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

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

Cheetah Tchudi

Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Butte

Cheetah brings a diverse skillset and knowledge base in the fields of agronomy and conservation

Jamie Fanous

Jamie Fanous

Policy & Organizing Director

Working with farmers to create & advance policies rooted in farmer needs, social justice and equity

Jesse Trace

Jesse Trace

Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, San Luis Obispo

Supporting local, resilient, land-based communities

Keely Cervantes

Keely Cervantes

Policy & Organizing Manager

Advocating for ag policies that strengthen regional urban grower networks & food systems.

Lan Ngo

Lan Ngo

Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Yolo/Solano/Sacramento

Supporting small farmers in the face of changing groundwater access

Maria Ridoutt-Orozco

Maria Ridoutt-Orozco

San Joaquin Valley Farmer Advocate

Committed to justice-centered food systems that strengthen local communities

Paul Towers

Paul Towers

Executive Director

Building a fair, responsive and democratic organization so California's family farmers can thrive

Reyna Yagi

Reyna Yagi

Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Sonoma

Farmer-to-Farmer groundwater liaison working on-the-ground with farms

Rogelio Ponce Jr.

Rogelio Ponce Jr.

Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Monterey

Sadie Morris

Sadie Morris

Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor, Tehama

Farmer-to-farmer groundwater liaison for Tehama County

Yamilet Perez Aragon

Yamilet Perez Aragon

San Joaquin Valley Farmer Advocacy Fellow

Advocating for policies and programs that support small and underserved farmers.

Admin

Anna Lawrence

Anna Lawrence

Grants & Contracts Manager

Managing tasks related to internal CAFF grants and contracts

Elliott Ge

Elliott Ge

Administrative & Systems Specialist

Making data and resources accessible for CAFF staff and farmers of all backgrounds

Estefania Flores

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

Evan Wiig

Director of Membership & Communications

Amplifying the voice of family farmers, organizing the grassroots, preaching a gospel of healthy soi...

Frank Munzinger

Frank Munzinger

Accountant

Counting beans and getting people paid

Guido Lois

Guido Lois

Bilingual Communications & Events Manager

Supporting CAFF's brand and storytelling development

Holly Markham

Holly Markham

Associate Director

Aligning resources, supporting staff, and developing CAFF's capacity to serve family farmers

Karla Avila

Karla Avila

Director of Philanthropy

Fostering a vibrant community of supporters to advance CAFF’s mission

Megan Contreras

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.

Nina Leigh Faust-Dean, M.B.A.

Human Resources Manager

Cultivating Excellence: Nurturing Talent, Driving Success

Paul Towers

Paul Towers

Executive Director

Building a fair, responsive and democratic organization so California's family farmers can thrive

Ecological Farming

Emily Ayala

Emily Ayala

Ecological Farming Program Manager

Supporting farmers to enhance on-farm biodiversity, productivity, and adaptability

Emma Centeno

Emma Centeno

Ecological Pest Management Technical Assistance Specialist

Working with growers to integrate and monitor ecological pest management practices

Erica Garibay

Erica Garibay

Bilingual Ecological Farming Program Coordinator

Partnering with California's diverse farmer communities to foster on-farm ecosystem health

Hanna Kahl

Hanna Kahl

Ecological Pest Management Senior Manager

Partnering with farmers to develop practical Integrated Pest Management solutions

Jade Gutierrez-Fregozo

Jade Gutierrez-Fregozo

GrizzlyCorps Fellow with the Ecological Farming Team

Assisting with resource development, Ecological Pest Management, and Latinx Farmer Engagement Projec...

Layla Aguilar

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

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

Moet Takata

Ecological Pest Management Program Manager

Working with farmers to develop sustainable pest management practices through research and outreach

Sara Tiffany

Sara Tiffany

Director of Ecological Farming

Working with farmers to build soil health, biodiversity and resilience in California agroecosystems.

Farmer Services

Brandon Wickes

Brandon Wickes

Organic Project Contractor

Aiding, assisting, and implementing large scale organic transformation in Southern California

Elizabeth Vaughan

Elizabeth Vaughan

Small Farm Tech Hub Senior Manager

Sharing tech & business solutions to make purchasing local food more accessible and competitive.

Grace Jackson

Grace Jackson

Central Valley Regional Lead, Farmer Services

Helping farmers navigate a myriad of compliance and regulatory requirements

Kali Feiereisel

Kali Feiereisel

Farmer Support Services Director

Supporting farmer services team members so that they can help farmers keep farm'in

Paulina S. Hernandez

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

Anna Larsen

Local Food Campaign Project Manager, Contractor

Dedicated to supporting the growth of small farms in the San Joaquin Valley.

Ben Thomas

Ben Thomas

Farm to Market, Contractor

Supporting family farmers and food buyers to build and connect to market channels in California

Claire Tauber

Claire Tauber

Farm to School/Institution Manager

Supporting food service staff, family farmers, and aggregators to build stronger local markets.

Delia Hitz

Delia Hitz

Contractor, Farms Together Account Manager

Supporting underserved farmers in selling produce to food banks for people in need

Estefania Flores

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

Evelyn Ponce Hernandez

Farm to Market Manager

Providing market opportunities and resources to small farmers

Hector Reider

Hector Reider

Farm to Market Co-Director

Supporting family farmers to connect and grow within California's agricultural markets

Jeanette Garnica

Jeanette Garnica

Farm to Market Coordinator

Connecting Central Valley farmers with buyers and resources to grow resilient, lasting farms

Lauren Krohn

Lauren Krohn

Contractor, Farms Together Account Manager

Supporting a better nutrition through local agriculture

Michelle Duong

Michelle Duong

Farm to School Coordinator

Supporting institutional buyers to increase procurement from local growers

Michelle Wyler

Michelle Wyler

Farm to Market Co-Director

Working behind-the-scenes to empower CAFF staff to expertly support California family farmers.

Rasheed Hislop

Rasheed Hislop

Farm to Market Senior Manager

Helping farmers access & grow new markets toward building community.

Yareli Ramirez Ortiz

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

Angelica Sanabria

Narrative and Network Coordinator, California Food & Farming Network

Strengthening movement communications and advocacy efforts through network engagement

Beth Smoker

Beth Smoker

Policy Director, California Food & Farming Network

Weaving together food and farming advocates impacting state policy through CFFN

Beth Spitler

Beth Spitler

Field Director, California Food & Farming Network

Advancing grassroots advocacy and racial equity through the California Food & Farming Network.