Technical Assistance Project Manager
Suzanne grew up on a wheat farm outside Great Falls, Montana. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Textile and 
Clothing from Iowa State University. She spent twenty years in the apparel industry in Oregon, including production management positions with Nike and Hanna Andersson; and acquired an MBA from Portland State University.
In 1997, her path led back to farming when she helped found the Hollywood Farmers’ Market in her Portland, OR neighborhood. This community-based farmers market attracts 100 volunteers, 45 vendors, and more than 4,000 customers every week from May through October; and has become a model for many other neighborhood markets in the Portland metropolitan area.
Inspired by the success of the Hollywood Farmers’ Market, Suzanne helped revive the Oregon Farmers’ Market Association and served as its President from 2000 to 2005. During her tenure, she secured funding and developed the OFMA website (www.oregonfarmersmarkets.org), encouraged the development of farmers markets throughout the state from a total of 35 in 2000 to over 70 markets in 2005, and helped organize the first four years of the annual Oregon Small Farm Direct Marketing Conference sponsored by Oregon State University Extension.
In 2001, Suzanne helped promote the creation of the City of Portland/Multnomah County Food Policy Council, and was appointed a founding member of the council and later became chair. She then mentored the creation of Washington’s Clark County Food System Council.
In 2004 Suzanne developed a model program to utilize wireless card service technology to accept SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer cards in the Hollywood Farmers Market. Since, she created a Debit SNAP in Farmers Market workshop for Oregon markets. She has now presented similar workshops in eight states across the country.
Suzanne is currently a consultant for Kaiser Permanente NW’s Community Health Initiative promoting healthy eating and active living (HEAL) programs in the communities it serves. In this role, Suzanne works with regional HEAL grant recipients, supports Kaiser Permanente farmers markets, and works with state and national organizations on sustainable food related initiatives, including Farm to School and School and Garden legislation and Healthy Food in Health Care campaigns.