President
Carla was raised on a diversified family farm in Eastern Iowa, with her career leading her to Lancaster County, Nebraska in 1999. She has worked in watershed planning & education since that time & is currently involved with the Nebraska Extension organic program, SARE advisory board, Open Harvest Co-op board (Lincoln), NRCS Urban Ag Subcommittee & is the co-founder & manager of the Hub Farmers Market in Lincoln, NE. She lives with her husband, Doug, at Branched Oak Farm near Raymond, Nebraska.
Carla McCullough Dittman
Vice President
Elle Worley is the Vice President of NSAS. Originally from the Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. area, Elle now lives on a small ranch in the Sandhills of Nebraska, where she stewards a piece of her family’s land—growing medicinal herbs and formulating herbal products. With a Master of Science in Nursing and a background in herbalism, she is passionate about the connection between soil health and individual health outcomes, and how regenerative practices can support and sustain both.
Elle Worley
Executive Committee
Treasurer
Riley Reinke is the owner of Cottage Hill Farm near Filley, Nebraska, a diversified operation that includes intensively managed produce, a flock of laying hens, and several hundred acres of non-GMO row crops. Grounded in regenerative practices, the farm builds soil health and supports biodiversity. Riley is a recurring conference speaker, and host of NSAS farm tours.
Riley Reinke
Secretary
Brian J. Behrens is a Lincoln-based entrepreneur and the founder of Sandhills Sovereign Farms, where he champions diversified, subsidy-independent agricultural models in Nebraska. His work emphasizes responsible land stewardship and market-driven sustainability to strengthen the state’s farm economy. A descendant of 1870s Nebraska homesteaders, Brian’s connection to agriculture was shaped through summers spent on family farms near Raymond. He also brings financial oversight and governance experience through his service as Treasurer of the Star City Figure Skating Club and on a U.S. Figure Skating board committee.
Brian J Behrens
Our Board
Board Members
Adam Brown
Adam Brown is a beginning farmer originally from Lincoln, NE, grew up in the city but was always drawn to nature and the outdoors. Some of his favorite hobbies are fishing, kayaking, and hiking. His passion for farming developed while spending time on his grandpa and uncle’s farm south of Kearney, sparking a desire to farm in harmony with nature. In college, he studied Water Science and quickly realized the interconnectedness of water, soil, and ecosystem health. Adam faced challenges breaking into farming without assets or connections, but his journey led him to the Grain Place, where he began as an intern in February 2024 and became a resident farmer by May. Adam is eager to continue learning about organic and regenerative agriculture, from field preparation and irrigation management to caring for cattle and hogs.
Vaughn Hammond
Vaughn has been a lifelong horticulturist. His passion is local foods and the potential impact they have on local and individual economies. His early career out of college started on Long Island managing a one acre hydroponic salad greenhouse and 20 acres of specialty vegetable crops. Upon returning to Nebraska, he became a viticulture research technician with the University of Nebraska and transitioned to an Extension Educator focusing on specialty crops. During his UNL career he also had a joint appointment with the Department of Interior as a Agriculture Advisor in Afghanistan working with farmers producing fruit and vegetable crops. He left the University system for private industry managing orchards in the Nebraska City area and is the Director of Agriculture and Facilities Manager for Vala's Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard.
Shea is the founder of Curious Roots Herb Farm and a formally trained clinical herbalist with experience in traditional and western medicine. She teaches herbalism classes and hosts educational events on the farm. Together with her husband, a master designer and builder, she has created thoughtfully designed growing, drying, and work spaces that support healing, education, and community.
Shea Harkness
Nolan Lemna transplanted four years ago from Minnesota to Nebraska and quickly fell in love with our local sustainable agriculture community, and ultimately chose to make Nebraska home. Since taking root, Nolan has grown as a young-beginning farmer through his work with Morning Sky Acres and the Center for Rural Affairs Beginning Farmer Conservation Fellowship. He is committed to providing healthy and sustainable food to Nebraska families and doing his part to conserve the natural world through regenerative agriculture.
Nolan Lemna
Gary Lesoing
Gary Lesoing is a retired Extension Educator with a lifelong career dedicated to sustainable agriculture. Raised on a diversified farm in southeast Nebraska, Gary earned advanced degrees in biology, animal science, and agronomy, specializing in sustainable agriculture at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He served nearly two decades as an Extension Educator and 15 years as Nebraska’s State SARE Coordinator. He now continues sustainable farming on his family farm near Hickman, Nebraska.
Sandro Lopes
Sandro Lopes, known as Kaaboc—‘the one who comes from the forest’ in the Tupi language—is a regenerative farmer, educator, and researcher originally from the Brazilian Amazon. Now based in David City, Nebraska, Sandro and his family founded NaTerra Farms, integrating Indigenous knowledge, syntropic agriculture, and permaculture to regenerate soil, strengthen community, and build resilient food systems. With over two decades of experience working in agriculture across several countries, Sandro is committed to empowering Latino and Indigenous farmers across the Midwest.
Tom Thomas
I began gardening when I was around 5. I kicked the cat out of the sandbox we shared and added leaves etc. to the sand/soil like my father did (he had most of the yard planted to vegetable garden and fruit trees and my mother had the rest in flowers) . I planted leftover seeds and plants and even transplanted crabgrass seedlings that I thought would become corn when they grew up. I have been learning about gardening ever since from gardeners I have met along the way. I learned about Organic Gardening from Bob Steffens. He introduced me to Biodynamic and Organic Gardening magazines in the 50's. I taught Horticulture for 6 years at UNSTA and learned a lot from my students. I am now 81 , still gardening and learning. We can share what we have learned and make our gardens better and more fun.
Our Team
Cara lives on a small homestead with her husband, Brandon, and their three children—Mavryc, Czandrya, and Cytara. Together they raise pigs, horses, and a mix of small animals while tending a garden that keeps their pantry full through canning and homegrown pork and eggs. Cara loves the outdoors and spending time with her family at their heritage ranch on the Middle Loup River near Mullen, Nebraska, or exploring the forests and mountains of Arkansas. Her professional journey has been equally eclectic, spanning multi-level retail management, service as a County Supervisor, grantwriting, watershed coordination, and leadership within nonprofit organizations. This blend of hands-on experience and community stewardship shapes her grounded, practical approach to both work and life.
Executive Director
Cara Morgan