Conference Keynote Speakers

Kathy Lawrence has worked for nearly twenty years in sustainable agriculture, local food systems development, and non-profit management.  She is currently Program Director for School Food FOCUS at Liquori & Associates, and also a part-time high school teacher of Mandarin Chinese. Before serving as Executive Director of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, Kathy directed Just Food, the New York City-based non-profit organization she founded in 1995, which fosters new marketing and food-growing opportunities that address the needs of regional, rural family farms, NYC community gardeners, and NYC communities. Prior to that she coordinated outreach and education for the New York and Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Groups (SAWGs) and engaged in citizen advocacy at the United Nations. Kathy serves on the boards of Just Food, NESAWG, and her town’s farmers’ market, performs in an acappella jazz quartet, and is devoted to her perennial flower gardens. 

Ruth Katz is the Government Outreach Liaison at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, a working and educational farm in Westchester County, NY that demonstrates and innovates models of sustainable food production, and trains young and new farmers.

Prior to her work with Stone Barns, Ruth co-founded Just Food in 1994/95 and then served as its Executive Director 2000-2006.  Under her leadership, Just Food expanded and strengthened its community partnerships via the CSA, City Farms, Food Education and Food Justice programs.  She also worked with staff, interns and partners to start-up Just Food’s Americorps VISTA, Training of Trainers, City Markets, City Chicken, Beekeeping, and Institutional Purchasing programs.  

Ruth has also consulted for agricultural organizations and grant makers (including Farm Aid, the Northeast Organic Farming Association, the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, the Rauch Foundation and Joint Foundation Support) working on environmental, social justice, and international development issues.  She spent three years in Africa, including 2 years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon.  She received her BA from Carleton College, and a Master’s at Clark University, in International Development and Social Change.

Paula Lukats, CSA in NYC Program Manager,  has over fourteen years of experience working in community and program development in New York City. Originally from Ohio, she obtained her BS in economics and sociology in 1991 from the University of Notre Dame and her Masters in Social Work from Ohio State University. She then chose to pursue her long-time interest in environmental sustainability and in 2005 earned a Certificate in Conservation Biology at Columbia University. Paula has been a member CSAs in New York for over 6 years and has been working as the CSA in NYC Program Manager for Just Food since May 2005.

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