Mary is the Executive Director of the non-profit educational organization, the Center for Land-Based Learning, based in Winters, CA, which includes the California Farm Academy, the only beginning farmer training and incubator program of its kind in Northern California. She started with the organization in 1998, and has led it’s growth since that time. Raised on a small farm in Yolo County by “Back-to-the-Land” parents in the 1970’s, Mary is very active in local and regional groups, including serving as Chair of the Yolo County Planning Commission, and Co-Chair of the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s “Cap-to-Cap” Ag and Food Team; additionally, she has served on the Board of the Yolo Land Trust for 8 years, including three years as President, and is a founding member of the Yolo Food and Ag Alliance.  Mary holds a Master’s Degree in Human and Community Development from the Ohio State University (1996), and a B.S. Degree from the University of California at Davis in Agriculture Science and Management, Plant Science Option (1992). She is an alumnus of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (Class XXXII) and the American Leadership Forum, Mountain Valley Chapter (Class XV).