Sep 3, 2020
MOSES organic nonprofit group names new leader
The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) has named a new executive director.
Lori Stern on Sept. 8 will join the nonprofit organization, which educates farmers about organic and sustainable production. Stern and her spouse farm vegetables, chickens and goats near Monticello, Wisconsin, MOSES wrote in an email newsletter.
Stern has a master’s in education with a focus on adult learning and organizational development, according to a news release from MOSES. Her background includes work on public policy related to community and environmental health, social justice, and food access. In 2014, she embarked on a new venture to “walk the talk” of building a community around a just, inclusive, and local food system by opening Cow & Quince, a community-supported restaurant in New Glarus, Wisconsin. Due to the pandemic, she recently closed the restaurant, according to the release.
“Lori is a passionate advocate for organic and sustainable food systems,” said David Perkins, president of the MOSES Board of Directors, said in a news release. “We’ve been very impressed with the breadth of her experience and the skills she brings to MOSES.”
The previous head of the organization, Lauren Langworthy, had accepted another job outside the organization.
MOSES has a team of seven employees, five on-farm specialists, and additional contractors who provide educational events, resources, and practical advice to farmers.
The nonprofit group is best known for hosting the annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference. The next event will be held in a virtual, online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new executive director will work with the 10-member MOSES Board of Directors to clarify and execute the nonprofit’s mission, vision, and strategic plans, MOSES wrote in an earlier news release.
