Faculty

  • Will Rosenzweig

    Core Faculty

    Will is an internationally recognized entrepreneur, educator and master gardener. He has spent more than 30 years cultivating thriving startups while teaching and mentoring mission-driven entrepreneurs around the world. He is a recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award, representing “the highest distinction given to a businessperson for outstanding accomplishments in the area of ethical business.”

  • Emma Jagoz

    Core Faculty & Alumni

    Emma Jagoz is a first-generation farmer who founded Moon Valley Farm in 2012. It is now a 70-acre organic farm and food hub serving the Chesapeake Bay region. Jagoz also holds the first organic seat for the Governor's Agricultural Commission in Maryland and is passionate about strengthening the local Chesapeake Bay area food system.

  • Jesse Smith

    Core Faculty & Alumni

    Jesse Smith is the Director of Land Stewardship at White Buffalo Land Trust, a non-profit dedicated to advancing regenerative agriculture. In his role, Jesse manages the Center of Regenerative Agriculture at Jalama Canyon Ranch, a 1,000-acre site that integrates farming, ranching, and conservation. He oversees vineyard operations, livestock care, and restoration activities.

  • Anna Nakamura Knight

    Guest Faculty & Farmer

    Anna is a fifth-generation, Japanese American farmer stewarding 80 acres in Southern California. She farms with her family, and runs California's oldest Farm to School food hub. With 10 years of off-farm experience (5 at an investment bank!), Anna now works to help small to mid-sized farmers find ways to keep farming forever.

  • Kathleen Merrigan

    Guest Faculty & Executive Director, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University

    Kathleen A. Merrigan is an expert in food and agriculture, celebrated by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2010. Currently, she serves as the Kelly and Brian Swette Professor in the School of Sustainability and executive director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University.

  • Elaine Hsu

    Lead Operations , Planet Fwd

    Elaine was Co-Facilitator of the 2020 FP Stone Barns program. Elaine is an experienced supply chain executive with a passion for sustainable agriculture and supply chains. She is a former management consultant with strong analytic, communication, and project management skills.

Leadership Team

  • Dawnelise Rosen

    Executive Director

    Dawnelise is a former hospitality entrepreneur of restaurant projects Scopa and Campo Fina. She is also co-founder of Corazon Healdsburg. Dawnelise has spent over 20 years community building, instigating social equity initiatives and nurturing community through food and community connection.

  • Cheyenne Pritchard

    Director, Ideagarden Institute

    Cheyenne is an entrepreneurial spirit committed to advancing a food system that benefits both people and the planet. With years of experience working across the food and climate ecosystem—from a Feeding America food bank to a climate finance consultancy—she brings a breadth of perspectives from both the private and public sectors. She holds a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley, specializing in Sustainable Food Systems, and a Bachelor’s from Amherst College.

  • Aneeha Patwardhan

    Director of Operations

    Aneeha serves as Director of Operations for Ideagarden Institute and provides strategic and operational support to the Greenhouse’s resident initiatives. Aneeha has years of experience supporting mission-driven organizations involved in food systems transformation and animal advocacy. Her role empowers the team activities of each initiative, while creating synergies that provide efficiencies and boost impact.

  • Laïla Scala

    Community Grower

    Laila is a passionate student, graphic designer, photographer, and ceramicist. She has 5 years of organic farming experience in Sonoma County and is earning a degree in Environmental Studies to continue learning and healing the planet through social and environmental change.

  • Mitch Hinrichs

    Director of Marketing & Communications

    Mitch grew up on his family’s farm in Nebraska and has since worked and visited various organic, biodynamic, and regenerative farms worldwide. He has spent the last 7 years helping natural product CPG businesses launch, grow, and optimize their e-commerce and digital marketing strategies.

Advisory Council

  • Stacy Brenner

    Senator of Maine and Flower Farmer

    Stacy is the co-founder and owner of Broadturn Farm located just outside Portland Maine. Stacy is a registered nurse, social advocate for equity and access and a visionary on connective collaboration.

  • Catha Groot

    Partner at Radicle Impact

    Catha is on the investment committee and leads climate investing at Radical Impact, an early-stage venture fund focused on tackling climate change and economic inequality through systems change solutions in climate and fair finance.

  • Elaine Hsu

    Lead Operations, Planet Fwd

    Elaine was Co-Facilitator of the 2020 FP Stone Barns program. Elaine is an experienced supply chain executive with a passion for sustainable agriculture and supply chains. She is a former management consultant with strong analytic, communication, and project management skills.

  • Robert Hurlbut

    Co-Managing Director, Agricultural Capital Management

    Rob has over 30 years of experience in the food and agricultural industries distinguished by his ability to build value through the development of transparent supply chains. Rob is CEO of Agricultural Capital Management and serves on the board of California Farm Link.

  • Emma Jagoz

    Owner, Moon Valley Farm

    Emma is a model for the vision, resilience and organizational power for the future of regenerative farming. She is a new generation entrepreneurial farmer who visions her farm land as equity not heirloom and credits her ability to pivot into opportunity to the Farmpreneur program.

  • Anna Nakamura Knight

    Farmer

    Anna is a fifth-generation, Japanese American farmer stewarding 80 acres in Southern California. She farms with her family, and runs California's oldest Farm to School food hub. With 10 years of off-farm experience (5 at an investment bank!), Anna now works to help small to mid-sized farmers find ways to keep farming forever.

  • Kathleen Merrigan

    Executive Director, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems

    Kathleen A. Merrigan is an expert in food and agriculture, celebrated by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2010. Currently, she serves as the Kelly and Brian Swette Professor in the School of Sustainability and executive director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University.

  • Katherine Miller

    Carnation Farms

    Katherine is an Author, Advocate, Strategist and Trainer. She was formerly program director for the James Beard Foundation. Katherine develops and manages award-winning campaigns, trains global activists and is a connector of capital to efforts focused on global health, climate change, gender bias and violence, and food system reform.

  • Will Rosenzweig

    Founder

    Will is an internationally recognized entrepreneur, educator and master gardener. He has spent more than 30 years cultivating thriving startups while teaching and mentoring mission-driven entrepreneurs around the world. He is a recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award.

  • Jesse Smith

    Director of Land Stewardship, White Buffalo Land Trust

    Jesse is a respected land steward and innovator in the regenerative agriculture movement. He and his team have launched several successful ranch direct CPG product lines. His focus in all business endeavors is to create opportunities with planet positive impact.

  • Asher Wright

    Farm Director, Caney Fork Farms, Carthage, TN

    Prior to teaming up with former Vice President Al Gore at Caney Fork Farm, Asher was the Farm School Director at Warren Wilson College, a premiere education incubator for young farmers. Asher is a graduate of the Savory Institute. Asher’s shared mission and vision at Caney Fork is setting out to prove the economic viability of regenerative agriculture.