When did you know that you wanted to work in food?

I was born a foodie - I didn't have a choice. My family has always centered around food. I have fond memories of my grandmother refusing to own a microwave, eating nothing out of a can and having her dairy delivered straight to her doorstep from a local farm. Other memories include being embarrassed as a kid when my mother only served healthy snacks that none of my friends wanted. My daily chores (if you call them that) included working in our garden or on a U-pick farm, from which my mother made all types of canned culinary delights. I came to realize how fortunate my upbringing was, which was certainly not 'typical' in my generation at this time. At an early age, I was encouraged to do my own food challenges with scraps in the pantry along with the mason jars of bounty from the canned produce my mother created to ensure our family had convenient, local, hand-picked, whole foods. Cooking has always been my therapy. Feeding others has always been my inner source of happiness. Food is life. Why not do what you love and make a living at it? The possibilities are endless - the need for food is not going away (unless you are a robot - and that is debatable).

How did you get your current good food job? 

I met my business partner and longtime friend, Henry Melendy, in our local Central Florida food scene. We were both active in food advocacy for the betterment of our community and we helped found the Slow Food Orlando chapter. We always knew we would work together and we decided to take it to the next level. Today, we own and operate My Yard Farm and are involved in several public-private partnerships to ensure food accessibility and wellness for our community. We get to do what we love for the community that we love. We have a family culture at My Yard Farm that we call 'Our Tribe'. We are farmers with business acumen and a whole lotta love.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I have been a strategic business planner in the LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health & Sustainability) industry for over 15 years and have specialized in Health & Wellness. I entered the Eco-Sustainable industry as a marketing specialist for an innovative project focusing on a sustainable, commercial, hydroponic watering system. This led me to become a Global Marketing Manager for an international manufacturer specializing in water conservation technology while working with producers, growers and irrigation specialists. This experience led to consulting opportunities for both controlled environment agriculture and retail consumer hydroponic growing systems. The utilizations of these systems incorporated the growing of ingredients and inputs derived for the manufacturing of natural foods and/or products that were considered 'beyond organic'. Hence, I followed my passion into the world of Grown LOCAL, Grown SUSTAINABLY, Beyond ORGANIC foods and nutritional raw ingredients.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?

Creating a sustainable business model that not only profits, but provides good paying jobs for our tribe, benefits our community as a whole, and FEEDS OUR SOULS!

Name one positive thing that a former employer taught you that you continue to appreciate?

If you're not having fun, is it really worth it?

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

LOCAL FOOD supported by sustainable growing methodologies such as Permaculture and Controlled Environment Agricultural practices. For true sustainability, you must involve the community at large. Education is the only way - and there is a lot to be desired in the way of education both from consumer and corporate sectors.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

GOOD FOOD, of course. Oh, and good wine.