Staff
The people of The Land Institute tend to be like the prairie — diverse and perennial. We are working together to accomplish a mission to which we are all passionately committed. Click on the photo of each staff member below for their bio. Visit our Board of Directors or Interns page for additional profiles.
Angel Almaraz
Farm Research Assistant
Maya Allen
Research Technician, Soil Ecology
Allison Barleen
Soil Ecology Intern
Spencer Barriball
Research Technician, Perennial Legumes
Glory Benacka
Greenhouse Supervisor
Amy June Breesman
Land Relations Specialist
Marie Brockhoff
General Research Assistant
Tomas Cassani
Postdoctoral Researcher, Soil Ecology
Eric Cassetta
Phenomic Breeding Technician
Robin Chapman
Executive Assistant to the President
Anita Chase
Operations Specialist
Edy Chérémond
Research Technician, Crop Protection Ecology
Marty Christians
Research Technician, Kernza®
Stan Cox
Ecosphere Fellow
Evan Craine
Research Associate - End-Use Science in Crop Stewardship
Pat Crepps
Facilities and Grounds Assistant
Tim Crews
Chief Scientist; International Program Director, Director of Ecological Intensification
Sam Cusick
Facilities Research Assistant
Hunter Doyle
Intermountain West Agronomist
Lee DeHaan
Director of Crop Improvement/Lead Scientist, Kernza® Domestication Program
Malachi DeHaan
General Research Assistant
Madeline DuBois
Research Technician, Ecology
Matt Dunn
IT and Safety Specialist
Tiffany Durr
Facilities Operations Manager
Madeline Dykstra
General Research Assistant
Hana Fancher
Market Stewardship Specialist
Laura Froese
Accounting Manager
Westen Gehring
Grants Specialist
Adam Gorrell
Research Technician
Olivia Hamilton
Research Assistant, Greenhouse
Scott Hamilton
Facilities Manager
Gina Harding
Research Assistant, Crop Protection Genetics
Todd Humiston
Integrated Pest Management Specialist
Zach Jake
Research Assistant - Crop Protection Genetics
Laura Kemp
Perennial Agriculture Project, Field Station Manager
Tammy Kimbler
Chief Communications Officer
Ron Kinkelaar
Research Technician
Jessica Kleoppel
Director of Development
Reece Knapic
Research Technician, Civic Science
Benjamin Kraft
General Research Assistant
Emmie Lacy
Development Specialist
Bo Meyering
Applications Developer
Kendra Velasquez-Munro
General Research Assistant
Ebony Murrell
Lead Scientist, Crop Protection Ecology
Pheonah Nabukalu
Lead Scientist, Perennial Sorghum
Lydia Nicholson
Research Technician, Educational Design
Kaiden O’Dell
General Research Assistant
Tessa Peters
Director of Crop Stewardship
Laura van der Pol
Lead Scientist, Soil Ecology
Keat Robinson
General Research Assistant
Krista Robinson
Director of People and Culture
Mirza Sakiroglu
General Research Assistant
Dakota Santiago
General Research Assistant
Mercedes Santiago
Greenhouse Specialist
Kate Schieferecke
General Research Assistant
Brandon Schlautman
Lead Scientist, Perennial Legumes
Tejas Srikanth
Integrated Marketing Communications Specialist
Evan Starnes
Soil Ecology Intern
Aubrey Streit Krug
Director of Perennial Cultures Lab
Rachel Stroer
President
Savannah Hall Taillon
Development Specialist
Tracie Mattivi Thomas
Chief Operating Officer
Yvonne Thompson
Research Associate, Crop Protection Genetics
Betsy Trana
Perennial Oilseeds Research Technician
Kathryn Turner
Lead Scientist, Crop Protection Genetics
David Van Tassel
Lead Scientist, Perennial Oilseeds (Silphium)
Amanda Wagner
Development Stewardship Specialist
Shuwen Wang
Lead Scientist, Perennial Wheat
Kelsey Whiting
Perennial Grain Policy and Government Affairs, Postdoctoral Researcher
Brenna Wilcox
Operations Project Coordinator