s approach in building honest, working relationships while promoting cross-cultural values of landscape conservation.

Plenary Speaker

Relying on Traditional Knowledge Systems in Turbulent Times

Accepting and navigating through challenges and obstacles are natural components of learning and adaptation for human beings. This presentation will highlight a local, place-based approach on how to navigate changes to a system impacted by political and environmental impacts. We will dig into approaches and methods of how to remain resilient during times of uncertainty and stay focused on the nature of active stewardship. This presentation will also highlight how Traditional Knowledge systems can teach us to remain focused on the grander picture of our work.

Julie Sullivan, founding mentor of the Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program in 2008, currently assists the program with mentor training and support, program design, the Manager Fellowship program, and apprentice support. She and her husband, George Whitten have been mentors with the program since its inception, and own and manage their 3rd-generation, cow/calf-to-finish cattle ranch in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. The ranch is committed to restorative practices that result in soil health, functioning grassland ecosystems, and viable small-scale ranching.
For a decade, Julie was faculty for the field-based Audubon Expedition Institute at Lesley University Environmental Studies and Environmental Education program. She has taught workshops for Colorado State University, Colorado College, Adams State University, Fort Lewis College, PASA, Sandhills Task Force, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Oregon Farm Corps, and the Western Colorado Food and Farm Forum, among others. She assisted the Sandhills Task Force, Young Agrarians in Canada, and the Center for Ecological Farming in North Carolina to create livestock apprenticeship programs in their regions. Her writing has appeared in Green Fire Times, In Practice, Real Food and Health, and other publications.
She is fiercely dedicated to the next generation of agrarians, fully functioning ecosystems and creative solutions to the interaction of humans with their planet.

Plenary Panelist

Preparing to Wear the Hat: A conversation between generations

Ranch succession is a hot topic these days. Webinars and workshops abound, mainly focused on what the older generation needs to do to prepare for successful transition. But what does the younger generation need? What prepares them to take over someone else’s life work and legacy with humility, creativity and confidence? Come hear George Whitten, a 3rd generation family rancher in CO, and Christian LaBar, an entrepreneurial rancher who created his own business and has now joined the management of the Milton Ranch in Roundup MT, as they talk together about the process of letting go, giving over, taking on and being ready as ranches move from one generation to the next.

Panelists: George Whitten, Christian LaBar, and Julie Sullivan

Kelly and her husband Mike live near Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada where they operate a family ranch running owned and custom yearling cattle with a small cow herd. They also have another ranch near Debden, Saskatchewan. Kelly has been involved with Holistic Management for close to 25 years. She became an HMI Certified Educator in the late 1980s and has taught a number of courses and has worked with many family producers and management groups. One area of focus for Kelly has been the “human” piece, particularly in the area of succession planning as many operations and teams work through the process of transitioning to the next generation. Kelly’s father, Dennis Wobeser was an HMI Board member and upon his end of term, Kelly took his place as HMI’s Canadian representative.

Roundtable Facilitator

Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities in Succession Planning

Whether you are actively engaged in succession planning or just beginning your agricultural career, everyone is impacted by the succession planning (or lack of it) in the many agricultural operations now managed by operators in their 60s or older. How can we more effectively engage in the transfer of management and assets to provide opportunities for the next generation of agricultural producers while utilizing the talents and resources of experienced producers to create the best outcome for all involved? This discussion will allow us to learn from each other about the challenges people are facing and the opportunities they are creating as they explore succession planning.