Kevin Atticks
Kevin Atticks was appointed Maryland Secretary of Agriculture in March 2023. He is Chair of the Governor’s Intergovernmental Commission for Agriculture and member of the Governor’s Executive Council.
Read his full bio here.
Dr. Claudia Schmidt
Dr. Claudia Schmidt is an assistant professor of marketing and local/regional food systems at the Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on diversification options for small-scale agricultural producers and processors.
Read her full bio here.
Kenneth Walker
Kenneth Walker is assistant chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. A lifelong farmer, Walker grew up on a farm in Leake County, Miss., supporting the farms’ cattle production. He holds a Master of Science from Jackson State University.
Read his full bio here.
Dr. Lisa Chase
Dr. Lisa Chase is the natural resources specialist at University of Vermont Extension, where she focuses on the intersection between environmental management, food systems and community development. As the director of the Vermont Tourism Research Center, she emphasizes tourism and recreation in her programming.
Read her full bio here.
Dr. Carla Barbieri
Dr. Carla Barbieri is a professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. She founded and leads the Agritourism & Societal Wellbeing lab. Her areas of interest include agritourism, sustainable tourism, and rural well-being and local food systems.
Read her full bio here.
Heather Ersts
Heather Ersts is director of tourism development for Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County (VAAAC), a nonprofit, partnership-focused destination marketing and management organization. VAAAC’s mission is to foster a welcoming destination and promote tourism on behalf of visitors, partners, and community.
Read her full bio here.
