What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources?

I am the Associate Director for MU’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture and an assistant professor with the School of Natural Resources. I work closely with farmers, farm advisors, and farm groups to research and promote adoption of farming practices that are restorative to the environment and benefit people. I use participatory research approaches to conduct applied research that meets the felt-needs and challenges of farmers and others across the ag value chain. I work with all types of farmers, but one of my primary aims is to improve access to resources, training, and infrastructure to better serve small and underserved farmers.

How long have you worked in CAFNR?

I have been here since June 2021.

What do you enjoy about working for CAFNR/Mizzou?

I am not from Missouri, but have loved learning about Missouri agriculture and I see CAFNR and Mizzou – an important land-grant institution – as central to fulfilling the land-grant mission of producing and sharing research that responds to the needs of everyday U.S. citizens. In my case, those citizens are farmers and actors all along the food and ag value chain. Mizzou is providing me the opportunity to better link stakeholders to research (and vice versa).

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I like to hike and backpack, be on or in water in any way, do all-day cooking (and eating!) projects, and watch British comedy panel shows (weird niche, I know). All these things are made better when doing them with my family – a husband, two pups, and cat, and with our amazing circle of friends.

What is something your co-workers/other CAFNR employees don’t know about you?

I was born in a country that no longer “exists” – Zaire! Now the Democratic Republic of Congo.