Shy Palmer is a proud Raleigh NC native, deeply rooted in the vibrant tapestry of her community. A UNC- Chapel Hill alumnus with a degree in political science, a passion for DEI, and an unwavering commitment to fostering unity and empowerment among marginalized communities, she has dedicated her life to uplifting those around her. Shy’s impact extends far beyond the garden. Her extensive experience in community organizing has empowered marginalized communities to raise their voices and advocate for positive change. Having collaborated with lawmakers and other Black farmers from TFNC’s Women of Color Farmer’s Network on Black Farmer Lobby Days, in addition to working to uplift countless other local community causes, she understands that true transformation starts with a unified community.

Alesia’s background in the Food and Agriculture Industry spans 35 years, starting with a Food Science degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.  She had a 17-year career with Kraft Foods in Madison WI covering roles in Corporate Quality, Regulatory Labeling/Nutrition, and Organic Certification compliance. From there, she moved to the organic industry full-time, and currently owns Agri Systems International, a consulting business dedicated to aiding growers and handlers with their organic certification needs. She is also certified as a Trusted Advisor for the new SOE (Strengthening Organic Enforcement) USDA NOP regulations. Alesia joined CFSA as a Policy Specialist in May 2024, tasked with advocating for specific agriculture policies to help small/midsize /beginning/underserved farmers across the Carolinas. 

Dr. Chris Frey is the Associate Dean for Research and Infrastructure of the College of Engineering, and the Glenn E. and Phyllis J. Futrell Distinguished University Professor of environmental engineering in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, at North Carolina State University. His research includes measurement and modeling of human exposure to air pollution, measurement and modeling of vehicle emissions, probabilistic and sensitivity analysis methods, and probabilistic assessment of power generation environmental technologies. He has led over 70 research studies, published over 150 peer-reviewed journal papers, and delivered over 200 invited talks nationally and internationally. He has taught courses on air pollution control, air quality, environmental exposure and risk assessment, transportation energy and emissions, civil engineering systems, and sustainable infrastructure. Dr. Frey has been on the faculty at NCSU for over 30 years.

Dr. Richmond-Brynant uses geospatial analytics to study human exposure to ambient air pollution and works on environmental issues that have disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. She develops modeling approaches to characterize the movement of air pollution in the built environment, how physical characteristics of the environment may act to modify human exposure, and how additional personal and neighborhood characteristics may interact with exposures to modify health impacts. Other interests include studying if access to data may empower communities to advocate for improved environmental conditions.

Dr. Chris Hofelt is the Team Leader of the Global Registrations team at BASF. He worked in agricultural regulatory affairs since 2011 at both the US and global levels in both the crop and non-crop side of industry. He has worked in the environmental industry for over 30 years as a chemist, toxicologist, researcher, environmental regulator, risk assessor and an educator. Dr. Hofelt received his PhD in Environmental Toxicology from NCSU, where he also was an Assistant professor for nine years. 

Dr. Becky Schewe has spent nearly twenty years researching agriculture, rural communities, and the environment. She holds an M.S. in Rural Sociology and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a passionate advocate for a sustainable agricultural and food system and evidence-based policy. She comes to NSAC from the Maxwell School for Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University where she has researched agricultural and food system policy impacts, conservation behaviors, and their connection with social systems like labor equity. She looks forward to helping NSAC use data to answer important agricultural and food sustainability questions!