2023 Women Transforming Food & Finance | Regenerative Food Systems Investment

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Women Transforming Food & Finance

Thanks to everyone who made our inaugural event such a success!

An RFSI Event in partnership with Sirona Ventures

stock photo - copy - copy

Women Transforming Food & Finance

Thanks to everyone who made our inaugural event such a success!

An RFSI Event in partnership with Sirona Ventures

Our food and finance systems are broken, designed over decades to be extractive.

Agriculture and food are responsible for one-third of global green house gases (GHGs)
Biodiversity, water, and soil resources are being degraded by intensive practices
Prescriptive conventional agriculture systems are leaving farmers ecologically and economically vulnerable
The quality and nutritional density of our food has declined and is contributing to health epidemics

AND… Our financial systems are designed to perpetuate these trends.

We need new systems and we need diverse leaders who are equipped to lead through transformation…that’s where women come in.

We can change that.

A New Kind of Convergence.

RFSI, in partnership with Robyn O’Brien of Sirona Ventures, is launching Women Transforming Food & Finance – a truly unique gathering that is part conference, part mastermind, and all about activating collaboration and solutions. When you join us, you will be part of a high-caliber room full of influential female leaders from agriculture, food, and finance ready to engage in dialogue and activities geared toward action and outcomes.

Event Goals:

Collaboratively learn and build solutions for new food and finance systems
Drive change that will increase diverse leadership
Activate processes and relationships to increase funding to female founders
Develop fruitful and lasting connections across sectors that are critically important to each other and the planet

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Agenda

The 1.5 day program will include time for peer learning, professional development, and deep, authentic dialogue between leaders in agriculture, food, and finance. The result will be fruitful insight and connections that can serve your goals long into the future.

Women Transforming Food & Finance Agenda

DAY 1 | November 14, 2023

Doors open at 8:30 am

2:00 p.m. ET

Welcome

2:10 p.m. ET

The Imperative for Diverse Leadership in Food Systems Transformation

2:20 p.m. ET

Stories of Transformation in Progress Across the System

Sara Delaney, Sarilla & Sarela Herrada, Simpli

2:50 p.m. ET

Workshop: From Radical to Practical

Annalyn Lavey, Kinneret Group

3:55 p.m. ET

Keynote Panel

Collaborative Relationships to Advance Change

Seanicaa Edwards Herron, Freedmen Heirs Foundation; Donna Isaacs, DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm; Kat Taylor, TomKat Foundation; Mark Watson, Potlikker Capital

Explore the funding journey of Louisiana farmer, Donna Isaacs, and how her path can serve as a replicable and scalable model for transformative investment across agriculture. This panel of inspiring experts will address:

– The diverse capital needs of farmers on the ground and how different types of capital can serve these needs
– How collaborative capital relationships are built and fostered
– The powerful role of intermediaries in supporting private capital and corporate stakeholders to grow their impact
– The role each of us must play in creating new approaches for alternative outcomes

4:45 p.m. ET

Closing Comments

Seanicaa Edwards Herron, Freedmen Heirs Foundation; Donna Isaacs, DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm; Kat Taylor, TomKat Foundation

RECEPTION | 5:00-6:30 p.m. ET

DAY 2 | November 15, 2023

Doors open at 8:30 am

9:00 a.m. ET

Welcome

9:10 a.m. ET

Own Your Story, Own Your Pitch: Tips for Confidently Engaging Investors

Moderated by: Mindy Barker, Barker Associates

9:25 a.m. ET

Female Founders & Fundraisers Panel

Teju Adisa-Farrar, The Fiber Fund; Beth Robertson-Martin, Merge Impact; Meghan Rowe, White Leaf Provisions
Moderated by: Mindy Barker, Barker Associates

Women founders and fundraisers are dramatically underfunded compared to their male counterparts, yet their stories are often ones of strong leadership and successful outcomes. Listen, learn and engage as we dig in with three women working to raise capital to transform the food and fiber system.

10:10 a.m. ET

Keynote Address

Atomic Courage: How to Use Your Voice to Drive Change

Robyn O’Brien, Sirona Ventures

When one person is brave enough to stand up and speak truth to power, it inspires others to do the same. Over the course of Robyn’s career, she is often asked: How can I be braver in my work? How can I use my voice for good?

Join us as Robyn helps you uncover your unique strengths and passions in order to help you define the impact you want to make in the world. Women, and those who love them unconditionally, are uniquely positioned to champion change. Learn how to use your voice, powerful data and your network and community to drive change.

NETWORKING BREAK | 10:45-11:15 a.m. ET

11:15 a.m. ET

Women Leading Change Within Multi National Companies

Abi Testa, McCain Foods; Tannis Thorlakson, Driscoll’s

The current large-scale food and finance systems are designed to be efficient and extractive, making them brittle and breakable. Learn how two women are creating alternatives to these models for the food supply chain and the capital ecosystem.

11:50 a.m. ET

If It’s Broke, Fix It: Creating Alternative Approaches to Food and Finance

Connie Bowen, Farmhand Ventures; Gina Nagel, Public Good Provisions

Taking on sustainable transition within large-scale CPG companies can be a daunting task. Learn first-hand how women in these transformative roles are approaching the task and creating collaborative and lasting change.

LUNCH | 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET

1:30 p.m. ET

Seeding Social & Financial Capital for New Food Systems

Alaina Sparks, Furthermore Ventures

1:45 p.m. ET

Good Governance and Securing a Board Seat

Lisa Robinson, OnBoard

Good governance is essential to the success of any business and for many companies boards play a critical role. What does it takes to shape excellent governance and how can you secure a position in an influential board role? Find out here.

2:25 p.m. ET

Women Investing in Women: Stepping into Action

Don’t miss the final session of the program where we discuss how we can activate our key learnings. We’ll address:
– How do we build the support mechanisms (infrastructure/ processes/ policies) with in the system and organizations that enable women to lead?
– How do we shift capital resources toward women more equitably?
– How do we build communities outside these walls that left each other up?

3:00 p.m. ET

Closing Thoughts

CLOSING REFRESHMENTS | 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET

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Featured Speakers

Teju is an environmental equity consultant, independent researcher, connector and facilitator with a focus on sustainable textiles and environmental / climate justice. She supports the creation of regenerative fiber systems and climate resilient strategies for Black and Indigenous communities and people of the global majority. Teju is the Co-Managing Director of the Fibers Fund, creator / host of the Black Material Geographies podcast, a 2022 honoree for the Conscious Fashion Campaign, and a member of the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network—which supports work that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals. Teju has worked with diverse organizations like Earthjustice and Cooper Hewitt, as well as with institutions such as the United States Embassy of Botswana. She has spoken at several colleges including Princeton University and the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work supports people, organizations, and companies who are making sustainable futures through textiles, alternative economies, regenerative agriculture and community-centric organizing. Teju lives bi-coastally between Lenapehoking and Ohlone Land.

Teju Adisa-FarrarFibers Fund | Co-Managing Director

Mindy BarkerBarker Associates | Founder

Connie Bowen is passionate about driving more investment towards improving agrifood systems in an intentionally inclusive way. She actively does this as a co-founder of Farmhand Ventures, an impact venture studio focused on building the future of work in ag. She's also a Venture Investor with The Yield Lab Europe, co-founder of The Yield Lab Institute, and co-creator of the Women in Agrifood Directory.

Connie BowenFarmhand Ventures

Sara is an inspirational speaker, multi-time founder, and creator of Sarilla, an award-winning line of alcohol-free beverages, made with functional botanicals grown in Rwanda. Sara is partnering with 50 women in Rwanda to build Ubuzima Healing Garden, a regenerative farm that you can visit on her annual Crop to Cup Trip. A lifelong entrepreneur, Sara has training and degrees in business management, leadership and change, organizational development, cross-cultural communication and international commerce. She lives in Weaverville with her husband who is a Top 100 Asheville realtor and their two boys.

Sara DelaneySarilla | CEO & Founder

Seanicaa Edwards Herron is a highly respected domestic and international agricultural economist with close to 20 years of experience in agricultural economics/agribusiness, spanning across the academic, private, and government sectors. Seanicaa has served as a former USDA radio contributor on livestock, dairy, and poultry markets and weekly briefings for top USDA officials, Secretary of Agriculture and Chief Economist. Pioneer and trailblazer, she is the first Black woman to serve in the capacity of agricultural economist for USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board, University of Missouri Commercial Agriculture Program, and Informa Economics. Seanicaa now serves as Founder and Executive Director of Freedmen Heirs Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization with a mission and vision to promote the prominence, profitability, and sustainability of Black-owned farms and farmers by providing access to capital and new market entry. Seanicaa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness in 2004 and Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics in 2008, both from Mississippi State University.

Seanicaa Edwards HerronFreedmen Heirs Foundation | Co-Founder & Executive Director

Sarela Herrada is the co-founder of SIMPLi, along with her husband and co-founder, Matt Cohen. A longtime proponent of season-driven, organic agricultural practices, she has also long understood the injustices faced by small farmers who are hampered by, among many challenges, a lack of access to broader markets. Sarela was born and raised in Lima, Peru, where her family owned and operated an organic chicken farm and her father worked with farming communities in the Amazon, growing superfoods like camu camu. She moved to the U.S. with her family in her early teens. After earning an industrial engineering degree from Penn State University, she embarked on a supply chain and food management career with an eye toward creating a fairer and more just food system. Building on key roles at Mayorga Organics and Nike, Sarela developed and led the food and beverage supply chain team at CAVA – the largest Mediterranean restaurant group in the U.S. – before launching SIMPLi in 2020, with her then-fiancé, Matt Cohen. Through SIMPLi, Sarela brought to market the first Regenerative Organic Certified® ingredients from Peru to the U.S. In late 2022, Sarela was appointed to the board of directors of the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA), the 501(c)3 organization that oversees the certification process. Her broad range of talent in domestic and international operations, supply chain management, and sales, along with her passion for fighting food fraud while helping developing communities around the world, is reflected in SIMPLi’s array of ethically-sourced, nutrient-rich, award-winning retail and wholesale products.

Sarela HerradaSimpli | Co-Founder

Donna Isaacs is co-owner of DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm in Eros, Louisiana, a fourteen-acre diversified farm that sells produce, meat, and eggs. Isaacs also serves as executive director of Campti Field of Dreams (DREAMS) where she fosters sustainable growth and community revitalization. In December 2021, DREAMS was awarded a $1,080,676 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant to support 20 Historically Underserved farmers as they built No-Till Organic Market Gardens. Recognized as one of the 2021 Farmers of the Year by Minority Landowner Magazine, she is dedicated to growing food, farmers, and the fabric of rural communities.

Donna IsaacsDeLaTerre Permaculture Farm, LLC

Gina NagelPublic Good Provisions | Co-Founder

Robyn O’Brien is on Forbes Impact 50 List for her work at the intersection of agriculture and climate. She is the founder of Sirona Ventures and co-founder of rePlant Capital, financial services firms scaling climate solutions on farm and inside the food industry. She is a Fulbright scholar, best-selling author and widely recognized speaker on global food systems.

Robyn O’BrienSirona Ventures | Founder

Beth Robertson-Martin brings over a decade of deep food supply chain relationships to her position as co-founder and vice president of partnership development at Merge Impact. Robertson-Martin most recently served as Director of Commodities and Risk Management at General Mills, where she worked with brands like Annie’s, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, Epic Snacks, Larabar, and Nature Valley. During her tenure, she focused on creating strategies to deliver a high-quality, cost-effective, and more sustainable regenerative supply chain. In addition to her work at General Mills, she founded SHINE Sourcing and Supply Chain Solutions, which created insights-driven sourcing to meet the needs of small and mid-size food brands, ingredient companies, restaurants, and school lunch programs. As CEO of Merge Impact, Robertson-Martin is focused on connecting food brands to fully verified regenerative supply chains by creating new alliances and breaking down barriers. She utilizes her diverse and extensive experience to assist mission-based brands in delivering traceable, verifiable, scalable, and credible data to achieve their climate goals. Currently, Robertson-Martin is the president of the Xerces Society Board, which is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.

Beth Robertson-MartinMerge Impact | Co-founder & Vice President of Partnership Development

Meghan RoweWhite Leaf Provisions, Inc | CoFounder & CEO

Lisa Robinson is an insightful and strategic CEO with extensive experience in marketing strategy for textile manufacturers, manufacturers, and importers as well as nonprofit and philanthropic communities. In addition, she brings to board service significant work with Boards as a Board Advisor to Cadence Bank, a director for several non-profits and previous work on a national government board. In her current role as Chief Executive Officer for OnBoard, Inc she led the team to triple the size and impact of their work in just over two years. Her ability to attract and retain outstanding talent as well as to be strategic in her approach to maximizing the impact of networks is unparalleled.

Lisa RobinsonOnBoard, Inc | CEO

Alaina has over 20+ years of global leadership experience working across institutional sales & marketing, relationship management and strategy development for various professional services firms and trade organizations. In 2022, she launched Furthermore Ventures, an investment firm on a mission to build a healthier world through a sustained and meaningful connection to food that nourishes us and the women who provide it. Prior to Furthermore Ventures, Alaina was a Managing Director at Deloitte where she led Deloitte’s global relationship with several key financial institutions. She also co-led and designed Deloitte’s global immersive innovation programs for financial institution clients. She ultimately built the fintech practice and was responsible for leading Deloitte’s global financial services alliances & ecosystem strategy. Alaina led seminal research on gender equity in the fintech sector and regularly spoke about both gender equity and financial inclusion. Alaina earned her undergraduate degrees in Management and Chinese Language and Literature from Indiana University. She is a certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Alaina is a longtime foodie, nature enthusiast, and an insatiable consumer of nutrition and wellness information. Alaina loves to travel, experiment in the kitchen, tend to her garden, and of course, gather friends and family to enjoy healthy fare that she and her husband create together.

Alaina SparksFurthermore Ventures | Founder

Kat Taylor works in service of restoring social justice and environmental well-being to build a more equitable and inclusive world. Currently, she serves as Co-Founder and Board Chair of Beneficial State Bank, a Community Development Financial Institution and certified B Corporation. She is also a Co-Founder Investor and Special Limited Partner at Radicle Impact. Kat currently serves as Board President of NextGen Policy, which fights for progressive policy change to address environmental, social, racial, and economic inequities in California. She is also the Founder of TomKat MeDiA, which is dedicated to storytelling from emerging and unheard voices that entertain, inspire through action campaigns, and transform society for the common good. As Founder of Growing the Table, Kat works to expand market opportunities for California’s small-scale Black, Indigenous, Latino, female-owned, organic, and regenerative farmers and increase food aid to struggling families. Kat is a Founding Director of TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation, dedicated to inspiring a regenerative food system through ranching best practices, training, educational tours, scientific research, and school food and garden programs. Kat serves and has served on many non-profit boards including, Ecotrust, Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, ProPublica, Community Bankers Association, Forager, and CuriOdyssey. She graduated from Harvard College and earned a JD/MBA from Stanford University.

Kat TaylorTomKat Foundation | President; TomKat Ranch | Co-Founder

Abi TestaMcCain Foods | North American Sustainability Manager

Tannis Thorlakson PhD, is the Director of Sustainability at Driscoll’s, the global fresh berry marketer. Tannis leads Driscoll’s global climate change and sustainable farming innovation strategies. Previously she led Driscoll’s US and Canada environmental strategy working directly with Driscoll’s independent growers and regulators on critical environmental priorities. Tannis completed her PhD in Environment and Resources from Stanford University where she focused on food companies’ roles in improving the sustainability of their agricultural supply chains. She collaborated with Woolworths, a major food retailer in South Africa, on their fresh produce program and with Mars and other major chocolate manufacturers on their sustainable cocoa sourcing strategies. Prior to Stanford, Tannis worked in impact investing with a focus on sustainable farmland, forestry and ag-tech and has consulted for a variety of agricultural companies and NGOs. Tannis has been recognized for her work as a Greenbiz 30 Under 30 recipient, a World Economic Forum Global Future Council Fellow and has been featured on TedX Santa Barbara.

Tannis ThorlaksonDriscoll’s | Director of Sustainability

Mark Watson currently serves President and Co Founder of Potlikker Capital (a non profit charitable loan fund) an integrated capital fund supporting dedicated to support BIPOC farmers at the intersection of racial and climate justice. Potlikker Capital is a supporting entity to Jubliee Justice and RSF Social Finance. He also served as Managing Director of the Fair Food Fund, which offers catalytic capital with a social equity lens and co-designed and launched an integrated racial justice capital fund, The Boston Impact Initiative Fund. He is also the founder of Keel Asset Management LLC, a financial advisory firm that provides socially responsible financial planning and investment adviso

Mark WatsonPotlikker Capital | President & Co-Founder

Venue

The Trolley Barn | 963 Edgewood Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

The Trolley Barn is nestled in the walkable, tree-lined neighborhood of Inman Park, surrounded by late 19th and early 20th century architecture. Designed in 1880 with thoughtful awareness of its residential surroundings, The Trolley Barn is an architectural gem and a graceful reminder of the past that serves today as a unique site for this event.

Places to Stay

Inman Park, where the event venue is situated, has many boutique hotels and AirBnBs and many are within walking distance of The Trolley Barn.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Interested in supporting this powerful convening while growing brand awareness among a community of engaged and powerful leaders? Sponsorship packages offer value and flexibility for diverse types of businesses, and include:

Brand Awareness: Position your organization as a leader in the effort to bring increased diversity, equity, and inclusion into this sector.
Thought Leadership: Showcase your expertise as a leader in inclusive solutions to a healthier agriculture, food, and finance systems and increase your visibility and thought-leadership at the intersection of these critical sectors.
Lead Generation & Investment Pipeline: Connect with the strategic partners that drive your success -from investors, to founders, to strategic and thought-leaders and everyone in between!

For information on our exclusive sponsorship packages, please contact us here.

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Food and Beverage Partners

We are proud to feature these regenerative, female owned/co-owned food and beverage brands at the event!

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Who We Are

RFSI

Founded in 2019, Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI) works to catalyze capital and connections for regenerative food systems. With 25 years of combined food systems event experience, this female founded team has built an unparalleled ecosystem of agriculture and food finance and investment leaders. Our events, including the successful RFSI Forum, have a track record of producing significant outcomes – including the launch of new businesses and investment funds, and the allocation of capital to food system transformation.

Sirona Ventures

Over the past 20 years, Robyn O’Brien of Sirona Ventures has been at the absolute forefront of changes in the food industry. Today, she focuses her attention on the capital markets in order to provide integrated capital solutions at scale and transition supply chains in the face of climate change and supporting female leadership in the industry.

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Thanks To Our Sponsors

RECEPTION SPONSOR

Kat Taylor

Kat Taylor works in service of restoring social justice and environmental well-being to build a more equitable and inclusive world. Currently, she serves as Co-Founder and Board Chair of Beneficial State Bank, a Community Development Financial Institution and certified B Corporation. Kat is a Founding Director of TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation, dedicated to inspiring a regenerative food system through ranching best practices, training, educational tours, scientific research, and school food and garden programs.

Further information

CREATIVE SPONSOR

Miel Creative

Miel Creative is a full-service design and communications studio making beautiful sense out of a complex world for almost two decades. Our clients include B Corps, nonprofits, and other purpose-driven organizations working to create a positive impact. Recent work includes Soil Wealth (The Croatan Institute), The Fibers Roadmap (SAFSF), and the AccelerateNC community platform (NC Biotech).

Further information

GOLD SPONSOR

Merge Impact

The most comprehensive, primary farm data company – producer impact+monetization, marketplace discovery+sourcing, Scope 3 ecosystem MMRV.

Further information

TABLE SPONSOR

White Leaf Provisions

White Leaf Provisions is a women-led brand addressing the issue of toxicity and nutritional density for young ones and families by creating regeneratively sourced, glyphosate residue-free tested, delicious, and well-thought-out products for young ones and families.

Further information