Bruce Frasier
Bruce Frasier is President of Dixondale Farms, the nations’ largest onion plant grower based in Carrizo Springs, Texas. Dixondale Farms has over 2200 acres in production of onion transplants, cantaloupe, and other vegetables and grains. Dixondale Farms grows approximately 70% of the onion plants grown in the United States.
Bruce is active in many organizations including:
Current Chairman of Texas Farm Bureau Horticulture Advisory Board
Current Member of Texas Vegetable Association Board
Former President of Mailorder Gardening Association
Former Chairman of American Farm Bureau Labor Advisory Board
Former Chairman and Current Member of Texas Farm Bureau Labor Advisory Board
Current Member of Texas Produce Association Board
Financial Chairman of Carrizo Springs Methodist Church
Board Member of ERRA, an electric battery company that is a startup developing electric batteries for the automobile industry.
Bruce received his BS in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy, 1977.
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Lynn Fredericks
Lynn Fredericks is the founder and guiding force behind FamilyCook Productions a national educational organization promoting community empowerment through programs providing nutrition, culinary, and food systems education. The author of, Cooking Time Is Family Time and an award-winning nutrition and culinary educator, Ms. Fredericks and her team of chefs and dietitians create and train a spectrum of programs and curricula for pre-K through adult that have reached tens of thousands of families since the late 90s. A leading public health advocate for holistic food system planning to reverse the alarming trend in obesity in the U.S. and loss of family farms, she is a founding board member of the NYC Food Systems Network, the Kellogg-funded NYC Food & Fitness Partnership, and founding Chair of the Les Dames d’Escoffier International “Green Tables” initiative. As the creator of “Teen Iron Chef,” program, Ms. Fredericks has teamed up with HealthCorps and Dr. Oz to use this innovative youth development program to inspire youth in 50 HealthCorps schools, among others, to become change agents around health and nutrition within their school, family and beyond.
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Joel Kimmons
Joel Kimmons is a nutrition scientist and epidemiologist in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a lead scientist for the National Fruit and Vegetable Program, he conducts dietary surveillance and chronic disease research and focuses on policy and environmental changes to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. He represents CDC on the Federal Dietary Reference Intakes Steering Committee, the Federal Working Group on Dietary Supplements, and the Farmers Market Consortium. In the broader ecologic view, he is interested in sustainable food system approaches to idealizing dietary patterns, including the influences of agricultural (culture, practices, and policy), the environment (natural and built), and gastronomy (food, cultural, culinary arts) on wellness. Joel received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in Nutrition with an emphasis on international issues and infant feeding. He grew up on an organic farm and continues to have close ties with farmers and the land.
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Mia Lehrer
MIA LEHRER + ASSOCIATES is a full service, international landscape architecture firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Mia Lehrer is the founding principal of Mia Lehrer + Associates, known for its design and development of a wide spectrum of ambitious public and private projects that include urban revitalization developments, large urban parks, and complex commercial projects. Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, Ms. Lehrer earned her Masters of Landscape Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Under the leadership of Ms. Lehrer, the firm has been a leader in creating award-winning designs and distinctive venues for a diverse range of public and private projects. Today, she is internationally recognized for her progressive landscape designs, working with such natural landmarks as parks, lakes, and rivers, coupled with her advocacy for ecology and people-friendly public space.
An environmentalist at heart and in practice, Ms. Lehrer has forged a reputation for excellence in landscape architecture that has attracted work internationally. She believes that great landscape design coupled with sustainability has the power to enhance the livability and quality of life in our cities, and in doing so improve by great measure the quality of our environment and our world. She is especially proud of her firm’s work in the public realm that encompasses such venues as parks, green belts, schools, waterways, and vibrant neighborhoods and streets. In the private sector, Mia Lehrer + Associates has a broad portfolio of notable projects including master-planned communities, corporate campuses, and private homes. The diverse nature of the firm’s clients and projects underscores its ambitious work, comprehensive perspective, and commitment to excellence, no matter the scale or level of complexity.
Also committed to education within her profession, Ms. Lehrer is actively involved in several notable organizations. In 2007, she was inducted as a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and was appointed to the City of Los Angeles’ Cultural Heritage Commission. Ms. Lehrer serves on the Board of Directors at the Latino Urban Forum, Hollywood Design Review Committee and the Harvard Magazine Design Review Board. Additionally, she has served on the Harvard Graduate School of Design Alumni Council, board of directors of TreePeople and Collage Dance Theater. In addition to being published in international journals, popular magazines, and newspapers, her work and that of her firm has been included in several important museum and gallery exhibitions. Ms. Lehrer often lectures on landscape architecture and sustainability, traveling as far as Brazil and China to share her insights and philosophy on landscape design and the public realm.
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Katherine Whiteside
Katherine Whiteside is an award winning writer, author and spokesperson specializing in lifestyle culture. Her work emphasizes organic gardening, living, cooking and travel. She has worked as an editor, producer, location scout, and as an on-site art director in this country and in Europe and Asia.
Her magazine assignments have led to travel throughout North America (every state except Alaska), France, China, Sri Lanka, Spain, Italy, Bali, England, Scotland, Ireland, India, The Dominican Republic, Singapore, Canada, and Venezuela. These stories were published in Harper's Bazaar, Veranda, Connoisseur, Town & Country, The New York Times, Vogue , Martha Stewart Living, Garden Design, Landscape Architecture, Metropolitan Home, Elle Argentina Elle, This Old House, House & Garden, House Beautiful, Elle Décor, Country Home and Madam Figaro (Paris). Ms. Whiteside's garden column, "Antique Flowers," was syndicated in newspapers nationwide by Universal Press Syndicate.
Books Published:
The Way We Garden Now (2007: Random House-Clarkson Potter)
Joie de Vivre (Co-author with Robert Arbor, 2003: Simon Schuster-USA. Also published in Korean and Portuguese editions.)
Forcing etc, (1999: Workman Publishing)
Gardens of the World, (1991: Macmillan and PBS: contributing author and consultant to eight-part television series and book.)
Classic Bulbs (1991: Random House -Villard Books.)
Antique Flowers (1989: Random House-Villard Books; UK: Conran's.)
Related Work:
Land Rover North America: Lifestyle Spokesperson for Choice of Experts National Tour
Propane Research and Education Council: National Lifestyle Spokesperson
Smith & Hawken: National Spokesperson
Media: Repeat guest on Martha Stewart Sirius radio, nationally broadcast television, NPR, frequently features in newspapers and nationally distributed magazines.
Host of Joie de Green, The Joy of Living Green online at joiedegreen.com
Mike Metallo
With more than 25 years of nonprofit management experience, Mike is the President and CEO of the National Gardening Association and directs the activities of the 3 million dollar non-profit. His expertise includes effectively focusing mission objectives, expanding youth gardening opportunities across the U.S., maximizing asset value and outreach, focusing mission and brand, maintaining financial stability, as well as contributing to strategic organizational development and growth. He has successfully managed NGA and directed its mission for over 6 years. In the past he has served as Executive Director for both trade and educational mission-driven organizations, including the National Gallery of Art, the Parks & History Association, and the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association.
During his tenure at the National Gardening Association, Mike has redefined the scope and mission of the organization to better serve two key markets: Adult gardeners (at all skill levels) and youth educators. His work developing garden.org includes innovations in the areas of gardening how-to, content presentation, social media, new market research, and corporate support. With kidsgardening.org he has revitalized the publications division, boosted catalog circulation, and increased grant programs to achieve a Garden in Every School. Educational gardening programs, how-to’s, curriculum and hands-on materials are designed to highlight the diverse benefits of youth gardening, including improving critical test scores and instilling experiential understanding and advancement in the core sciences, and crossing the curriculum into nutrition, exercise, math, social studies, environment, conservation, ecology, cultural exchange, leadership, and more.
Mike is a magna cum laude graduate of Gordon College with a bachelor's degree in Economics and a minor in Psychology. He serves on the Advisory Panel of the National Forum on Children and Nature, the USDA People's Garden Forum, the Learning for Life Skilled Trades Committee, and is on the Advisory Board of the Housekeeping Channel. He has served as an advisor to notable institutions such as the White House First Lady’s office, USDA, and the CDC, as well as providing his expertise to magazines, newspapers, television reporters and a host of for-profit and nonprofit organizations on the subject of adult and youth gardening and nonprofit management.
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Advisory Committee
Kerry Bierman
Mr. Bierman is Director of Community Relations & Development for the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Kerry's experience includes more than 30 years in the communication field, and 20 in health care. Prior to the Library he was Vice President, Corporate Communications for the Scott's Company, Columbus; Director of Corporate Identity for Baxter Health Care, Chicago; and Director of Marketing for the American Medical Association, Chicago.
Kerry has received recognition from numerous publications and professional societies, including Financial World Magazine, The Art Director's Club of New York, The International Film Festival and the Silver Anvil Award of Excellence in Investor Relations from the Public Relations Society of America.
He holds a bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Northern Illinois University and served in the U.S. Army, Vietnam, in the Infantry Combat Artist Program. He is a Fellow of the American Center for Design, Chicago, served as an advisor to the board of the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC, and as a member of the Garden Writers Association of America. He is currently serving on the Public Library Association's Library Card task force.
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