Cara Loriz

Executive Director
cara@seedalliance.org
Cara Loriz joined the OSA team as executive director in 2016 after leading the start-up of Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, a historic farm on Shelter Island, New York. An educator and writer, Cara studied soils and remote sensing while earning degrees in geology and technical writing, and also taught environmental science and geology at several colleges. Before joining the farm world, she served as editor-in-chief of the local newspaper on Shelter Island, winning awards for writing, photography and design. In advancing OSA’s mission, Cara has prioritized promoting seed literacy and building cultural and community connections to plant breeding. In 2017, Cara facilitated OSA’s fiscal sponsorship of the Society of Organic Seed Professionals. She lives in Port Townsend with her husband Mike, several chickens and thousands of honey bees.

Board and Advisory Roles

  • Policy Committee, Organic Farmers Association
  • Washington State University Food Systems Team

Micaela Colley

Program Director
micaela@seedalliance.org
Micaela Colley leads OSA’s research and education programs focused on organic seed production and organic plant breeding. She is the author of several publications. Micaela frequently teaches and speaks on organic seed topics and collaborates on research projects nationally. Micaela is also pursuing a PhD focused on organic and participatory plant breeding under Dr. Edith Lammerts van Bueren at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

Selected Publications

  • Lyon, Alexandra, William Tracy, Micaela Colley, Patrick Culbert, Michael Mazourek, James Myers, Jared Zystro, and Erin M. Silva. 2018. Adaptability analysis in a participatory variety trial of organic vegetable crops. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: 1-17.
 
  • Zystro, Jared, Micaela Colley, and Julie Dawson. 2018. Alternative Experimental Designs for Plant Breeding. Plant Breeding Reviews 42: 87-117.
 
  • Buttala L., J. Zystro, M. Colley S. and Siegel. 2015. The Seed Garden. Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah.

Jared Zystro

Research & Education Assistant Director
jared@seedalliance.org
Jared Zystro is Organic Seed Alliance’s research and education assistant director. He has an M.S. and Ph.D. in plant breeding and plant genetics from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where he studied efficient methods of developing new organic sweet corn varieties. Jared has worked in the organic seed industry for over 15 years, managing seed production at two farms and conducting research and education projects with OSA. He currently manages OSA’s regional development in California, conducts participatory breeding projects and variety trials, and teaches farmers about seed production and plant breeding at workshops, conferences, and field days. He lives in the coastal town of Arcata, CA, with his wife and son.

Selected Publications

  • Zystro, J. Efficient Methods to Develop New Sweet Corn Cultivars for Organic Systems. PhD Dissertation, The University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI.
 
  • Lyon, A., W. Tracy, M. Colley, P. Culbert, M. Mazourek, J. Myers, J. Zystro, and E. Silva. 2018. Adaptability analysis in a participatory variety trial of organic vegetable crops. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: 1-17.
 
  • Zystro, Jared, Micaela Colley, and Julie Dawson. 2018. Alternative Experimental Designs for Plant Breeding. Plant Breeding Reviews 42: 87-117.
 
  • Hoagland L., J. Navazio, J. Zystro, I. Kaplan, J. Vargas and K. Gibson. 2015. Key Traits and Promising Germplasm for an Organic Participatory Tomato Breeding Program in the US Midwest. HortScience 50:1301-1308.
 
  • Buttala L., J. Zystro, M. Colley S. and Siegel. 2015. The Seed Garden. Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah.
 
  • Lyon, E. Silva, J. Zystro and M. Bell. 2015. Seed and Plant Breeding for Wisconsin’s Organic Vegetable Sector: Understanding Farmers’ Needs. Agroecology and Food Systems 39: 601-624.
 
  • Zystro, J., N. de Leon, and W. Tracy. 2012. Analysis of Traits Related to Weed Competitiveness in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.). Sustainability, 4:543-560.

Kiki Hubbard

Advocacy & Communications Director
kiki@seedalliance.org
Kristina "Kiki" Hubbard is the director of advocacy and communications for Organic Seed Alliance. Kiki's work on seed policy spans nearly twenty years in the areas of antitrust, biotechnology, consolidation, intellectual property, and organic regulation. Working on an organic farm piqued her interest in sustainable agriculture while an undergraduate in Wisconsin. She went on to pursue related law and policy issues at the Center for Food Safety in Washington, DC, before moving out west to complete an M.S. at the University of Montana in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in sustainable food and farming. Before landing at OSA, Kiki worked for a number of organizations, including the Center for Rural Affairs, National Family Farm Coalition, Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM), and the Western Organization of Resource Councils. While at OCM, Kiki led a national campaign on antitrust concerns in the seed industry that eventually set in motion a federal investigation by the Department of Justice. At OSA, Kiki leads efforts to promote policies and actions that advance organic seed systems. She manages OSA's State of Organic Seed project and leads federal policy initiatives targeting Congress and federal agencies as well as the National Organic Standards Board. Kiki lives in Missoula, Montana, with her husband and son.

Selected Publications

  • The Sobering Details Behind the Latest Seed Monopoly Chart (Civil Eats, 2019)
 
  • Op-ed: How Patents Threaten Small Seed Companies (Civil Eats, 2020)
 
  • Don't cede control over Montana seed (Billings Gazette, 2017)
 
  • Confronting coexistence in the United States: organic agriculture, genetic engineering, and the case of Roundup Ready alfalfa (Agriculture and Human Values, 30:325-335, 2013)
 
  • Monsanto's growing monopoly (Salon, 2013)
 
  • Speak Your Piece: The President and Seed (Daily Yonder, 2011)
 
  • Out of Hand: Farmers Face the Consequences of a Consolidated Seed Industry (National Family Farmers Coalition, 2009)

Awards and Fellowships

  • Leadership in Organic Agriculture Award, Montana Organic Association (2017)
  • Northern Rockies Sustainable Agriculture Award, AERO  (2009)
  • Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship (2005)

Board and Advisory Roles

  • Policy Committee, Montana Organic Association
  • Research, Education, and Extension Committee, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Cathleen McCluskey

Outreach Director
cathleen@seedalliance.org
Cathleen McCluskey is the outreach director for Organic Seed Alliance. She supports OSA’s online and print communications, and the coordination of regional and national outreach efforts. Cathleen is also the chair of the biennial Organic Seed Growers Conference. She has worked on food sovereignty campaigns; helped launch a local seed library; and researches the social, biological, and economic impacts of on-farm genetic diversity. Cathleen holds an MS degree in Agroecology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and is currently pursuing graduate studies in environment and resources through the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Selected Publications

  • Banking on Seeds for Our Future (Edge Effects, 2018)
 
  • Op-ed: How Patents Threaten Small Seed Companies (Civil Eats, 2020)
 
  • Dawson, J., Healy, K., and McCluskey, M. (2017) Organic Vegetable Trials and Plant Breeding Needs Assessment and Strategy for National Collaboration. University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. (Accessed November 2018)

Laurie McKenzie

Research & Education Associate, Northwest Region
laurie@seedalliance.org
Laurie McKenzie is Research and Education Associate for the Pacific Northwest region and one of OSA's vegetable breeders. She manages OSA's research farm in Chimacum, WA, where she conducts breeding projects, vegetable variety trials, and seed production on a variety of crops. Laurie has authored and co-authored several publications and taught dozens of classes and workshops on seed production and plant breeding. She received her M.S. in Horticulture and Plant Breeding from Oregon State University in 2012 and has over a decade of farming and seed production experience. Laurie focuses on breeding for organic production systems using participatory strategies. She is currently working on several collaborative breeding projects focused on cabbage, kale, carrots, Swiss Chard, and purple sprouting broccoli. In her spare time Laurie enjoys creating her budding homestead, playing with her farm animals, and growing flowers in the garden.

Jennifer Turney

Financial Manager
jennifer@seedalliance.org
Jennifer Turney brings years of financial management experience to the OSA team. She has created and maintained systems for a diversity of non-profit and for-profit businesses including creating tools for budgeting, financial tracking, grant management, and state and federal compliance. She also brings a wealth of personal experience in farming and the arts including fiber arts, landscaping, and food preservation. She resides in Port Townsend, Washington with her two lamas, three sheep, and apple orchard on a historic homestead.

Steve Peters

California Research & Outreach Associate
steve@seedalliance.org

Steve has been involved with agriculture since he was a child. His journey began as a gardener and then a farmer, research agronomist, seed production and development manager, educator, and seed advocate. Steve works for OSA in California and Intermountain West states to help farmers establish regional seed hubs based on public domain seed production and improvement.

Amber McConnon

California Research & Education Assistant
amber@seedalliance.org
Amber McConnon is the California Research & Education Assistant. She oversees the Southern California regional hub activities and has a background in outreach and communications. Amber has been involved in the organic seed industry for over five years. She studied organic seed production, small farm economics, and worked on the student farm as part of the Organic Farm School on Whidbey Island, Washington. She now lives in rural San Diego county in Ramona, CA, with her husband, dogs, and many chickens.

Kitt Healy

Research & Education Associate, Midwest
kitt@seedalliance.org
Kitt Healy is OSA's Research and Education Associate for the Midwest region. She holds a joint Masters degree in Agroecology and Organic Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied with Dr. Julie Dawson. Kitt's masters research focused on conducting tomato variety trials for short-season organic production, and engaging chefs and local farmers in participatory breeding and evaluation projects. She designs and delivers educational content focused on on-farm trials and participatory plant breeding, while growing the organic seed community in the region. She lives in Minneapolis, MN.

Katie Miller

Research Field Assistant
katie@seedalliance.org
Katie Miller is the field research assistant at Organic Seed Alliance's research farm in Chimacum, Washington. She spends most of her time out in the field tending to OSA's variety trials and breeding projects. Katie aspires to be a good steward of the plants that she loves and to address the breeding needs of farmers on the Peninsula. She has been producing seeds and vegetables since 2005, first at Scratch Farm in Rhode Island, then at Nash's Organic Produce in 2016 before joining the OSA team in 2017. Katie lives in the woods in Quilcene, Washington and tries to get out on the water whenever possible.
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Staff

Cara Loriz
Executive Director
cara@seedalliance.org
Micaela Colley
Program Director
micaela@seedalliance.org
Jared Zystro
Research & Education Assistant Director
jared@seedalliance.org
Kiki Hubbard
Advocacy & Communications Director
kiki@seedalliance.org
Cathleen McCluskey
Outreach Director
cathleen@seedalliance.org
Laurie McKenzie
Research & Education Associate, Northwest Region
laurie@seedalliance.org
Jennifer Turney
Financial Manager
jennifer@seedalliance.org
Steve Peters
California Research & Outreach Associate
steve@seedalliance.org
Amber McConnon
California Research & Education Assistant
amber@seedalliance.org
Kitt Healy
Research & Education Associate, Midwest
kitt@seedalliance.org
Katie Miller
Research Field Assistant
katie@seedalliance.org

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TODAY is the last day to apply for the Organic Seed Entrepreneurship Intensive! This is a groundbreaking opportunity for budding CA-based seed growers interested in building their seed business. #organicseed #organic #californiaagriculture seedalliance.org/202…

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"Deployed as coatings on seeds for crops that cover more than 150 million acres in the U.S., neonics are taken up by all plant parts: roots, stems, leaves, fruit, pollen, and nectar." Scientists now believe the insecticides may threaten mammals, too. thefern.org/2021/02/…

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If you’re a CA producer interested in launching or expanding a seed business, this intensive is for you! The application deadline has been extended to March 1st: seedalliance.org/202… pic.twitter.com/JMSM…

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