The People behind the scene
Staff
We are a group of farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and educators in the Pacific Northwest who are deeply motivated to find solutions to growing food in a hotter, drier climate. We have multiple decades of experience in sustainable agriculture research and small-scale farming. We believe farmers are the ultimate knowledge-keepers and innovators who keep our food system strong and resilient.
Gabrielle Roesch-McNally
Executive Director
Gabrielle returns to the dry farming community as our Executive Director. Dr. Roesch-McNally brings two decades of work in agriculture at national and local scales. Gabrielle first worked with the dry farming community as a Fellow with the USDA Climate Hubs, where she engaged in social science research on the power of participatory research. She left the Hubs to lead the Women for the Land program at American Farmland Trust and built their nascent Social Science Research program. Gabrielle brings extensive leadership, program development, fundraising and research experience to the agriculture and climate sector. She lives in Albany Oregon with her partner, daughter, dog and bountiful chickens.
“I am incredibly excited to bring my work full circle with dry farming as I 100% believe in the critical importance of working at the nexus of water and climate while seeking solutions that support farmers to thrive in uncertain and challenging times. I am excited to build and strengthen partnerships in the region and beyond.”
– Gabrielle Roesch-McNally
Cassandra Waterman
Communications & Outreach Director
Cassandra returns to the dry farming community as Communications Director, bringing experience in dry farming research, small-scale agriculture, and both formal and nonformal community-based education.
She previously supported the OSU Dry Farming Project by co-hosting virtual field tours, launching the YouTube channel, and organizing stakeholder workshops. A former instructor at OSU, she holds an M.S. in Agricultural Education and training in facilitation and conflict resolution. Originally from the Bahamas, Cassandra is passionate about connection, resilience, and amplifying community voices.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the DFI team and reconnecting with our vibrant community of practice. Some may remember me from the early days of virtual field tours during the pandemic, and I can’t wait to breathe new life into those conversations, amplify grower voices, and keep learning alongside all of you.”
Amy Garrett
Program Director
Amy, as the founder and former Director of the Dry Farming Institute (DFI), is very excited to transition to her new role as Program Director (February 2026) and work with this amazing team to build capacity at DFI. Previously, she worked with the OSU Extension Small Farms Program in the Southern Willamette Valley from 2011 to 2022, where she initiated the OSU Dry Farming Project in 2014, the Dry Farming Collaborative in 2016, founded DFI in 2019, and was hired as the Director in 2023. As Program Director, Amy is looking forward to exploring the potential of dry farming through land-based demonstrations and research partnerships.
“I am so grateful to have an opportunity to expand DFI’s program work and spend more time doing what I’m good at in the field and in our community with this incredible team.”
-Amy Garrett
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors brings together expertise in sustainable agriculture, soil science, finance, education, and community organizing. They are farmers, researchers, educators, and advocates who volunteer their time and wisdom to help DFI fulfill its mission. We are deeply grateful for their leadership and commitment.
Lucas Nebert
President
Lucas Nebert, PhD, is a sustainable agriculture researcher who specializes in soil health (M.S., Wageningen University, Netherlands), plant and soil microbial ecology (Ph.D., University of Oregon, Environmental Studies), and, most recently, dry farming. He has worked with the Dry Farming Collaborative since 2017 as a hobby farmer, field technician, data analyst, and coordinator of the DFI Resilient Seed Stewardship Program. He is passionate about dry farming with staple crops, such as corn, beans, and squash, and his latest work focuses on breeding culinary field corn varieties to thrive in the Pacific Northwest under dry-farmed conditions.
Eliza Mason
Secretary
Eliza farms in Monroe, Oregon, at Lilliputopia, which she founded in 2017 and is named after the little people in Gulliver’s Travels. Lilliputopia was created to serve as a model for sustainability and community, and specializes in dry-farmed fruits and vegetables. Eliza holds a BS in molecular biology, a doctorate in microbiology, and works as a contract editor of scientific manuscripts. She currently serves as a director on the board of the Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District. In her free time, Eliza hunts for wild mushrooms.
Lance Young
Treasurer
Lance grew up in Washington and received his undergraduate degree in accounting from Washington State University. Upon leaving WSU, he worked for Price Waterhouse for several years, doing auditing and corporate turnaround consulting. Lance received his MBA from the Foster School and his PhD in finance from the Simon School at the University of Rochester. He has been at the Foster School for 20 years. His research interests include asset pricing, market microstructure, and behavioral finance. Lance teaches Entrepreneurial Finance, Core Finance, Advanced Corporate Finance, and Mergers and Acquisitions primarily to MBAs and Executive MBAs. In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Fama/DFA prize for the best asset pricing paper in the Journal of Financial Economics and has also received dozens of teaching awards, including the PACCAR prize for teaching excellence.
John Miedema
Board Member
John Miedema is an internationally recognized leader, researcher, and developer of biochar technology. He is the founder and CEO at BioLogical Carbon, LLC (BLC) in Philomath, Oregon. BLC’s mission is to determine pathways for underutilized waste streams to become valued resources. BLC’s primary focus is applied research and the production of high-quality biochar products for the remediation of environmental toxins and the building of soil fertility. These “designer” chars are being used in research at a number of universities and in government and private industrial and agricultural projects. In addition to long stints as a fisherman in Alaska and an electrical contractor, John has spent over two decades studying and designing sustainable energy systems integrated with resource management, food production, and environmental remediation.
Cathy McQueeney
Board Member
Cathy McQueeney is an Education and Outreach Specialist with the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District in Oregon. She has been involved in organizing Small Farms School, is on the board of the Oregon Conservation Education and Assistance Network, and has served on the steering committee for the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network (OFSSGN). She has been an academic educator for 20 years and has a small farm in Colton, OR, where she has been experimenting with dry farming for 5 years.
Thank you to our former board members: Kristin Trippe, Melissa Parks, Matt Delaney, Ron Oberg, and former Co-Director, Ashley Rood!