Welcome Teresa Kelly!

Kansas Rural Center is excited to announce that Teresa Kelly has accepted the position of Food Value Chain Coordinator!

A recent transplant to Chase County from Kansas City, Teresa Kelly is excited to bring her experience as policy advocate, grass roots organizer, urban farm business consultant, and grower to her role new role. She has used her roles on different community boards and committees as a cross pollinator, bringing food policy into the conversations at every opportunity. Teresa served on the KC Food Policy Coalition Steering Committee, as chair and founding member of the Johnson County Food Policy Council and is a Kansas Leadership Center certified Leadership Coach. As city councilor for Roeland Park, Kansas she co-chaired the Mid America Regional Council First Suburbs Coalition. Most recently, as the Director of Operations for the Kansas City Food Hub, a farmer owned, farmer run cooperative, she developed and implemented processes and systems supporting the movement of local food from farm to fork as part of a strong community-based food value chain. She is dedicated to working with the KRC team and community partners to develop a vibrant, connected, and sustainable foodscape in Central Kansas.

With her four grown children off on adventures of their own, Teresa lives in Matfield Green, KS, with her husband Jim, the cutest dog Sami, and best horse partner, Sage. She spends her spare time photographing, writing, adventuring, and nurturing her connection to place.

Teresa is inspired to action by Margaret Mead’s quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world…”