Contacts for RSDP

Kathryn Draeger, Statewide Director, RSDP
draeg001@umn.edu, 612-625-3148

Kathryn Draeger, PhD, has served as the Statewide Director of the Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics since 2005. As director of the Regional Partnerships, Kathy leads a multi-college program with one statewide and five regional and community-University boards to identify and address community issues of sustainable agriculture and food systems, natural resources, clean energy and resilient communities. Kathy's areas of research expertise include rural vitality, small and medium-size farm access to intermediated markets, supply chain models, and rural grocery store capacity and role in the food system. Kathy is nationally known for her expertise on rural grocery issues. Her research on an innovative bi-directional “backhaul” model for increasing farmer access to wholesale markets via rural grocery stores was featured in the University of Minnesota's 2018-19 Driven to Discover campaign. Kathy and her family farm in rural Big Stone County, Minnesota and produce wind power, grass fed beef, and organic grains and edible beans.  

Caryn Mohr, Assistant Statewide Director, RSDP
mohr0007@umn.edu, 612-626-9827

Diane Seefeldt, Executive Secretary, RSDP
seefe012@umn.edu, 218-726-7555

Mary Hannemann, Student Engagement Director, RSDP
oldha012@umn.edu, 612-624-9430

Marie Donahue, Sustainability Storyteller, RSDP and CERTs
dona0212@umn.edu, 612-625-3775

Molly Zins, Executive Director, Central RSDP
zend0007@umn.edu, 218-828-2332

Rick Meyer, Executive Office and Administrative Specialist, Central RSDP
meye0195@umn.edu, 218-828-2275

Central RSDP web page.

David Abazs, Executive Director, Northeast RSDP
dwabazs@umn.edu, 218-726-6146

Diane Seefeldt, Executive Office and Administrative Specialist, Northeast RSDP
seefe012@umn.edu, 218-726-7555

Northeast RSDP web page.

Linda Kingery, Executive Director, Northwest RSDP
kinge002@umn.edu, 218-281-8697

Shannon Stassen, Program Associate, Northwest RSDP
sstassen@umn.edu, 218-281-8693

Anna Peterson, Executive Administrative Assistant, Northwest RSDP
hans0947@umn.edu, 218-281-8699

Northwest RSDP web page.

Okechukwu "Okey" Ukaga, Executive Director, Southeast RSDP
ukaga001@umn.edu, 507-536-6313

Southeast RSDP web page.

Anne Dybsetter, Executive Director, Southwest RSDP
adybsett@umn.edu, 320-235-0726 x 2012

Mary Jo Foxx, Executive Office and Administrative Specialist, Southwest RSDP
foxxx055@umn.edu, 320-235-0276 x 2001

Southwest RSDP web page.

Greg Schweser, Statewide Co-Director, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, RSDP
Specialties: Deep Winter Greenhouses
schwe233@umn.edu, 612-625-9706

Ren Olive, Program Associate, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, RSDP
Specialties: Rural grocery stores, backhauling
nolive@umn.edu, 612-624-8452

Carol Ford, Grant Project Coordinator, RSDP
Specialties: Deep Winter Greenhouses
fordcj@morris.umn.edu, 320-226-9435

Connie Carlson, Statewide Co-Director, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, RSDP
Specialties: Supply chains
carl5114@umn.edu, 612-709-6790

Swan Ray, Supply Chain Development Specialist, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, RSDP
Specialties: Supply chains
swanx078@umn.edu, 612-978-6224