Expert Resource Directory

the McKnight Foundation with a breadth of experience in the environment field, with particular expertise in federal environmental policy, advocacy, coalition-building, and efforts to build the capacity of community- and state-based organizations. From January 2009 until May 2010, Witteman served as executive director of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition in Washington D.C., where she also served as director of organizing and outreach for two years. Previously, she held positions at Oxfam America and the Northwest Service Academy and was a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Food and Society Policy Fellow from January 2007 until December 2008.

Health, from Warner Wellness. Collier has been writing and speaking about health and health policy issues for the past 20 years. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Lansing State Journal and the Post-Tribune. Her work appears regularly in Essence, More, Ladies Home Journal, Woman’s Day, O, the Oprah Magazine, Real Health, Healthy Living, the National Medical Association Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, AARP Magazine,Heart Healthy Living, More, and others. She was also a member of the 2008-2009 class of IATP Food and Society Policy Fellows. Andrea has been married to Darnay Collier since 1985 (she was a child bride). She is the mother of two children, Nicole and Christopher, who are now older than she is. They live in Lansing, Michigan. Andrea is a native of Gary, Indiana.

specializes in commodity program reform, rural development policy, research and extension, rural revitalization, and higher education. Hassebrook has been with the Center for 30 years, developing strategies for rural revitalization, devising farm program payment limitations and enhancing federal funding for rural programs. The Center for Rural Affairs has helped nearly 5,000 small businesses get started or survive, and has assisted in the development of nearly one dozen cooperatives.

Director of Meridian’s AGree: Transforming Food and Ag Policy. Ms. Atwood has more than 30 years of experience in policy and legislative matters regarding food, agriculture, the environment, research, and risk management, including extensive experience working with executives in the private sector, federal government, and nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining Meridian, Ms. Atwood was an Associate for Corporate Affairs and Public Policy at Mars, Incorporated. In this role, she worked closely with lawmakers in Congress and senior officials in the White House, and federal agencies. Previously, she was a Senior Policy Advisor with Crowell & Moring, on behalf of clients in the agricultural, food, environmental, mining, and chemical industries. She served from 2001 to 2003 as a Special Assistant to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jim Moseley. From 1995 until 1999 she was Assistant Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council, and from 1992 until 1995 served as Vice President for Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at the American Meat Institute. Atwood served from 1989 to 1992 as Deputy Associate Administrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She served as head of the Congressional Affairs Office at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prior to taking the EPA position. Atwood also has U.S. Capitol experience: From 1981 to 1984, she was Professional Staff for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and from 1984 to 1987 was Professional Staff for U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (Wash.). Ms. Atwood serves on the board of ACDI-VOCA, an agriculture development nonprofit organization with many years of experience working in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She is a marine resource scientist by training.

Initiative. Previously, she was Ecotrust's vice president of Food & Farms. She was also a member of the 2007-2008 class of Food and Society Policy Fellows.

for leadership, overall management of the organization, fund raising, and evaluation. Prior to this appointment, she served as MIFFS Programs Manager for 11/2 years. She currently serves on the Michigan Food Policy Council, the Michigan Department of Agricultural Value-Added Commercialization Roundtable, and is Co-Chair of the Mid West Sustainable Ag Working Group Extension Research and Education Committee.

He oversees all of NSAC’s federal policy work and has been involved in nearly every federal agricultural budget and appropriations bills as well as each of the omnibus farm bills since 1977.