Conference Speakers

Amber Butland coordinates the F3 Local Equipment Lending Library with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), based at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier. The program works to increase access to agricultural equipment for small-scale growers in California’s Central Valley through equipment lending, training, and technical support. Amber’s work includes program development, grower outreach, safety and training, equipment operations, and collaboration with agricultural and community partners.

Before joining F3 Local, Amber worked with UC ANR’s Climate Smart Agriculture program, where she provided technical assistance to growers pursuing state-funded climate-smart agriculture practices. Her work has focused on helping growers navigate programs, access resources, and adopt practices and technologies that support their farm operations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and brings a background in education, technical assistance, program coordination, and community engagement to her work.

Dr. Brent Holtz has been an Orchard Systems Advisor for the University of California for 33 years. Brent was raised on an almond ranch in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, attending schools in California: Modesto Junior College (A.A.), California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where he earned a B.S. in Biology, and then earned both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Pathology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Brent’s research and education programs are focused on growing almond and pistachio in the San Joaquin Valley of California, helping growers in production agriculture find more sustainable farming practices without compromising product quality. Brent is currently leading a research effort on whole orchard recycling (WOR) where removed orchards are ground-up and incorporated into the soil to increase soil organic matter and soil water holding capacity, instead of being burned in the field or a co-generation facility.

Caddie works as the San Joaquin Valley regional lead for the statewide climate-smart agriculture program at UCANR. She provides technical assistance to organizations applying to CDFA climate-smart block grants, as well as to local farmers and ranchers on climate-smart practices and funding.

Caity is an agroecologist whose research spans groundwater sustainability, soil health, diversified cropping systems, agroecosystem resilience, and the intersections between agriculture and water policy. In her previous work, she explored irrigation and soil ecosystem functions in California almond and tomato systems, crop-livestock integration in Brazilian soybean-beef systems, and small farmer adaptation to climate change in Colombia, Tanzania, and Ghana. As a consulting agroecologist, she led programs linking farmers across the US to emerging soil carbon marketplaces. She holds a PhD in ecology and an MS in international agricultural development from the University of California, Davis.

Christine Gemperle has been farming almonds for the Blue Diamond Cooperative with her brother, Erich since 1998. Currently they manage and operate 135 acres with no employees. They know every facet of their operation, from the mundane to the technologically advanced. Every choice made on the farm works towards the goal of developing a sustainable, efficient, and a profitable farming operation. Christine pursued degrees in biology (BA, UC Santa Cruz) and fisheries (MS, Utah State University). She serves on the Almond Board of California, additionally participating on the Biomass Task Force , Nutritional Research Committee and the Environmental Stewardship Working Group. She also serves on the boards of Project Apis m. and the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund. Christine enjoys being active and vocal in the agricultural community especially when it comes to protecting family farms and sharing what she has learned about regenerative practices.

Cynthia Ni is the Director of Innovation Programs at BEAM Circular, managing collaborative research projects and engaging with innovators to facilitate circular bieoconomy technology development that can unlock opportunities for the biomass resources of the North San Joaquin Valley. Prior to BEAM, Cynthia worked in science policy, organizing international meetings on standards to accelerate commercialization in the global bioeconomy, and writing synthesis reports and policy papers. Cynthia completed a PhD in Chemical Engineering at MIT in 2022, where she genetically engineered E. coli to utilize mixed sugar substrates for biosynthesis – a project motivated by the desire to convert food waste into useful products.

Dr. Tawny Mata has pursued a lifelong goal of contributing to sustainability through science, finding her way to agriculture when she joined USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist as an American Association for the Advancement of Science- Science and Technology Policy Fellow. After leaving USDA, Dr. Mata joined the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research in 2016 as a Scientific Program Director, creating grant programs that supported pollinator health and new early career researchers. After some time working in the broader conservation space, Dr. Mata accepted the position of Director of the Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) at the California Department of Food and Agriculture in 2022. OARS leads California’s efforts in reducing livestock methane emissions, promoting healthy soils, and reducing agricultural water and energy use. She earned her B.A. in Biology from Pomona College and her Ph.D. in Ecology from UC Davis.

Gabriele Ludwig has been working for the Almond Board of California for over 20 years. As Director for Environmental Policy, her portfolio includes tracking and interpreting the impact of domestic and international environmental regulations on almond growing in California, contributing to the sustainability portfolio for the industry, and participating in the production research program. She was instrumental in the development of the California Almond Stewardship Platform and expanding the environmental research program. More recently she has been delving into the private and public assessments of sustainability. She has more than 25 years of experience working on state, federal, and international environmental regulatory issues.

Prior to joining the Almond Board, she worked for the consulting firm Schramm, Williams & Associates in Washington, DC. She received her Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the University of California, Davis, and her B.A. in Biology from Wellesley College.

In The Nature Conservancy’s California Chapter, Scott is a Lead Scientist in the Land Program, helping to oversee science, stewardship, and land protection across TNC’s more than 400,000-acre grassland and oak woodland conservation estate. Scott is also the lead scientist for the Strategic Restoration Strategy in the San Joaquin Valley and TNCs Lead for participation as a Managing Partner at the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

Jenny Lester Moffitt is Vice President of Farmland Protection and Strategic Priorities at American Farmland Trust, bringing decades of experience in agricultural policy, conservation, and food systems transformation. From 2021-2025, Jenny served as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, becoming the first woman to hold this position. At USDA, she championed efforts to create market opportunities for U.S. producers and safeguard agricultural and natural resources. She previously served as Undersecretary at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, leading the state’s climate-smart agriculture initiatives. A fifth-generation California farmer, Jenny is deeply committed to caring for the land and the people who farm it.

Jessie has been working with farmers in the Central Valley for over seven years, carrying out on-farm research and providing technical support around integrating soil health building practices into diversified farming operations. Jessie holds an M.S. in Soils and Biogeochemistry and hopes to continue working towards and advocating for healthy agroecosystems, local food supply chains, and farmer equity within statewide agricultural programs. Her inspiration comes from the relationships she builds with local farmers, the people who work tirelessly to feed their communities while facing growing challenges. With major concerns such as water shortages and an aging farming population, she recognizes the urgency of supporting sustainable practices and supporting younger generations to engage in land stewardship.

Jimi Valov is a God fearing, Central Valley farmer, and agricultural manager with Valov Brothers Farms, where he works primarily with almond and pistachio production. His interests include soil health, water efficiency, sustainable farming practices, building his flavored pistachio brand (Shellmates), and finding practical ways to improve both the environmental and economic resilience of California agriculture. He is passionate about continuing to learn, adopting new technologies and practices, plant nutrition, focusing on farm profitability, yet still being a youngin, has more questions than answers! Come find me if you know of any grant opportunities or have ideas you think are worth pursuing! I hope y’all walk away today with some valuable knowledge, new ideas, and something you can take back home and put into practice!

A proud son and product of family farmers, José Corona has held senior leadership roles in organizations spanning the nonprofit, philanthropy, private, and public sectors. Currently, as the Chief Agricultural Business Officer, he leads the flagship agricultural initiative administered by the Office of Kat Taylor — The Agricultural Platform Collective (APC) — a coordinated network of small farmers and ranchers focused on creating more resilient and regenerative sourcing pathways and transforming the agricultural sector by bolstering the economic viability, sustainability, and resilience of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities at-large.

Prior to joining the APC, José founded Rebozo Ventures, a consultancy practice grounded on humility, compassion, honor, and respect – for self and others. Prior to Rebozo, José led the grantmaking, partnership, and programmatic efforts for Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. José also served as CEO of ICA.fund and as the Director of Equity & Strategic Partnerships with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, where he co-founded the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation. José is an Aspen Fellow, a Ricardo Salinas Scholar, and currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Unity Council. He is a member of the Board of Directors of CA Farmlink and the Oakland Museum of California.

Mr Miller provides technical support to Central Valley coalitions in their implementation of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program and CV-SALTS to address nitrate and salinity issues. This includes contributing to landscape level modeling assessments, focused studies and research, and grower outreach and education.

Fresno BIPOC Produce Inc. is an evolving food hub created in 2021 by Keng Vang. Its mission is simple: to support small, BIPOC farmers in marketing their produce to new markets with fair pricing. The food hub’s goal is to build a warehouse with cold storage, processing equipment, packaging equipment, post-harvest equipment, transportation that implements food safety requirements, become a space for BIPOC farmers to learn about food safety and the use of equipment and be a model for BIPOC farmers interested in expanding their business.

The mission and vision of the Madera/Chowchilla Resource Conservation District is to provide education and technical guidance in sustainable resource conservation and management to our communities, landowners, and managers; both current and future.

Lilian Thaoxaochay is the UC ANR Disaster Resiliency, Planning, and Policy Advisor for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties. Her program is focused on preparing high-risk communities for natural disasters including agricultural operations. From 2021-2025, she worked for the UCCE Fresno County Small Farms team providing disaster relief and technical assistance for COVID-19, drought, and other extreme weather events, including education on climate smart agricultural practices. She also worked on a number of research projects spanning water efficiency to specialty crop production.

Lilian is a social scientist and holds degrees in Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz and Stanford University. She is also a first generation Hmong American born and raised in Fresno, CA. Her family has a 20 acre mixed vegetable, flower, and jujube farm in Fresno County.

Manpreet Singh is Technology and Innovation Advisor for Small Farms at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, stationed at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier, CA. He serves Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties in the San Joaquin Valley of California. His work encompasses evaluation, development and dissemination of agricultural technologies that address priority needs and challenges of small-scale farmers.
Originally from Punjab, India, he grew up in a rural farming community. He holds a PhD in Plant and Soil Science from Texas Tech University, specializing in irrigation management and biochar amendments to develop water-resilient strategies for vegetable crops. His master’s work focused on hybrid breeding techniques in muskmelon.
Dr. Singh’s current program advances appropriate agricultural technologies for sustainable farming through initiatives such as development and adaption of irrigation decision support tools; waste-derived hydrogels to enhance water resiliency; vision-based low-cost precision herbicide sprayer; and sustainable alternatives to plastic mulch and low-cost automated irrigation systems for diversified farms. Through integrated field research, technology evaluation and development, and stakeholder engagement, his program delivers adaptive, science-informed solutions that improve resource efficiency, profitability, and sustainability.

Modibo (he/him) serves as the Central Coast Project and Policy Associate for Sustainable Conservation. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resource Management (Science & Policy) from the Pennsylvania State University in 2021 with a focus on Watersheds and Water Resources. Prior to his current role, Modibo completed 2 years with Sustainable Conservation as a GrizzlyCorps Fellow focused on monitoring the implementation of regulatory measures including ILRP, CV-SALTS, and SGMA. Since joining as full-time staff in 2024, his work has continued in this vein, shaping Sustainable Conservation’s commentary on ILRP, CV-SALTS, SGMA, and the Dairy General Order.

Nancy joined the CARCD team in early 2020 as a Project Coordinator. She soon moved to a Project Manager role and then became the Pollinator and Wildlife Habitat Program Manager. She later served as Interim Executive Director and Deputy Director before being appointed as the Executive Director in November of 2023.

Nancy leverages her passion for sustainability and social justice and private sector project management/coordination experience – along with 10 years as an eco-entrepreneur – to lead CARCD in its mission to support California’s Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) across the state, enabling them to get more conservation work done on the ground through advocacy and strong partnerships with federal and state agencies, fostering collaboration among RCDs statewide, and grant funding.

She speaks Spanish, French, and German. Nancy is a native Californian, currently living in Santa Cruz.

Paul Sousa is the Director of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs with Western United Dairies. He grew up on a dairy in Stanislaus County, where his family still dairies today. Sousa is a graduate of UC Davis, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Resource Science with emphasis on Land and Water Management. Sousa worked with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board regulating confined animal facilities before returning to the family farm to start the family’s second operation. In his current role he advocates on behalf of dairy farmers and helps them understand and comply with environmental regulations. He is a Certified Crop Advisor.

Ryan Indart is a third-generation California sheep producer and owner of The Indart Group, Inc., which is engaged in sheep ranching, direct marketing of lamb, dry land farming, and custom farm work. Ryan is also the owner of Indart Solar Sheep Grazing, specializing in sheep grazing for fire fuel loads reduction in large utility scale solar sites throughout California and Colorado. Along with his sheep operation, Indart and his family farm cherries, oranges, almonds and dry land wheat on the family ranch in Clovis. He is a board member of the National Lamb Feeders Association and a Board member and past president of the California Wool Growers Association and the Western Range Association. He is a past chair of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce, and he is the current President of Fresno Farm Bureau. He is the current varsity girl’s water polo assistant head coach at Clovis North High School. Indart received his bachelor’s degree from U.C. Davis, where he was a double-lettered athlete in both men’s varsity water polo and track and field. He received his master’s in business administration from the University of Notre Dame. Ryan and his wife, Beatriz, reside in Clovis with their four daughters.

Sara Rosenberg is the Regenerative Agriculture Advisor covering Mariposa, Merced and Stanislaus counties. Dr. Rosenberg graduated from the University of California, Davis with a master’s in International Agriculture Development and a PhD in Horticulture and Agronomy. Her disciplinary focus areas are agroecology, sustainable nutrient management, and extension research and methodology. Her past research centers on understanding the implications of diversification, with a focus on crop rotations and cover crops for California rice systems. Prior to her PhD, she worked for more than three years in international agriculture development. Her current research and extension program focuses broadly on supporting grower communities in transitioning towards regenerative systems through implementing practices which build soil health, restore biodiversity, support water conservation and nurtures economic resilience.

Dr. Stephanie Bolton leads the Grower Research, Education, and Communications initiatives, plus the LODI RULES Sustainable Winegrowing Program, at the Lodi Winegrape Commission, an organization representing 750 growers farming around 82,000 acres of winegrapes in northern California. Stephanie brings to the table proven team organizational leadership, a high level of motivation and passion to discover both short- and long-term solutions for the farming families she adores, and an innate ability to creatively open communication channels between growers, scientists, and industry personnel. She has been recognized as a Nuffield International Farming Scholar, a Wine Enthusiast Future 40 Honoree, a Wine Business Monthly Industry Leader, and is currently a finalist for a Change Maker of the Year award.

Tanya is a third generation almond farmer, helping manage 1800 acres of almonds and other tree nuts at Gemperle Family Farms. She is also pursuing her PhD at UC Davis in the Horticulture and Agronomy program, researching the outcomes of regenerative practices in almond orchards. Her research includes a broad look at commercial orchards up and down the valley as well as a field trial examining changes in water use efficiency of orchards implementing stacked regenerative practices. She is passionate about farming in California and wants to find ways to keep farmers, ag land, and natural ecosystems healthy and thriving in the future.

Tracy Celio is the Director of F3 Local and the Southwest Regional Food Business Center at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Through these programs, she leads initiatives that provide business development, marketing education, technical assistance, and financial support to small food and farm businesses across the western United States.

Since joining UC ANR in 2012, Tracy has led community-based programs that strengthen local and regional food systems through strategic partnerships, technical assistance, and capacity building. As a social scientist, her expertise includes program management, community engagement, adult education, and program design.

Prior to UC ANR, Tracy served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Central America as a food security extension agent and as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer along the U.S.-Mexico border. In recognition of her commitment to public service, she received the Harris Wofford Award for outstanding civic engagement at home and abroad.

Tracy earned degrees in Social Science and Environmental Studies from San Diego State University.