CUESA Announces New Executive Director Marcy Coburn

June 4, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Susan Coss
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Phone: 415.291.3276  x 105
susan@cuesa.org

CUESA Announces New Executive Director Marcy Coburn

Sustainable Food and Agriculture Trendsetter to lead SF’s Flagship Farmers Market Organization

SAN FRANCISCO (June 4, 2014) — CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture), operator of the acclaimed Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, today announced the appointment of Marcy Coburn as its new Executive Director.

Coburn, a native Californian raised in a farming family in the San Joaquin Valley, has played a pivotal role in bringing sustainable agriculture and food issues into the mainstream, both nationally and statewide. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Food Craft Institute and the Eat Real Festival, where she helped small-scale food producers develop skills to improve the economic viability of their businesses. Previously, she was Director of Communications at the Ecological Farming Association, working with farmer-members to build capacity, community, and commitment among a diverse stakeholder base.

“We are incredibly excited to have Marcy taking the helm,” said Hans Baldauf, President of CUESA’s Board of Directors. “Marcy brings a deep understanding of the issues that face CUESA and the sustainable food movement as it matures and the types of responses, from entrepreneurship to education and advocacy, that are necessary to address these issues. These talents and her roots in the local community make her the ideal Executive Director for CUESA as we continue our vital role as an innovative leader in the creation of sustainable food systems.”

“My sustainable agriculture career began on the night shift at Veritable Vegetable in San Francisco in 1994,” said Coburn. “My family has farmed oranges and walnuts in California’s San Joaquin Valley since the 1930s, but it was twenty years ago that I first learned of the importance of rebuilding a sustainable food system that feeds the world without destroying the planet. I am honored to be selected to lead CUESA, an organization that has been a true leader in developing the models for a local and sustainable food system and in changing how we eat.” 

In 2011, Coburn helped launch the Food Craft Institute, which has been nationally recognized as an important resource in bridging the gap between education, entrepreneurship, and sustainability in food and agriculture. Her experience and leadership will inspire CUESA to continue raising the bar in farmers market excellence, developing innovative educational programming that creates meaningful connections between urban eaters and farmers, and expanding its commitment to incubating small businesses.

Coburn will start as Executive Director on July 14.

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About CUESA

CUESA educates Bay Area urban consumers about sustainable agriculture by creating links between urban dwellers, local farmers and food artisans. The non-profit organization has managed the internationally renowned Ferry Plaza Farmers Market since 1999, and is at the forefront of the resurgence of farmers markets in the United States. In its 20 years, CUESA has been a leader in the farm-to-table movement and has introduced sustainability standards and frameworks into the mainstream through the market and its educational programs. CUESA brings together farmers, producers, consumers and chefs to cultivate a healthy food system.

Connect with us:
Email: CUESA’s Weekly E-letter
Twitter: @CUESA
Facebook: CUESA

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PRESS

Marcy Coburn: A New Leader in The Town Local Food Built (Civil Eats, June 4, 2014)

Marcy Coburn Named CUESA’s New Executive Director (Inside Scoop, June 4, 2014)

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