Dennis Warnecke, CCA

Director of Sales & Technical Support

Dennis has been a highly respected leader in biological agriculture, horticulture, and golf course program management in the Western United States and Canada since 1985. As Director of Sales and Technical Support for Tainio Biologicals, Dennis helps distributors and growers build successful biological crop programs.

David Miller

Director of Education

David comes from a teaching background and found profound correlations of how a student's diet affected their mental clarity in the classroom. From there he began an independent consulting business driven by a desire to put nutrition back into food. David joined AEA in 2011 and has a passion to teach farmers how to regenerate their farms by capitalizing on how plants and soils interact. His specialties include orchards and small fruits, especially blueberries. As the leader of the education effort, he directs ongoing education for new and existing consultants.

John Kempf

Founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture

John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture, a plant nutrition and biostimulants consulting company. A top expert in the field of biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who are growing that supply.

Steve Becker, CCA

Chief Science Officer

As Chief Science Officer at Tainio Biologicals, Steve is afforded an up close and personal view into the world of soil biology; valuable information that he uses in the development and refinement of Tainio products. Steve has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Eastern Washington University.

Sarah Day Levesque

Managing Director at RFSI

Sarah Day Levesque is Managing Director of Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI) and GM, Events & Media at Acres USA. She has spent more than 15 years working to connect agriculture and food systems stakeholders to the information and networks they need to be successful. In her role leading the development and execution of educational experiences at Acres USA, she has worked closely with regenerative farmers. In late 2018, after seeing a significant lack of capital flowing to healthy food systems, she started RFSI to increase attention, awareness, and capital for investment opportunities in regenerative agriculture and food. Before joining Acres USA in late 2016, Sarah spent a decade in agricultural media, where she played a key role in the development of successful event and media brands, including Women in Agribusiness and Organic & Non-GMO Forum, and also served as Editor-in-Chief of Global AgInvesting Media. Sarah holds an M.S. in Agriculture and Resource Economics and an M.S. in International Agricultural Development from University of California, Davis. When she’s not working, you can find her running, hiking, or coaching youth basketball.

Ryan Slabaugh

Founder and Director of Think Regeneration

Ryan Slabaugh is the founder and director of Think Regeneration, a nonprofit empowering farmers, ranchers and executives to accelerate regenerative change through leadership training and workforce development programs. Ryan has more than 20 years of experience in leading organizations through strategic change, including his last position as the executive director of Acres U.S.A., the Voice of Eco-Agriculture, where he taught hundreds of farmers through his How to Learn Eco-Agriculture online course and reached more than a quarter million listeners as host of the renowned Tractor Time podcast. Previously, Ryan’s award-winning work as an environmental journalist illustrated how our national forests were being loved to death due to the protections of monoculture forest systems. Today, Ryan also serves as the chair of the board of directors for Resource Central, a diversified nonprofit in Boulder, Colorado, with programs that support water conservation, landfill diversion and energy use reduction for thousands around the country. He lives in Colona, Illinois, and you can reach him at [email protected] and learn more at www.ThinkRegeneration.com.

Rick Clark

Owner and Operator of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting

Rick Clark is a 5th generation farmer from Williamsport, IN. The main goal on the farm is to build soil health and achieve balance with Mother Nature. Rick has developed and is constantly improving a systematic approach to regenerative farming. He is most proud of incorporating regenerative farming practices with all acres being certified organic. He calls it regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. He will suppress weeds and build soil health with cover crops and no tillage. Rick also cares deeply about human health, as it is another important driver behind the organic no till style of farming. Rick is building a system that will be viable and profitable for generations to come.

Kyle Rasch

Tom Rasch & Son Orchards

Kyle Rasch of Tom Rasch & Son Orchards is a third-generation apple grower in Michigan. Kyle’s grandfather started the farm over 60 years ago and today they grow 130 acres of apples. Kyle’s vision is to one day have the whole farm become regenerative certified organic, a goal he pursues alongside Adventure Eco Agriculture. Together, Kyle and AEA implement data-driven programs and regenerative practices that help Kyle reach new levels of nutrient density and crop performance.

David Knaus

President and Founder of Apical Crop Science LLC

David Knaus is the President and Founder of Apical Crop Science LLC, an ag-tech company that combines laboratory analysis, smart data management, and sustainable growing products to provide growers with the tools they need to grow high-yielding crops organically. As a successful farmer, college instructor, and professional crop advisor for over 10 years each, he offers a unique perspective into the challenges farmers face, and how to use the best of academic research and laboratory analytics to drive smart in-field decision-making that has helped growers across the country and internationally.