PEOPLE

    An older famer instructing another farmer

    Our strength is our people!

    CIAS was created in 1989 to build UW sustainable agriculture research programs that respond to farmer and citizen needs and involve stakeholders in setting the research agenda.

    Director

    STAFF

    • Jason Fischbach

      Jason Fischbach

      CALS and Extension Associate & Professor, Extension Agriculture Institute

    • Diane Mayerfeld

      Diane Mayerfeld

      CALS and Extension Associate, Farm management outreach specialist, SARE

      Diane Mayerfeld is the sustainable agriculture coordinator for University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. She…

    • Johanna Oosterwyk

      Johanna Oosterwyk

      CALS and Extension Associate, Teaching, Learning, & Tech Mgr & Lecturer, Horticulture

      Johanna Oosterwyk is the manager of the CALS DC Smith Instructional Greenhouse and teaches greenhouse…

    Faculty across campus associate with the Center on projects, student research, and with the Citizens Advisory Council.

    Citizens Advisory Council

    Past and current members of the CIAS Citizens Advisory Council. Front row: Michelle Miller, Diane Kaufmann, Deirdre Birmingham, Clare Hintz, Andy Gehl, Bob Wills. Back Row: Curt Rohland, Tom Lutsey, Rick Adamski, Tom Ferguson, Mark Eslinger. Photo 2014.

    From its inception, CIAS faculty and staff work with a Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) that provides guidance and input on CIAS programs. The CAC brings the perspectives and experiences of small- and mid-size farmers and their strategic partners from different parts of Wisconsin to the University and builds long-term relationships and trust. Current CAC members are listed below. Many past CAC members continue to provide leadership on sustainable agriculture and food systems.

    Former CIAS Staff

    CIAS former directors (right to left) Mike Bell, Rick Klemme with Citizen Advisory Chairs Bob Wills, Diane Kaufmann, Rick Adamski. Photo 2014.

    Many academic and university staff have served at CIAS since 1989. We also include our staff from our affiliated unit and office mates, the Program on Agricultural Technology Studies.

    GOVERNANCE

    Our governance committee includes the Director, three faculty, a staff representative and the chair of our citizens advisory council. Each year, our Director is reviewed by this team.

    • Erin Silva, Director
    • Bill Tracy, Agronomy
    • Amaya Atucha, Horticulture
    • Chuck Nicholson, Animal and Dairy Science
    • John Hendrickson, staff representative
    • Joel Kuehnhold, Citizen Advisory Council Chair