Blake Van Roekel
Blake Van Roekel is the face of GSV, leading member recruitment, partner engagement, logistics, program development, producer promotion and marketing support, and is the primary interface with the IPZ Committee. Blake operates a consulting service for food and farm businesses providing marketing and advertising strategy, communications and outreach, digital media and content development. Blake co-directed the non-profit Edison Farmers Market in member/ vendor recruitment, fundraising and event management, and grassroots marketing and PR. She was a Business Strategist for Acme Valley Foods, developing business plans, market and competitor assessments, customer journeys, social media management for 7 brands, and developed media lists, editorial and event calendars, press releases, and agritourism concept appraisals. For six years Blake owned and operated the Good Keuken culinary school where she created training materials and curriculum, served as one of the instructors on the team she developed, oversaw collaboration with an urban farm, and led international and domestic culinary agritourism tours.
Blake currently serves on the board of directors for the Skagit Tourism Bureau and Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. She resides in Alger, Washington where she can be found building forts in the forest with her daughter, gardening, and enjoying the exuberant symphony of geese, goats, and sheep that live next door.