Biography

A national advocate for women in sustainable agriculture, Lisa Kivirist founded and leads the Rural Women’s Project of the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service, an award-winning initiative championing female farmers and food-based entrepreneurs. Lisa is a Senior Fellow, Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems at the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Minnesota, focusing on identifying opportunities to champion leadership development among female farmers and rural women. She was recognized by In Business Magazine as a “Woman of Industry” for leadership growing the women in sustainable agriculture movement. Her new book coming out in 2016 is Soil Sisters: A Toolkit for Women Farmers, compiling advice, support and resources from over 100 women in the sustainable agriculture movement. Together with her husband, John Ivanko, Lisa is co-author of Homemade for Sale, Farmstead Chef, ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance. She writes on food, farming and women in agriculture for a range of publications including Hobby Farms, Mother Earth News and Grit. Lisa, John and their son Liam run Inn Serendipity Farm and Bed & Breakfast, a diverse farm operation completely powered by the wind and the sun and considered among the “Top Ten Eco-Destinations” in North America and nestled in the rolling green hills of southern Wisconsin.