AFHVS Officers and Board Members Elected in 2025
Katherine (Katie) Dentzman, PhD (President-Elect, 2025)
Dr. Katherine Dentzman is an Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology and Rural Public Policy at Iowa State University. She has been involved in AFHVS since 2012. Specifically, Dr. Dentzman has served as a member, co-chair, or chair of AFHVS’ Program Committee (2018-2019), Grad Student/Early Career Committee (2018-2022), Membership Committee (2019-Present), and Board of Directors (2024-Present). During this time, she piloted the AFHVS Student Conference Award supporting the attendance of underserved students at our annual conference, brought USDA NASS representatives to the 2023 meeting in Boston, initiated an undergrad involvement and membership initiative, assisted in developing an AFHVS Childcare Grant, drove a collaboration with the Entomological Society of America, and developed templates for pan-society collaborations and webinars. Dr. Dentzman also won the AFHVS Early Career Achievement Award in 2023 for her work on women and queer farmers in the USDA Census of Agriculture.
Her research interests span a broad swath of AFHVS’s focus areas, including management and regulation of pesticides, equity and inclusion of women and queer farmers in US agriculture, creating effective transdisciplinary collaborations, and more. Dr. Dentzman is broadly interested in 'unbelonging' and community in agri-food systems, and has contributed a unique sociological perspective to over a dozen separate research teams. For the last year, Dr. Dentzman has also headed the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems as Editor-in-Chief.
Dr. Dentzman’s commitment to AFHVS is deep and on-going, with a particular interest in advancing the strong transdisciplinary core of the Society through initiatives such as pan-society collaborations. She also views AFHVS as a vital community of support for academics and practitioners in the current political moment and is interested in facilitating activities and resources that provide avenues for communication as well as social and practical support, particularly in the form of virtual engagement opportunities for AFHVS membership throughout the year.
Cathleen McCluskey, PhD (Board Member, 2025-2028)
I am a lecturer in agroecology and educational policy studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Policy & Advocacy Director for Organic Seed Alliance, a national organization that conducts research and training with seed farmers and develops policies for organic seed, food, and farming systems. I also serve on the National Organic Standards Board, the Federal Advisory Board that makes recommendations on issues involving the production, handling, and processing of organic products. My research focuses on seed systems, intellectual property, germplasm management and diversity, data access and transparency, and democratization of science and knowledge. My interdisciplinary research and teaching are grounded in practitioner experience and experimental learning. My advocacy expertise includes participatory policy development that supports farmers’ access to and management of seed, public research, and reinvigoration of public plant breeding. I am a member of the Society and an avid reader of its journals. I participate in the annual conference because it is a critical site for cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing among scientists, philosophers, and practitioners. I have co-led Organic Seed Alliance’s work building internal systems and staff skills to increase organizational JEDI capacity to create an environment in the workplace and events where people of all identities can thrive.
Roni Neff, PhD (Board Member, 2025-2028)
I am a professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Dept of Environmental Health & Engineering, and Senior Advisor to the school’s Center for a Livable Future. I research ways to improve community food system resilience, cut wasted food, and understand the effects of food insecurity on occupational health, all in context of equity. As an educator, I emphasize making content meaningful and encouraging critical thought. I edited the textbook, Introduction to the US Food System: Public Health, Environment & Equity, and am embarking on the 2nd edition with colleagues. Pre-academia, I worked for a decade in community organizations, local government, and policy. I’ve held multiple leadership roles. I’m committed to speaking out about recent policy changes that undermine justice, well-being, environment, science, and basically everything else I care about. I’ve been an AFVHS member since 2011, served on the board from 2017-20, and previously led the membership committee.
As a board member, in addition to responding to identified needs, I will focus on supporting efforts to jointly stand up for issues linked with our mission (as appropriate to our nonprofit status), and providing space for members to support one another through a very challenging time.
Yona Sipos, PhD (Board Member, 2025-2028)
I am an Associate Teaching Professor in the Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) program in the School of Public Health, University of Washington (UW) in Seattle. I helped to launch the FSNH undergraduate major in 2018; we have graduated approximately 500 students since 2020. I’ve developed and taught core courses in food systems, including Individual to Population Health and the culminating Capstone which emphasizes community-engaged scholarship and equity, as well as a popular seminar in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health. I am also the Associate Director of Undergraduate Experiential Learning for the FSNH major as I facilitate capstone projects for all graduating seniors, as well as our internships. My scholarship centers community food systems, urban food systems, and soil health. I have been a member of AFHVS since 2019 and am keen to serve as a board member for this important interdisciplinary network of agriculture and food systems scholars and practitioners.
Graduate Student and Early-Career Committee (GSECC)
Ana Fochesatto (2025-2027)
I am a PhD Candidate in Environment and Resources at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I explore the intersection of food, justice, and social change. My research focuses on community-based approaches and Just Transitions frameworks in animal agriculture and beyond. As a food systems scholar and cultural anthropologist, I collaborate with small-scale farmers, workers, Indigenous communities, and diverse stakeholders to center social equity and environmental care at every stage of food production. I’m passionate about bridging academic research, teaching, and hands-on collaborations to drive meaningful food systems change.
AFHVS has been a true home for my scholarship and advocacy, and I currently serve as co-chair of the Graduate Student and Early Career Committee. In this role, I work to expand support systems and opportunities for fellow emerging scholars. I’m especially committed to ensuring our community uplifts first-generation students and those from underrepresented backgrounds, fostering strong networks where we can all grow together. More than anything, I believe in the power of relationships to transform food systems, and I hope to continue building a space where scholars, practitioners, and communities can learn from one another and work toward a more just future.
Nicole Nunoo, PhD (2025-2026)
I am a Postdoctoral Associate, and a trans-interdisciplinary social scientist dedicated to building sustainable regional and national food systems through grassroots participation. My research focuses on collective agency theory as a lens to understand and strengthen agri-food networks and sustainable food systems, particularly within grassroots organizations. My broader interests include multi-sector coalition-building, critical pedagogy, and advancing equitable food futures.
As a current Co-Chair of the Graduate Student and Early Career Committee (GSECC), I have been deeply involved in fostering an inclusive and supportive community for emerging scholars in AFHVS. My experience with AFHVS and similar organizations has strengthened my commitment to mentorship, advocacy, and creating platforms for meaningful engagement among graduate students and early career professionals.
I am passionate about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in food systems research and leadership. As Co-Chair, I have worked to ensure that GSECC remains a space where diverse voices are amplified, and I hope to continue this work in a second term. My goal is to enhance networking opportunities, facilitate professional development, and advocate for early-career scholars within AFHVS.
Originally from Ghana, I bring a global perspective to my work and enjoy designing lights, reading, and cooking in my free time.
