Meet the CAFF Team
Click on each team member’s photo below for more on their background and how they support California’s family farmers.
Policy
Catherine Van Dyke
Director of Water Policy
Catherine works on state-wide water policy with a focus on groundwater and supporting family farmers.
Cheetah Tchudi
Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Butte
Cheetah brings a diverse skillset and knowledge base in the fields of agronomy and conservation
Jamie Fanous
Policy & Organizing Director
Working with farmers to create & advance policies rooted in farmer needs, social justice and equity
Jesse Trace
Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, San Luis Obispo
Supporting local, resilient, land-based communities
Keely Cervantes
Policy & Organizing Manager
Advocating for ag policies that strengthen regional urban grower networks & food systems.
Lan Ngo
Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Yolo/Solano/Sacramento
Supporting small farmers in the face of changing groundwater access
Maria Ridoutt-Orozco
San Joaquin Valley Farmer Advocate
Committed to justice-centered food systems that strengthen local communities
Paul Towers
Executive Director
Building a fair, responsive and democratic organization so California's family farmers can thrive
Reyna Yagi
Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Sonoma
Farmer-to-Farmer groundwater liaison working on-the-ground with farms
Rogelio Ponce Jr.
Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Monterey
Sadie Morris
Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Tehama
Farmer-to-farmer groundwater liaison for Tehama County
Yamilet Perez Aragon
San Joaquin Valley Farmer Advocacy Fellow
Advocating for policies and programs that support small and underserved farmers.
Admin
Anna Lawrence
Grants & Contracts Manager
Managing tasks related to internal CAFF grants and contracts
Elliott Ge
Administrative & Systems Specialist
Making data and resources accessible for CAFF staff and farmers of all backgrounds
Estefania Flores
Communications Specialist & Local Food Project Manager
Dedicated to elevating the voices of BIPOC communities and local small farms in the San Joaquin Vall...
Evan Wiig
Director of Membership & Communications
Amplifying the voice of family farmers, organizing the grassroots, preaching a gospel of healthy soi...
Frank Munzinger
Accountant
Counting beans and getting people paid
Guido Lois
Bilingual Communications & Events Manager
Supporting CAFF's brand and storytelling development
Holly Markham
Associate Director
Aligning resources, supporting staff, and developing CAFF's capacity to serve family farmers
Karla Avila
Director of Philanthropy
Fostering a vibrant community of supporters to advance CAFF’s mission
Megan Contreras
Operations Director
CAFF's Swiss Army knife: working within all administrative areas for team success & organization health
Nina Leigh Faust-Dean, M.B.A.
Human Resources Manager
Cultivating Excellence: Nurturing Talent, Driving Success
Paul Towers
Executive Director
Building a fair, responsive and democratic organization so California's family farmers can thrive
Ecological Farming
Emily Ayala
Ecological Farming Program Manager
Supporting farmers to enhance on-farm biodiversity, productivity, and adaptability
Emma Centeno
Ecological Pest Management Technical Assistance Specialist
Working with growers to integrate and monitor ecological pest management practices
Erica Garibay
Bilingual Ecological Farming Program Coordinator
Partnering with California's diverse farmer communities to foster on-farm ecosystem health
Hanna Kahl
Ecological Pest Management Senior Manager
Partnering with farmers to develop practical Integrated Pest Management solutions
Jade Gutierrez-Fregozo
GrizzlyCorps Fellow with the Ecological Farming Team
Assisting with resource development, Ecological Pest Management, and Latinx Farmer Engagement Projec...
Layla Aguilar
Ecological Farming Manager
Layla Aguilar works with flora and fauna to build soil and communities. She was an apprentice in the...
Miguel Alvarez
Ecological Pest Management Field Technician, Contractor
Miguel is lifelong Northern California native (Chico area) for over 40 plus years. While working on ...
Moet Takata
Ecological Pest Management Program Manager
Working with farmers to develop sustainable pest management practices through research and outreach
Sara Tiffany
Director of Ecological Farming
Working with farmers to build soil health, biodiversity and resilience in California agroecosystems.
Farmer Services
Brandon Wickes
Organic Project Contractor
Aiding, assisting, and implementing large scale organic transformation in Southern California
Elizabeth Vaughan
Small Farm Tech Hub Senior Manager
Sharing tech & business solutions to make purchasing local food more accessible and competitive.
Grace Jackson
Central Valley Regional Lead, Farmer Services
Helping farmers navigate a myriad of compliance and regulatory requirements
Kali Feiereisel
Farmer Support Services Director
Supporting farmer services team members so that they can help farmers keep farm'in
Paulina S. Hernandez
Central Coast Regional Lead, Farmer Services
Working on making farmer resources more accessible to small scale farmers on the Central Coast.
Farm to Market
Anna Larsen
Local Food Campaign Project Manager, Contractor
Dedicated to supporting the growth of small farms in the San Joaquin Valley.
Ben Thomas
Farm to Market, Contractor
Supporting family farmers and food buyers to build and connect to market channels in California
Claire Tauber
Farm to School/Institution Manager
Supporting food service staff, family farmers, and aggregators to build stronger local markets.
Delia Hitz
Contractor, Farms Together Account Manager
Supporting underserved farmers in selling produce to food banks for people in need
Estefania Flores
Communications Specialist & Local Food Project Manager
Dedicated to elevating the voices of BIPOC communities and local small farms in the San Joaquin Vall...
Evelyn Ponce Hernandez
Farm to Market Manager
Providing market opportunities and resources to small farmers
Hector Reider
Farm to Market Co-Director
Supporting family farmers to connect and grow within California's agricultural markets
Jeanette Garnica
Farm to Market Coordinator
Connecting Central Valley farmers with buyers and resources to grow resilient, lasting farms
Lauren Krohn
Contractor, Farms Together Account Manager
Supporting a better nutrition through local agriculture
Michelle Duong
Farm to School Coordinator
Supporting institutional buyers to increase procurement from local growers
Michelle Wyler
Farm to Market Co-Director
Working behind-the-scenes to empower CAFF staff to expertly support California family farmers.
Rasheed Hislop
Farm to Market Senior Manager
Helping farmers access & grow new markets toward building community.
Yareli Ramirez Ortiz
Bilingual Farm to Market Coordinator
Fostering meaningful relationships that help support small farmer communities
CFFN (California Food and Farming Network)
Angelica Sanabria
Narrative and Network Coordinator, California Food & Farming Network
Strengthening movement communications and advocacy efforts through network engagement
Beth Smoker
Policy Director, California Food & Farming Network
Weaving together food and farming advocates impacting state policy through CFFN
Beth Spitler
Field Director, California Food & Farming Network
Advancing grassroots advocacy and racial equity through the California Food & Farming Network.