Our Programs

LYNN WALTER (PRESIDENT)

​Lynn is the Founding Director of UWGB’s Center for Food in Community and Culture; co-editor of Critical Food Issues: Problems and State of the Art Solutions. She grew up on a farm and worked her way through school as cook at the Green Lantern Co-op restaurant in Madison, WI.

"My experience and passion for promoting healthy, local food will help sustain the time-consuming and complicated project of developing New Leaf Foods as a thriving and vital community food hub and educational center connecting consumers, growers, and artisan producers to support health and wellness, prosperous local farm and food businesses, good jobs, equitable communities, and a thriving local food economy."

KIM R. DIAZ (VICE-PRESIDENT)

Kim is a NEW Curative Rehabilitation Worker with the Brown County Community Support Program, Graduate of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Planning & Policy.  She is a Leadership Green Bay Graduate and is interested in building a sustainable and equitable food systems that supports a resilient and healthy community and environment.

PAT ALBERS (TREASURER)

Pat is an accounting lecturer at UW-Green Bay in the Cofrin School of Business.  She is a C.P.A with an MBA from UW-Oshkosh.

"My husband grew up growing vegetables to sell to local restaurants and grocery stores. His love of gardening has become a shared love of gardening and led to my training as a Master Gardener and my interest in promoting healthy food choices."

KAREN EARLY

Karen is FoodWIse Coordinator for UW Madison, Division of Extension in Brown County.

"As a registered dietician and food advocate for my entire career, I have been passionate about sustainable eating, sustainable food systems and their benefits to the health of individuals and the environment. My work with U-W Extension has addressed food security, food systems, poverty awareness and nutrition education with a special interest in hunger and obesity. I conduct applied research to address community initiatives for improving food security in low-income populations through developing community partnerships and collaborations."

VALERIE DANTOIN

Valerie  is the faculty instructor of the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and founding member of SLO Farmers Co-op.

LINDA GUSTKE

Linda is the Education Manager at Green Bay Botanical Garden. Since starting at the Garden in 2015, her interest in sustainable food systems and the healing power of food has exploded. Because of this, she became involved with New Leaf Foods in 2017 by assuming the role of Volunteer Coordinator for the 2018 Green Bay Garden Blitz. She now joins the New Leaf Foods Board of Directors and is excited to continue connecting the community to their role in the food system to help them make healthy choices for their family. Linda has Bachelor's of Science in Biology and Chemistry from St. Norbert College, a teaching certification in Broadfield Science from UW-Green Bay and is a certified Master Gardener. 

JILL LEMKE

Jill is New Leaf Foods social media communication specialist. She is People Experience Specialist for Elevate97.

 1. Improve Access to Healthy Food
a. Support programs, such as community-supported agriculture and farmers markets, that connect local food and farm producers directly to local consumers. 

b. Increase opportunities for consumers to produce their own food in private, community, and school gardens, etc. 

c. Help consumers locate local sources of healthy food.

d. Promote urban agriculture.

e. Promote farm-to-school and farm-to-institution programs.

f. Support food pantries and other charitable healthy food projects in underserved communities and populations.

2. Promote Health and Well-being through Healthy Food Education
a. Sponsor educational programs and conferences on nutrition, food preparation, diverse healthy cuisines, growing healthy foods, sustainable agriculture, and regenerative food and farm systems.

b. Provide healthy local food educational programs at no or low cost to low-income residents.

c. Provide inclusive education, training, and leadership opportunities.

d. Provide classroom, demonstration kitchen and meeting space for healthy food education programs.

e. Collaborate with wellness programs.

f. Sponsor local food and on-farm events and fund-raisers.

3. Build a Thriving Sustainable Local Food System
a. Build coalitions to develop infrastructural supports and policies that sustain healthy, local food development.

b. Host website and social media to inform and educate consumers about programs, events, resources, and opportunities related to a healthy, sustainable, and regenerative local food systems. 

c. Promote training, with special emphasis on youth and the underserved, for employment and entrepreneurship in sustainable local food system enterprises.

d. Connect consumers, food pantries, schools, etc. with local farmers and producers of healthy foods.

e. Promote sustainable local food systems projects, including farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, urban agriculture, community gardens, and kitchen incubators.

f. Create a gathering space for local farmers and consumers, chefs and diners, food educators and learners.

4. Support a Clean Environment
a. Identify and inform consumers about local producers who use sustainable, regenerative agricultural practices to promote a clean environment.

b. Conduct research, networking events, conferences, training, and presentations on relationship between healthy food and a clean environment.

c. Offer education about how to produce food using sustainable growing, processing, and distribution practices.

d. Promote and educate about recycling and composting of waste.

 New Leaf Foods supports programs and projects that:

1) promote good food for good health

2) empower local consumers and local family farmers and producers through healthy food education and access;

3) create closer connections between local consumers and local food producers, especially family farmers and producers;

4) sustain the natural environment;

5) work collaboratively with community, civic, business and educational institutions;

6) reflect the diversity of Northeast Wisconsin;

7) include consumers of modest means;

8) practice inclusive excellence and equity; and 

9) demonstrate effectiveness.

Equal opportunity, diversity and inclusiveness are important to the success of our mission.  Acting in accordance with state, federal, and municipal laws, New Leaf Foods, Inc. intends to comply with these laws which preclude negative discrimination because of race, disability, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, or any other protected classification. This policy applies to all activities of New Leaf Foods, Inc., including but not limited to employment, selection of volunteers, grant-making, purchasing, and selecting vendors or consultants.