Rachael Ward

Farmers Market Support Project Manager

Rachael Ward brings 10 years of project management experience in the non-profit sector at the intersection of nutrition, public health, and agriculture. She is passionate about tying the fields of food assistance and local food together to create equitable and inclusive environments. After completing her Masters in Global Health at Emory University, Rachael worked with several Atlanta based non-profits creating and running programs like farmers markets, community gardens, food pantries, CSA programs, and low-income food co-operatives. She served as the Director of Programs for Wholesome Wave Georgia for four years, managing and evaluating nutrition incentive programs across the state. Before joining FMC Rachael acted as the Nutrition Director at a Community Action Agency in southern Oregon. Here she directed a regional food bank distributing over 4 million pounds of food annually and supported programs promoting gardening, cooking education, and community food system development. 

Current Focus: Rachael manages projects within the farmers market support team. Her current focus is on managing FMC’s work as part of the Nutrition Incentive Hub. This project provides training, support, and resources to Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grantees working with farm direct sites like farmers markets, CSAs and farm stands. Rachael facilitates this work across staff at FMC as well as with external partners Ecology Center and Michigan Farmers Market Association.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Rachael lives in Eugene, Oregon. She can be reached at (888) 362-8177 ext 706 or rachael@farmersmarketcoalition.org. 

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