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Meet our 2025 Speakers & Panelists

We're thrilled to welcome experts, visionaries and Farm to School enthusiasts from across Florida and the U.S. for our 2025 Florida Farm to School Conference. From our keynote and breakout sessions to panels of experts, you'll hear from leaders in agriculture, school nutrition, education and more.
Our Keynote Speaker

Donna Martin, EdS, RDN, LD, SNS, FAND

Retired School Nutrition Program Director
School Nutrition Consultant

Donna Martin is a retired Director of the Burke County, GA School Nutrition Program and served as President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics from 2017-2018. She graduated from the University of Georgia and has a master’s degree from the University of Alabama – Birmingham and an education specialist degree from Augusta University.

In 2016, Donna spoke about Florida Farm to School at the White House, where she was recognized with the 2016 Golden Radish Award for her efforts. Donna has testified before Congress on school nutrition standards and addressed the House of Representatives on the Farm to School Bill. She also spoke at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Currently, she serves on the GenYouth Board of Directors and is a National Dairy Ambassador, a No Kid Hungry Consultant and a trainer for the Institute of Child Nutrition.

Donna is a true Farm to School trailblazer, and we’re thrilled to welcome her as this year’s Conference keynote speaker!

Our Session Speakers
Chef Jorge Sanchez

Division Chef
FDACS
Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness

Session Topic: Boosting Flavors: Transforming School Meals

Chef Cyndie Story, PhD, RDN, SNS

Registered Dietitian and Certified Chef
Culinary Solution Centers, LLC and
SproutCNP, LLC

Session Topic: Let’s Get Cooking! Local Foods in School Meals

Beverly Girard, PhD, MS, MBA, RDN, SNS

Licensed Dietitian
Culinary Solution Centers, LLC and SproutCNP, LLC 

Session Topic: Let’s Get Cooking! Local Foods in School Meals

Leann Edwards

Program Director
Project Green Fork/Clean Memphis

Session Topic: Healthy Plates, Happy Planet: Addressing Food Waste in Child Nutrition

Eddie Recinos

Program Director
Food Forests for Schools

Session Topic: Food Forests for Schools

Debi La Belle

Senior Program Manager
Food Forests for Schools

Session Topic: Food Forests for Schools

Cara Rockwell

Assistant Professor, Florida International University
Institute of Environment, Department of Earth & Environment

Session Topic: Climate and Plant Community Diversity: Considerations for Understanding Florida Food Forests

Zachary Brym

Associate Professor, University of Florida
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Session Topic: Getting Agroecology into Schools: Plants for Food and Nature

Hakeem Holmes

Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
National Center for Appropriate Technology

Session Topic: Bringing the Farm to School: An Overview

Craig Clemmer

Education and Program Innovation Director
FDACS

Session Topic: Behind the Farm to School Curtain: Procurement and Economics

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Our Panelists
Panel: Local Farmers' Guide to Farm to School
Vincent Moore

Owner
Sweet Magnolia Ridge

Kirsten Rodriguez

Agritourism Director
Long & Scott Farms

Tracy Nazzaro

President & General Manager
Traders Hill Farm

Panel: Cultivating Community Partners
Jenna Kaczmarski

President and Co-Founder
Locally Grown, Inc.

Fredando Jackson

Executive Director
Flint River Fresh, Inc. 

Lana Chehabeddine

Assistant Programs Manager
Florida Organic Growers & Consumers Inc.

Panel: Florida Farm to School: Meet the Team
Michael Carter

Farm to School Outreach Coordinator and School Garden Specialist
FDACS Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness

Bela Delgado

Farm to School Coordinator and Food Recovery Specialist
FDACS Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness

Jason Dial

Farm to School Outreach Coordinator and Producer Training Facilitator
FDACS Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness

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