Staff
TOMMY HEXTER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tommy moved to Iowa in 2017 after growing up on a 2-acre vegetable and egg farm in the mountains of Central Virginia. In his time as a student at Grinnell College, Tommy founded a sustainable student-run farm called Farm House, did anthropology research on food hubs and institutional local food procurement, and began managing the Grinnell Farm to Table market in September of 2020. After graduating from Grinnell College in May 2021, he also became the Policy Director for Iowa Farmers Union. Tommy led the merger of Grinnell Farm to Table and Local Foods Connection in January of 2023, and became the Executive Director. He loves to explore the small towns and backroads of Iowa with his 18-month old German Shepherd named Echo, and he goes gravel bike-riding in his free time.
JORDAN SCHEIBEL
FOOD ACCESS DIRECTOR
Jordan grew up in a small town in northwest Connecticut and has lived in Grinnell for the past 17 years. After graduating from Grinnell College in 2010, he worked for Grinnell Heritage Farm for several years among other pursuits. From 2013 to 2023, Jordan ran Middle Way Farm, a chemical-free and later Certified Naturally Grown market garden, and worked with Local Foods Connection to supply CSA shares to families and inviduals. Aside from growing food, Jordan enjoys listening to music and podcasts, hiking and foraging for wild foods, making maple syrup in the spring and apple cider in the fall, playing pick-up basketball, reading, and pizza nights with his family and friends. Jordan joined the board of Local Foods Connection in 2023 and became the Food Access Director in May of 2024 to help them navigate their growth and to help solidify a commitment towards addressing food insecurity and building food sovereignty as a single unified effort.
Board of Directors
ANN BRAU
BOARD PRESIDENT
I have a BS in Ag Education from Iowa State University. Currently, Lisle and I operate Compass Plant CSA which was the first established CSA in the Grinnell area. Operating for 21 years, we serve only the local residents with the CSA and through both the Grinnell Farmers Market and Grinnell Farm to Table. I am the principal farmer in the operation and we produce vegetables grown without chemical inputs in a sustainable and environmentally friendly method. Our livestock are grass fed and humanely raised. We have chosen to raise an endangered breed of hogs, American Guinea Hogs. Our poultry are pastured and raised seasonally for meat and egg production. Along with being the grower for Compass Plant CSA, I am also the Thursday market manager for the Grinnell Farmers market. I work with Kerri and Brian Olson to facilitate a safe and welcoming environment at the market. I also consult with the Grinnell College Garden, managed by Jon Andelson through the Center for Prairie Studies. This involves guiding students in methods of non-chemical growing in an outdoor garden setting. I believe in the need for everyone to have access to good quality, local foods. They are fresher, healthier, and better for our environment. No one should be hungry in this State.
LISA BACON
TREASURER
Born and raised in Tama County, Lisa returned, after 42 years in Sonoma County, California, and happily settled in Grinnell. She brings to LFC experience in locally sourced agricultural product sales and marketing, previously focusing on organic specialty mushrooms, pasture raised beef, pork, goats and poultry. She has sat on the Boards of the Mycological Society of San Francisco and Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods. Working in Volunteer Management for the Redwood Empire Food Bank and The Ceres Community Project literally enabled her to feed her passion to ensure nutritional equality among diverse socio-economic communities. In her retirement, Lisa is an artist focusing on jewelry and textile design. Still readjusting to Iowa summers and winters, she escapes on warm water scuba diving adventures and overseas sailing trips with friends and family whenever possible.
KERRI OLSON
SECRETARY
Kerri moved to Grinnell 22 years ago, meeting her husband shortly after, raising two children and has made it her home. She graduated from Iowa State University, earning her Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education. Kerri owns and operates Olson Garden Market with her husband Brian. Olson Garden Market started in 2010, attending the Grinnell Farmers Market.
She took her first professional position at Mid-Iowa Community Action as a Family Development Specialist & Health Coordinator Assistant. She then received a position at Unity Point – Grinnell Regional Medical Center as the Volunteer Coordinator for 14 years. Olson started solely focusing on her small business in 2016 expanding ever since. Through her experiences, she knows the importance accessing local, fresh and nutritious food for everyone, especially those in need.
LAUREL TUGGLE LACINA
Laurel is a lifelong Iowan and made Grinnell her home in 2009. She earned her Master of Public Health in Community and Behavioral Health degree in 2017. Her graduate work was focused on diabetes prevention in the Grinnell and Meskwaki communities. She loves the mission of LFC to unite farmers and their communities to support access to local foods, regardless of economic means. In addition to her position as ED of LFC, Laurel is also an assistant at Middle Way Farm and a harpist. She enjoys knitting, sewing, spinning, and gardening.
VICKI NOLTON
Vicki is a native Iowan and currently serves as a program associate for Service and Social Innovation at Grinnell College. Her interest in local and sustainable food systems is rooted in the changes and challenges her parents experienced as a small family farm operation during the Farm Crisis of the 1980’s. Vicki’s prior experience as a maternal and child health program coordinator solidified her belief that access to fresh and healthy food is essential to improved health, educational and economic outcomes, but that longstanding economic systems and governmental policies do not support environmentally and economically sustainable production of high quality foods. LFC’s mission to support local farmers and increase access to healthy foods for those most in need aligns with her beliefs and she is excited to be part of these efforts.
MIKE STORBECK
Mike has worked towards greater food access for the community throughout his time in Grinnell as a life-long resident. He currently lives in Grinnell with his daughter and has two other children. Mike worked in communications and would help fundraise for other food access organizations. After his heart attack and the start of the pandemic, Mike has continued working towards food access for the Grinnell community. He helped deliver food from pantries to surrounding communities and personally placed a freezer on his deck with meat and frozen food for Grinnell community members. Mike also loves to garden and is excited to continue working towards the cause of food access as a board member for LFC!
TRENT ARMENT
Trent was born and raised here in Grinnell. He graduated from GHS with the class of 1998 and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Buena Vista University. Trent is married to Jennifer, and they have three children: Skylar, Jaedyn and Leighton. Trent is currently the Business Account Specialist for Mahaska Communication Group (MCG). He’s been active in several organizations including the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce, LINK Mentoring, Tiger Football Club Board Member, YSF Football (Coach-5 years), the Refugee Program with Grinnell Christian Church and others. His hobbies include fishing, traveling, sports, music and volunteering for his community. Trent is thrilled to be a part of the initiative to unite local farmers with their communities. Promoting healthier eating has become something Jen and Trent feel passionate about and feel blessed to be a part of.
DAVID-PAUL CAVAZOS
David-Paul Cavazos, Rural President for UnityPoint Health – Grinnell, moved to Grinnell in the spring of 2024. He is a seasoned healthcare leader with more than 27 years of experience across several healthcare systems. Prior to joining UnityPoint Health, David-Paul served as CEO for Hodgeman County Health Center in Jetmore, Kansas, where he focused on organizational development, workforce recruitment and strategic growth efforts with physician partners. David-Paul completed his undergraduate degree with University of Missouri – Kansas City and his master’s in business administration in health care management from Ottawa University in Overland Park, Kansas. He has enjoyed digging in and putting down roots in Grinnell while watching his family live and grow in the Grinnell community.
TONY VANNICE
Tony and his partner moved to Iowa in 2021 to chase their dream of owning a business and being a part of a community of thoughtful and caring people. They started Tangled Roots Farm to provide healthy and sustainable produce in the local food shed. Tony holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master's in Business Administration. He spent his career of more than 30 years in the HVAC and Building Automation industry. Tony has over 20 years of experience in the Controlled Environment Agriculture industry closely working with USDA-funded organizations to develop best practices guides for indoor and vertical farming operations. Tony is proud to be part of the Grinnell community and volunteered as a Grinnell Farm To Table Board Member to assist with making local food access stability a reality.
MARK LEVANDOSKI
Mark has been a member of the Grinnell community for over 25 years, all the while a supporter of local food and farms. While he typically teaches science courses at Grinnell College, his favorites are those taking a multi-disciplinary approach to food choices and their consequences. Mark is an avid gardener, even if still learning and experimenting. More importantly, he bakes as often as possible, has been known to win local baking competitions on occasion, and he most enjoys sharing the baking efforts as widely as possible. Mark is proud to be a board member of this important organization.