Food Alliance is a non-profit organization and we are motivated by our mission

Our Team

Shaila Cook

Certification Program Director

Shaila holds a MS in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho and a BS in Geology from Central Washington University. Over the past 25 years Shaila has worked in both the aerospace and agriculture industries. She began working for the Food Alliance as a contract auditor for both handlers and producers in 2014. In 2018 she was hired by the Food Alliance to manage the certification processes. Shaila is honored to work with Food Alliance certified clients in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, representing the very best in agriculture.

Featured Auditors

Claudia Ingham

Claudia Ingham, PhD is a Senior Instructor II in the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University. In addition to teaching, Claudia is an active member of the Society for Range Management. She served on the board of the Pacific Northwest Section and is past Chair of the SRM Targeted Grazing Committee.

She led an international team to establish Targeted Grazier Certification which endorses the knowledge and skills of livestock managers who apply best practices in the use of grazing as part of integrated pest management, fire risk reduction and wildlife habitat enhancement. Her research using goats to control English ivy and Himalaya blackberry is published in Invasive Plant Science and Management.

Claudia earned life-long certification with the American Riding Instructors Association for eventing, dressage and recreational riding and consults with small farm owners for pasture management.

Bobbi Hudson

Bobbi Hudson is the Executive Director of the Pacific Shellfish Institute a non-profit research organization providing shellfish producers and resource managers with practical tools and information to support healthy shellfish populations. Bobbi oversees a diverse research portfolio of biological, oceanographic, and social science projects along the U.S. west coast. She grew up in a commercial fishing family, seasonally living aboard a 90-ft wooden schooner built in 1926 as a salmon trap tender.

Bobbi completed B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Environmental Science from The Evergreen State College. She worked on a mussel farm in south Puget Sound and as a fisheries technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Grand Canyon. Bobbi serves on various state and regional working groups related to marine water quality and shellfish production, and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Expert Working Group on Ecological Carrying Capacity in Aquaculture (WGECCA). Bobbi splits her time between Olympia, Washington, SE Alaska, and Vancouver Island, BC.

Don Ashby Jr.

Don Ashby Jr. is an experienced conservation professional and the principal of D Rockin A Ranch Consulting. He serves as an Audubon Conservation Ranching Program Auditor and a Food Alliance Whole Farm Crop Program Inspector, bringing decades of hands-on expertise to his work with farmers and ranchers across diverse landscapes.

Don retired in 2020 after a successful career spanning three federal conservation agencies. He held a range of roles with the Bureau of Land Management as a Rangeland Management Specialist, with the Natural Resources Conservation Service as both a Rangeland Management Specialist and Soil Conservationist, and with the U.S. Forest Service in range management and as a Natural Resources Staff Officer. Over the course of his career, Don has worked on hundreds of farms and ranches, gaining a deep appreciation for the families who steward them. He finds particular fulfillment in working alongside producers who are progressive, proactive, and deeply committed to the long-term health of their operations. As he often says, “I get to see farms and ranches that most people will never see—and some don’t even know exist,” a privilege he does not take lightly. While his role includes auditing and inspection, Don values the opportunity to learn from the many innovative approaches he encounters, often reflecting, “I wish I knew back when.”

Karen Conant

Karen Conant is a soil scientist and agricultural specialist with a degree in Soil Science and Rangeland Resources from Humboldt State University. For the past eight years, she has worked with a leading non-profit organic certification organization, conducting inspections and evaluations on over 800 farms and ranches across the western U.S. Her work has taken her across a wide range of agricultural sectors, giving her broad and hands-on experience in diverse farming systems.

Karen holds an Associate Professional Soil Scientist (APSS) certification and brings a strong technical foundation along with a passion for sustainable land stewardship. When she’s not in the field, you’ll likely find her tending her garden, experimenting in the kitchen, or rock climbing.

Matt Stoltenberg

Since 2017, Food Alliance auditor Matt has been making his mark across the American landscape, conducting audits for Audubon's Conservation Ranching program. His work has taken him to ranches in 13 states, where he's collaborated with more than 100 livestock operations from Montana to Arkansas.

Matt brings impressive credentials to his work: a Master's degree in Range Management from South Dakota State University and certification as a Certified Range Management Consultant through the Society for Range Management. Beyond his Food Alliance auditing role, he operates his own range consulting and services business across Nebraska, South Dakota, and Eastern Wyoming.

Our Board

Our Board of Directors is intended to represent a broad spectrum of interests in the food system, including: farming, ranching, food processing and manufacturing, distribution, retail, university and agency scientists, and advocates for consumer affairs, labor, animal welfare, and the environment.

The Board of Directors is responsible for the vision, strategic plans and policies that guide Food Alliance. This includes ultimate responsibility for standards, criteria, policies and procedures governing the Food Alliance certification program. They are charged to ensure that the certification standards are meaningful, practical and scientifically defensible, and to ensure that related policies and procedures support the desired social and environmental outcomes and are fairly and consistently applied. The board also has fiscal responsibility for the organization and reviews and approves all budgets and financial reports.

Board Members

Amanda Oborne is Managing Director of Ideaship, a venture fund focused on patentable innovation based in Portland, Oregon. Amanda was President and Executive Director of the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, where she scaled a food entrepreneurship and investment program known as Oregon Angel Food, and launched Angel Oregon Tech (AOTECH) and Angel Oregon Life & Bioscience (AOBIO), all during the Covid-19 pandemic. Before diving into entrepreneurship, Amanda was Vice President of Food, Farms & Fisheries at the nonprofit Ecotrust for nearly 10 years, where she published a pivotal report on food infrastructure, helped develop a $25M food and event hub known as the Redd on Salmon St., launched an Ag of the Middle Accelerator, and was instrumental in facilitating farm to school and farm to hospital connections. She was named one of Fast Company's "Most Creative People in Business" in 2017. Amanda holds a master's degree from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
Annie Miller is a VP and Creative Director at FCB CURE. With more than a decade of experience at some of the largest agencies in New York, Annie brings a unique perspective to the art and science of creative direction and strategic communications. She has served on the Board of Directors for The Women's Building of San Francisco and on the communications committee supporting the Ferry Building farmer's market (a non-profit committed to food equity, education, and sustainability; formerly known as CUESA and now known as Foodwise.) Her passion projects include supporting her local Planned Parenthood affiliates, the lost art of sign painting, and morning runs in Southeast Portland, where she currently lives with her rescue dog Molly.
Brooklyn Butler brings over a decade of experience spanning operations management, project management, change management and professional development. Her experience includes being the Senior Manager of Business Systems, Strategy, and Design at Bio-Logical Capital, focusing on the intersection of people and business systems in food and farm businesses. Previously, at Misty Artesian Water, Brooklyn spearheaded operational efficiency through supply chain planning, people management, administrative processes, and product development. She excels at building robust relationships with senior leadership and cross-functional teams. Previously Brooklyn also served as Head of Supply Chain and Logistics at Iris Nova, a direct-to-consumer beverage distribution company. Positions in both human resources and corporate training underscore her dedication to diversity and inclusion. She further demonstrates this commitment through her active membership in the NAACP and her involvement with Foodboro. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Brooklyn's deep interest in food justice has deepened her passion for food infrastructure and its vital connection to human-plant relationships. Her ultimate goal is to disrupt systems perpetuating food apartheid in underserved communities, making her a driving force in reshaping agriculture and urban landscapes for equitable food access.
Chuck Perry is a veteran rangeland ecologist and founder of Rangelands Northwest, a consultancy devoted to promoting sustainable rangeland management and wildlife habitat improvement. Chuck’s nearly 50 years of experience as a rangeland ecology expert include over three decades at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, where he served as an expert advisor on rangeland ecology and led a land management consulting team comprised of foresters, agronomists, and revegetation and weed management experts. He holds degrees in Forestry/Botany and Rangeland Management and Ecology and is a longtime member and Certified Rangeland Consultant of the Society for Range Management (SRM), from whom he received an Outstanding Achievement Award for Stewardship in 2014. Throughout his long career, which includes time as a third-party field evaluator for Food Alliance, Chuck has championed field-based work and nurtured collaborative relationships with private landowners to encourage responsible land management and wildlife habitat preservation.
John Boyle is an accomplished executive with over 30 years of experience in the retail food and drug industry, making him a valuable addition to the board of directors. His extensive background in procurement, sourcing, supply chain management, brand development, and marketing has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation in the sector.
John currently serves as the Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Market of Choice, helping curate the company’s go-forward product, brand and sourcing strategies. Market of Choice is a family owned retail grocer with 11 stores across Oregon, known for its commitment to amplify local makers, ranchers, fisher-folk and farmers. Market of Choice is proud to carry over 5000 local products, with even more offerings during the growing season.
Before joining Market of Choice, John held senior positions at several industry-leading organizations, including New Seasons Market in Oregon, the Natural Food Group in New York, Haggen in Washington, and Albertsons in Idaho. His extensive experience across different regions and markets has provided him with a deep understanding of the industry's nuances.
One of John's notable achievements is launch of the MOJO program. MOJO is a groundbreaking initiative that offers local makers free distribution and selling tools, helping them reach a broader customer base and grow their businesses.
John and his team have also introduced the Dig Local program, which focuses on supporting Oregon's small family farms. This initiative aligns with his passion for sustainable practices and sourcing. He firmly believes that bold ideas and innovative solutions can create a ripple effect that can create momentum for farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs.
His vision for the future is centered on sustainable practices, community engagement, and innovative solutions. With his leadership and dedication, he has consistently shown that he believes in making a difference that goes beyond the bottom line, creating a lasting impact on the community and the environment.
Michelle McGrath is the Columbia Basin Program Director at Salmon-Safe, where she leads efforts to expand environmentally innovative land and water management practices across the region. In this role, she collaborates with farmers, food producers, developers, and regional partners to implement climate-resilient, watershed-friendly practices that support both ecological health and agricultural vitality. Formerly the CEO of the American Cider Association, she led national efforts to grow the cider industry including managing national advocacy campaigns resulting in federal policy changes and launching key initiatives like the Certified Cider Professional program. Michelle has held leadership roles at the Oregon Environmental Council and Gorge Grown Food Network, and served on the board of directors for two farmers' markets in Portland, Oregon. Prior to her nonprofit career, Michelle was a conservation biologist with roles at the U.S. Geological Survey and NOAA Fisheries. She holds degrees in Biology from UC San Diego and a graduate certificate in Sustainable Business. She grew up on a Christmas tree farm in rural California and attributes her upbringing as leading to her passion for supporting farmers.