Meet our 2026 Speakers & Panelists
Bertrand Weber
Farm to School Innovator & Former Director of Culinary and Wellness Services for Minneapolis Public Schools
Bertrand Weber is a nationally recognized leader in school food system transformation with more than 40 years of experience across hospitality, large-scale food operations, and public education.
In 2004, he launched one of Minnesota’s first Farm to School programs, helping connect schools with local farmers and seasonal foods. From 2012 until his retirement in 2026, Bertrand served as Director of Culinary and Wellness Services for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), leading a return to scratch cooking and positioning MPS as a national model for high-quality, sustainable school meals.
He has held leadership roles with national school nutrition and Farm to School organizations and has received numerous honors, including the IFMA Silver Plate Award and multiple FAME awards.
Bertrand is a true Farm to School pioneer, and we’re honored to welcome him as this year’s Conference keynote speaker!
Director of Food and Nutrition Services
Alachua County Public Schools
Session Topic: Farm to School in Action: Real-World Implementation
F2S Coordinator, Food and Nutrition Services
Alachua County Public Schools
Sessionn Topic: Farm to School in Action: Real-World Implementation
Agriculture and Food Systems Extension Agent
University of Florida
Session Topic: Cultivating Connections: How Extension Strengthens Farm to School Education through Resources, Programs and Partnerships
Co-Director
Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network
Session Topic: Robust Farm to School Programming in a Rural K-12 Setting
Co-Director
Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network
Session Topic: Robust Farm to School Programming in a Rural K-12 Setting
CEO and Co-Founder
Kitchen Sync Strategies
Session Topic: Bridging the Gap: Connecting Farms and Schools