speaker bios

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Manny is an animal science professor at Mesalands Community College and formerly a NMSU Extension Beef Specialist for 15 years. He  is a 4th generation cattle rancher and also has a cattle management  consulting business. He raises and direct market grassfed cattle under the brand Trilogy Beef. Manny is one of three core instructors for the Western Meat School online. Se  habla español. 

Nathan is an instructor and PhD. candidate in the Dept. of  Animal and Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University. 

Additionally, Nathan manages the Clark Meat Science Center, the Department’s USDA-inspected meat science laboratory. The meat lab serves to facilitate the teaching of meat science principles to students and workshop attendees, engage in meats-related research projects, and meat product development. Nathan is one of three core instructors for the Western Meat School online.

Rebecca is an Extension Specialist and Director of the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, housed at Oregon State University. She has a master's degree in International  Agricultural Development from the University of California-Davis and  was formerly co-owner of TLC Ranch, a mid-scale organic pastured poultry  and livestock enterprise in California. She is author of The New Livestock Farmer: The Business of Raising and Selling Ethical Meat (2015). Rebecca is one of three core instructors for the Western Meat School online.

Matt is an Agricultural Marketing Consultant with nearly 20 years’ experience serving farms through Cornell Cooperative  Extension, non-profits, and consulting. Specializing in market strategy,  Matt works with a diverse mix of produce and livestock farmers and food  businesses. Career highlights include developing the Marketing Channel  Assessment Tool for produce growers and the Cornell Meat Price &  Yield Calculator. 

Ryan is an Assistant Professor and Beef Extension Specialist at  Colorado State University. Previously, Ryan spent six years as a faculty  member at the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management in Kingsville, TX. Ryan received a Ph.D. in Beef Cattle Production at Texas A&M  University. Ryan and his wife Jacqueline also run a Wagyu beef company called Elevation Beef.

Jim has been working in the grazing world as a researcher, educator, consultant, and practitioner for 40 years. He has participated in the evolution from conventional to sustainable to regenerative ranching. As both a producer and consumer of pasture-finished beef he knows the importance of pasture and animal management when it comes to producing high quality beef and lamb.

Bob is a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University.  He teaches courses in Meat Science, Meat Processing and Food Safety. He is also a member of the Center for Meat Safety & Quality conducting research to address national and global issues.   He recently oversaw design and construction of the JBS Global Food Innovation Center at CSU.  

In 2016, Delmore was recognized by the National Provisioner magazine and named to their list of “25 Future Icons of the Meat Industry.”

Adrienne has worked on ranches throughout the west, where she met Dan, her business partner, and cohort in all adventures. They worked together for several years before starting Corner Post Meats with a handful of critters in Wyoming. To better connect with their customers, they left the rural mountains and  settled Corner Post Meats in Black Forest, on a ranch owned by the National Audubon Society. They strive to be a driving force behind healthy, tasty meat shipped to families nationwide and select restaurants in Colorado.   

Kathryn is the Sales Director for Carman Ranch, a grassfed beef  and pastured meats business in the Pacific Northwest. Kathryn was  formerly the Program Manager for NMPAN and before that, a livestock  economist at the USDA. She has a masters  in Agricultural Economics from UC-Davis

Dave is a Livestock Specialist for NCAT and co-owner of Montana Highland Lamb.

Along with his wife, they began marketing the lambs they raised from their 200-ewe flock in 2009. They have increased from 13 lambs sold direct that initial year to 300 that are being finished for sale in 2021. Their lamb customers have included farmers markets, grocery stores, restaurants, MSU dining halls, a food hub, and private customers. 

Todd grew up on a family row crop farm near Moline, IL, and attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota. He is a pioneer in the niche meat industry, as the founder of Thousand Hills Cattle Company in 2003, and a co-founder of Blue Nest Beef in 2018. Todd actively consults with a wide variety of e-commerce, technology, and specialty food companies. He and his wife Dee raise and homeschool 6 children on their farm in Cannon Falls, MN.

Dahlia grew up on both a dairy farm, and a full time farm where her parents raised grass fed Belted Galloway beef cattle, produced hay, and grew market gardens for cut flowers in Lee, NH. Dahlia and her husband, Mark, own Chandler Pond Farm in the NE corner of Vermont where they are raising 100% grass fed beef, hay, berries, and vegetables. She has built a sizable social media audience and teachers other farmers how to do the same so they can grow their farm businesses.

Mark is an Extension Swine Specialist and Associate Professor at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He previously was Director of Animal Science at the National Pork Board. Much of his research has focused on sow body condition, improving replacement gilts, and improving piglet survival.

Kate is an entrepreneur and regenerative agriculture advocate who co-owns and operates Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe in Denver, Colorado. Along with her partner Josh Curtiss, Kate sells fresh, local, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats that are all raised and  harvested within 150 miles of Denver. Although she has been featured in such notable publications as The New York Times and Forbes, Kate is most proud of the deep connections she has formed with regenerative ranchers and farmers– and the positive impact her business has had on the land.

Michelle is the co-founder of The Nightwood  Society, a private dining space that serves as a hub for creative women  in Portland’s food scene, hosting events, tastings, and makers markets. Her newest venture is consulting with Burgerville, a chain with close ties to the Pacific Northwest that is currently partnering with Battista  and her business partner, Kati Reardon, to procure product from and  promote regenerative farming practices.

Alan navigates government affairs and food and agriculture policy for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, a health food store chain operating more than 159  stores in 20 states. He also oversees organic certification and  compliance while supporting the development of small local food  producers.

Ben has worked in and opened some of Portland, OR's finest restaurant kitchens.  He opened his first restaurant, Ned Ludd, in 2008, featuring a whole-animal program and wood-fired fare. Then added Grain & Gristle in 2010 and Old Salt Marketplace in 2013.    

In 2016 Ben partnered with James Serlin to take over operations of a USDA meat plant in Canby, OR and found Revel Meat Company. They have worked to update the plant, built in 1963, and retool all of the processes, modernized packaging and processing in order to competitively sell local meat throughout the PNW.

Ron is a professor and Extension livestock specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. In addition, he serves as Associate  Department Head and Program Leader for Extension animal science faculty. Gill continues to provide leadership in Extension programming related  to animal well-being and low-stress livestock handling and assists in  providing leadership to statewide programming efforts for Beef Safety  and Quality Assurance programming.

Ron is also one of the primary trainers for Stockmanship & Stockmanship, teaching low-stress cattle handling.