Ben is a native of Southern Oregon. He is deeply connected to the land here in Oregon. Growing up, he volunteered countless hours at the Josephine County Food Bank which is when he developed a passion for providing quality food to those who need it most. He will graduate in June 2024 with his Masters in Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon. Ben is passionate about land protection for agricultural purposes and getting eaters who are eager to help support their local producers connected with them. Outside of FOFF, he sits on the board of Hendricks Park in Eugene, is an avid trail runner and backpacker, and can frequently be found grabbing his favorite local cup of coffee before 5pm or local beer after 5pm! Ben joined FOFF two years ago as the OPN program associate and is very excited to be a part of the team now as the Program Communications and Development Associate.