Coordinating Committee
FaithLands has developed a coordinating committee made up of 9 individuals representing diverse religions and regions of the U.S. The group meets quarterly and has a track record of effective, collaborative decision-making. It includes researchers, community farmers, members of the clergy and advocates. The majority of the Coordinating Committee members has been involved with National FaithLands work for at least 4 years. Current members of the coordinating committee include:
Alex Cordova, Deputy Director of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (Washington, D.C.)
Andrew Kang Bartlett, Associate for National Hunger Concerns of the Hunger Program of the Presbyterian Church USA (Kentucky)
Emma Lietz Bilecky, Colorado Land Link Director at Guidestone (Colorado)
Justine Post, Come to the Table Program Director, RAFI-USA (North Carolina)
Laura Ann Bergman, Coordinator of Seminary Hill Farm at Methodist Theological School in Ohio (Ohio)
Michelle Lewis, Executive Director of Peace Garden Project (North Carolina)
Steve Schwartz, FaithLands National Coordinator and Executive Director Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative (California)
Susie Marshall, Executive Director of GROW North Texas (Texas)
Additionally, these individuals helped with early organizing and leadership of FaithLands:
- Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll Sr., Founder of Green the Church
- Jeanne Willoughby, Executive Director of Agrarian Trust
- Kathryn Ruhf, Co-founder and Senior Advisor of Land for Good
- Rev. Nurya Love Parish, Canon for the Northern Collaborative, Coach for Beloved Community & Creation Care of the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan
- Severine von Tscharmer Fleming, Founding Board President of Agrarian Trust and Director of Greenhorns
Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative is the current lead organization for FaithLands coordination. Organizing Staff from Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative include:
Steve Schwartz, Executive Director
Steve Schwartz serves as National Coordinator of FaithLands and Executive Director of Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative; his experience includes: 12 years directing a faith-based organization working to build the local food system; and 13 years as founder and Executive Director of California FarmLink, a secular non-profit group and CDFI that delivers access to land and financing to underserved farmers.
Sousiva Ing, Communications and Reporting Associate
Sousiva Ing is the Communications and Reporting Associate at Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative, where she aids in developing grant proposals, supports outreach to partner groups, and compiles/organizes reporting information for grant reports. Sousiva is currently pursuing a Masters in Library and Information Sciences and graduated in 2023 from University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor’s degree in History of Art.
Funders
FaithLands is grateful for the support we receive from key partners. Major grant funders include:
- CA Department of Food and Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
- Heck Foundation
- Kalliopeia Foundation
- Marin Community Foundation
- Marin County’s Food, Agriculture, and Resilient Ecosystems (FARE) Program
- No Regrets Initiative
- United States Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
- United States Department of Agriculture’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships