Meet Our Team
Pete Kolbenschlag | Director
As a twenty-five year resident of the Western Slope and a committed front-line rural organizer it was only a matter of time before Pete found himself working at the intersection of agriculture, conservation, and small town economies. After working for a statewide environmental group for a decade, and as a consultant on a range of public lands, climate and other campaigns, he helped found the Colorado Farm and Food Alliance in 2015. Activism, a livable climate and healthy environment, and good local food are all things Pete loves, so he is honored to serve as director.
Contact: pete@colofarmfood.org
Lauren Traylor | Secure Foodsheds Manager
Lauren’s first garden consisted of tomatoes and peppers that she grew in containers on her family's back porch in high school. Since then, she has explored many different facets of land management and food production, including rotational grazing and silviculture, urban gardening, wild-harvested seaweed, and monitoring ecological health on public lands. Her vision for a better food system contains elements of all these land management styles (and more!). Now she works to facilitate secure food systems through creating connections, developing reports, sharing information, and supporting local leaders.
Contact: lauren@colofarmfood.org
Sarsa Buck | Mountain Roots Healthy Futures AmeriCorps at the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance
Sarsa joins our team to support our programming to boost small farm and food system health and well-being in the North Fork Valley.
In Paonia for a year before she accepted this service position, Sarsa is excited about the sense of community she finds here, and is ready to keep making a positive impact on the lives of others.
Sarsa has her permaculture design certification specializing in high-altitude practices and completed an apprenticing through the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute (CRMPI),
She is helping CO Farm & Food Alliance learn from farmers about improving ease of production, beneficial practices, and local food-security.
Sarsa is committed to using her ongoing learning to support local farmers and contribute to the development of sustainable food systems.
Contact sarsa@colofarmfood.org