Aba Kiser (she/they) is the Assistant Director of Outreach for the Organic Seed Alliance. Born in the ancestral lands of the Piscataway Conoy people near Washington, D.C., Aba has spent over a decade developing sustainable agricultural initiatives across the Pacific Northwest and beyond and is thrilled to be joining the staff after many years of collaboration as an OSA Field Intern, grant collaborator and contractor. With a background in theater from the University of Washington and a Bachelor’s in Integrative Media from The Evergreen State College, her journey to OSA has been as diverse as her interests. Aba’s work is a tapestry of regional value chain development, culturally relevant frameworks, and groundbreaking events like the Cascadia Grains Conference and the International Quinoa Research Symposium. In 2020, she earned recognition as Capital Press’ Western Innovator for her unwavering commitment to data equity and participatory frameworks. Extending beyond the fields and conference halls, Aba moonlights as a performer and media producer and during the George Floyd uprising she founded Watershed Productions to blend her love for media production with her dedication to culturally relevant food and farming projects. A grateful resident on Chimakum/S’Klallam land in the Olympic Peninsula, Aba finds solace in tending her cover crop garden when she’s not orchestrating transformative events or planning her next international adventure.
Publications
- Sarah M. Collier, Alan Ismach, Victoria Jansen, Aba Kiser, Holly Henning, Laura R. Lewis, Marie L. Spiker, Jennifer J. Otten. (2024) A call for collaboration among food systems programs in higher education to train the future workforce. Frontier Sustainable Food Systems 05 January 2024 Volume 7 – 2023.
- Assessing WA Food Systems Through an Equity Lens (2021)
