She has studied ecological soil management and soil quality for over 30 years.  She has been involved in organic agriculture since 1985, co-founded eOrganic, the online National Extension resource for the organic community and co-owned Blue Moon Organic Farm in Urbana IL. She served on the Leonardo Academy’s Sustainable Agriculture Standards committee that drafted the ANSI Std Leo 4000, the Soil Health Partnership’s Science Advisory Council, the National Soil and Water Conservation Societies’ Policy Committee, the Inter Institutional Network Food and Agricultural Systems, and presently serves on the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research’s Soil Health Council. 

Interests: include plant-soil interactions, soil organic matter management and sustainability assessment focused on the science behind organic farming and ecological soil management.  She also studies how different kinds of voluntary marketing and decision support tools, regulations and government programs can encourage soil stewardship.  Teaching: includes classes on soil and water conservation, nutrient cycling, soil organic matter management, ecological soil management and tools for sustainability.  Education:  includes a BS in soil science from UW Madison, MS in international agricultural development with a focus in agronomy from UC Davis, and a PhD from Ohio State University in agronomy with a focus on ecological soil management.