Amanda Beal

Amanda's life-long interest in how we produce food began as a child growing up on her family's dairy farm in Maine, as well as on the coast of Casco Bay, where she has fond memories of digging for dinner alongside her grandfather in the clam flats and warming the bench of his smelt shanty in the winter. In her early 20s, she spent a few adventurous and influential years living in Yosemite National Park, exploring the backcountry and becoming acquainted with the writings of John Muir, Rachel Carson, and others who have written so eloquently about our connection to, and impact on, the environment. As a result, her interest in sustainable food production practices and conservation have merged into a professional and academic focus. Before joining DACF, Amanda was the President & CEO of Maine Farmland Trust, and prior to that, she worked for several years as a consultant on food systems-related projects for a number of fisheries, agriculture, and other food-focused organizations and businesses. She was a co-author of the publication: A New England Food Vision: Healthy Food for All, Sustainable Farming and Fishing, Thriving Communities. Amanda is a graduate of the Agriculture, Food and Environment master's program at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, with a specialization in the "Convergence of Natural Resource Policy and Food Security." She now is a doctoral candidate enrolled in the Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science (NRESS) Ph.D. program at the University of New Hampshire.