As the Agroecology Educator for The Conservation Foundation, Connie Kollmeyer is passionate about sharing ways to grow food using environmentally friendly practices that work with nature to increase yields and health benefits while supporting our ecology and wildlife and protecting our land and water. Before joining The Conservation Foundation in 2020, Connie managed her own urban farm and she was an educator for The Resiliency Institute and helped install the Edible Forest Garden at McDonald Farm. She also works in formal education as an instructor at College of DuPage, teaching classes in the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program and leading Agroecology-based study abroad trips. She has more than 25 years of organic gardening and small-scale farming experience, is a certified Master Naturalist, and holds certificates in Edible Wild Plants, Bioregional Herbalism, Permaculture Design and Teaching, among others. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Regenerative Organic Agriculture and a certificate in Horticultural Therapy. She lives in Kendall County with her family, dogs, chickens, and fluffy bunny, and enjoys traveling and dabbling as a farm-to-table foodie (i.e., she loves to grow food AND to eat it)!