Staff
Ellen Gray, Executive Director
Mount Vernon
egray@wsffn.org | 360-336-9694
Ellen has been the Executive Director of The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network (The Network) since January 2008 (www.wsffn.org). She currently serves on the "Kitchen Cabinet" of Washington State University's Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resource Sciences and co-chairs the Good Food Coalition, a group of organizations and individuals that advocate for policies that advance a more sustainable and just food system in Washington State. Ellen has a Masters from the University of Washington and a BA from the University of Vermont. Ellen has a long commitment to advocacy work and more than 30 year's experience in the non-profit sector. In 2013 she received Advocate of the Year Awards from Tilth Producers of Washington and the Washington State Farmers Market Association. Originally from Vermont, Ellen spent much of her childhood working on either dairy or horse farms. She has a deep appreciation for the challenges facing small farms that are a vital element of a healthy agricultural landscape. As a parent of a 18-year-old boy, Ellen has worked for several years to encourage her school district to serve more locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. She has a passionate and personal interest in the farm to school movement. Ellen lives in Mount Vernon, Washington.
Bethany Rodgers-Clark, Operations Assistant
Mount Vernon
brodgers-clark@wsffn.org | 360-336-9694
Bethany Rodgers-Clark was hired in March 2012 as the Operations Assistant. Her main job is to maintain the Salsa database that The Network uses to connect with its supporters, as well as keep records of donations and other activities. She works part-time and is a full-time Mama, which includes Homeschooling her child. Bethany grew up in Issaquah, when it was a small town, and between life there and spending a few summers on her Grandparent's farm in Lawrence, KS she fell in love with nature and being connected to earth for nourishment and vitality. She graduated from the University of WA with a BA in Psychology, and has been advocating for young children in many capacities since 1990. Bethany and her husband, George, practice Traditional cooking at home—where they make almost everything they eat from scratch. They enjoy fermenting, dehydrating, and are learning to grow herbs and other vegetables in whatever space they can at their Apartment complex. She and her family live in Mount Vernon.
Clara Duff, Development Associate
La Conner
cduff@wsffn.org | 360-336-9694
Clara Duff joined WSFFN as Development Associate in 2010. She has enjoyed fundraising and alumni & donor relations since 1994, working for 16 years for Fountain Valley School of Colorado. Prior to that she had a career in education and administration in the U.S., England and Colombia. In past years she served on the boards of the Colorado Women's Lobby and the national Alumni Program Council; currently she is on the board of the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, where she resides with her husband. They have two daughters. Clara sees this Network opportunity as the perfect marriage of two sides of her Hungarian family heritage, blending her mother's life on a large farm overlooking the Danube with her paternal ancestry that was devoted to public health. She counts herself lucky to have a daily drive to The Network office that takes her through the beautiful, rich Skagit farmlands.
Joan Qazi, Farm to Schools Coordinator
Wenatchee
jqazi@wsffn.org | 509-881-9182
Joan Qazi is the Central Washington Coordinator for the Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network's Farm to School project and an adjunct faculty teaching Geography and Climate Change coursework at Wenatchee Valley College in central Washington. Her doctoral research focused on the Washington State apple industry and post-doc work has highlighted local food systems. Joan is a parent, community food system advocate, and geography instructor who is dedicated to helping kids eat well and understand where their food really comes from. Joan is most interested in exploring the meaning of sustainability both intellectually and empirically, whether through facilitating a College course discussion or through building a school garden and maintaining its institutional support.
What People Are Saying
From donors to our GiveBig campaign, May 5, 2015:
"Happy to support the vital work you are doing!"
"This is a very worthy organization that does good in the world. What more worthy cause than farms that produce healthy, unadulterated food to ensure our continued existence."
"You are doing great work and you should know how much it is appreciated! We are so glad to be a part of 'something so much bigger than all of us' -- making a difference to Washington's children."
"Thanks for all your work on behalf of farmers and ranchers and sustainable use of our precious lands."
"The Network has brought many agencies and groups together that, united, are making Washington agriculture more sustainable. They are helping create a better quality of life for all of us."
--Miles McEvoy
Organic Food Program, WA State Dept. of Agriculture
"The Network's advocacy and constant vigilance on state policy and our state agricultural institutions have made a huge difference for small farms, organic and sustainable agriculture in Washington State."
--Anne Schwartz
Farmer, Blue Heron Farm and President, Tilth Producers
"The Network has fundamentally changed the way public institutions carry out agriculture research and education in Washington."
--Kim Leval
Center for Rural Affairs
"The Network is one of the best examples of a successful state-based sustainable agriculture network in the nation. This network has been a great inspiration and model for all western states that make up the western sustainable agriculture movement."
--Jeff Schahczenski
Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
"The Network's persistent pressure, political base and knowing when to negotiate and when to take a hard stance has been key to creating change within WSDA and other state institutions."
--Chris Curtis
Director, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance
"The Network has proven its value...through skillfully organizing many constituencies into a strong and effective pressure point for change, both within the university and outside. Their leadership has provided political support and legitimacy for faculty in the university to embrace sustainable and organic research and education."
--Christopher Feise
Director, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources
"We feel strongly that the Network's work is at the core of fostering healthy ecosystems and communities with our state. Our food choices have tremendous impacts on our economies, ecosystems and communities; the Network works tirelessly to bring this fact to light and to creatively promote systemic pathways for beneficial food production and consumption."
--Tanya Marcovna Barnett
Earth Ministry
