I grew up on my family’s farm near Sheffield, Iowa. As a University of Iowa alumnus, I am the proud owner of the only Hawkeyes flag on display in Lyons.
I was born and raised in Lyons, Nebraska. One year I was home from college when the town had a heated discussion about whether or not to tear down the old opera house.
I grew up near Pender, Nebraska and still live there today. When I was 13 years old, in the midst of the farm crisis, I started seeing the lights go out in my country neighborhood.
The windows in my car were left down the other night. I worried about the storm clouds moving in and raining on the interior. I didn’t have to worry someone might steal my car.
I’m an urban-to-rural worker bee helping rural people pursue their dreams. I combine policy solutions with on-the-ground practices that make rural areas and their residents thrive.
Brandon is an Energy Fellow at the Center. He is working to develop landowner compensation models that can serve as reasonable alternatives to eminent domain.
My passion is to help beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as improve conservation programs so they support sustainable agriculture and family farmers and ranchers.
For over a decade, I was a small-town lawyer in the rambling ranchlands of my home community of Sterling, Colorado, mostly helping farmers and ranchers through the 1980s farm crisis.
I grew up on a little house on the prairie in southwestern Minnesota, literally down the road from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s former home. My father farmed there with workhorses.
I am intimately familiar with the highways of southeastern Nebraska. Many days you’ll find me on the road visiting with individuals who want to start a small business.
I grew up in the 3rd largest city in Venezuela. When I moved to Norfolk, Nebraska in 1999, it was a bit of a culture shock. But I like that everyone in town knows who I am.
Assistant Director of Finance & REAP Program Director
I’ve lived in rural America my whole life, and I’ve gotten to see a lot of it as a preacher’s son. I love the independent drive of rural people. And I think that’s why I am such an entrepreneur.
I grew up working in my parents’ cafe in Homer, Nebraska. I met my husband in high school, although he was from the rival school (I was a Knight and he was a Blue Jay).
I grew up on a farm in Raymond, Nebraska, and cannot imagine a better place to grow up. I learned the importance of hard work, persistence, and that community matters.
Latino Farmer Outreach and Community Inclusion Intern
In case you are wondering, my first name is Arabic. Yet I am Mexican with ties in Spain and Italy. I have asked my father where he found my name but he doesn’t remember.
