These are the people that work behind the scenes to grow Genuine Skagit Valley and develop the programs and services to promote and support agriculture in the Skagit Valley.
GSV Director
Blake Vanfield 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 is the co-founder of Vanfield Enterprises, 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.
Project Manager
As a member of NABC’s Project Management Team, Sera supports GSV through grant and fiscal management, resource acquisition, data administration and report development, and general project oversight. Sera has written and administered over $750K in successful grants, and contributed to another $1.6M in NABC grant proposals and project deliverables. Sera is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through the international PMI Institute, and is a graduate of the Cooperation Works cooperative developer training program. Sera has overseen such regional farm promotion programs as Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins and Red Rooster Route, where she recruited members and sponsors, facilitated promotional activity and organized VIP farm tours. During her tenure as Project Manager of agritourism maps Skagit Valley Farm Map & Guide and the Whidbey Island Farm Map, Sera recruited sponsors and advertisers, worked with graphic designers and distribution contractors, and evaluated and reported results to County funding programs. Sera is the lead for NABC‘s Client Services Program, and as a Team member provides technical assistance to individual clients and groups, including information dissemination, business planning, and research. Sera has managed NABC’s poultry processing equipment rental program for over a decade, providing low-cost equipment access to local producers. Sera oversees delivery of NABC’s entrepreneurial education programming (Transitioning to Value-added Products workshops), through which NABC has trained well over 1,500 students in business development topics.
Wholesale Marketing Coordinator
Sarah Walls is a visual storyteller for GSV. Her love of agriculture runs deep, having grown up on a horse farm as a child. Sarah served as Stanwood FFA chapter president and proudly earned her State FFA degree while in high school. Previously Sarah helped build and contribute to a robust consumer engagement team for a national free-range egg brand. In her spare time she is a freelance photographer who has been published regionally as well nationally in magazines and online for various farming, travel and agricultural publications. Sarah is proud to join the GSV team contributing social media content creation and digital engagement as well as assisting with marketing opportunities. Sarah proudly lives in the Skagit Valley with her husband Toby and two children.
Advisory Committee
Farm Owner, The Red Shed Farm
Former Executive Director, Northwest Agricultural Business Center
Farm Owner, The Red Shed Farm
Former Executive Director, Northwest Agricultural Business Center
David was the Executive Director of NABC since its formation in 2006 and recently retired in 2022. He and his wife Janet own and operate The Red Shed Farm, a 10 acre farm in the Skagit Valley.
David was raised on a dryland wheat farm in Eastern Washington. He attended Washington State University, was awarded a degree in Agronomy, and worked 25 years in the agri-business sector.
David has experience in the seed production and processing industry, as well as experience in food processing, marketing and distribution. David managed a start-up business which manufactured particleboard from wheat and grass straw.
Mayor, City of Mount Vernon
Mayor, City of Mount Vernon
Mayor Jill Boudreau is an elected full time city administrator for the City of Mount Vernon. She is committed to a municipal government that is efficient, adaptable, dignified, and inclusive bringing creative energy to City Hall. Her earliest memory is picking blueberries and gardening with her grandparents! These simple joyful memories drive her commitment to the agricultural heritage of Mount Vernon, Genuine Skagit Valley project and Skagit Innovation Partnership Zone work.
Director of Sales & Marketing, Washington Lettuce & Vegetable Co. // Hughes Farms
Director of Sales & Marketing, Washington Lettuce & Vegetable Co. // Hughes Farms
From the Skagit Valley, Tara Cunningham graduated from Washington State University in 2009 with a degree in Communications. Utilizing her skills in marketing, she previously worked for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington before going to work for her family’s business, Washington Lettuce & Vegetable Company, a produce brokerage firm based in Skagit Valley. Tara and her father, Dean Cunningham, handle all the sales and marketing for Hughes Farms, a fourth generation farm growing top quality red, gold, white, and purple potatoes for the fresh market industry.
President and CEO, Skagit Valley Malting
President and CEO, Skagit Valley Malting
Dave Green is President and CEO of Skagit Valley Malting. Before joining Skagit, Dave held a variety of roles in the food processing and agriculture industries, equipping him to make the jump to a company that connects the two together and build something stronger. Skagit Valley Malting is a craft malting company that pursues identity preserved malt using its patented malting technology to serve the craft brewing and distilling markets.
Founder and Chairman, BrandStrategy, Inc.
Founder and Chairman, BrandStrategy, Inc.
Duane Knapp is a worldwide brand expert, author of several books published by McGraw Hill and chairman and founder of BrandStrategy, Inc. He has personally advised thousands of brands in 22 countries including destinations, corporations, communities, societies, professional associations, institutions, countries and celebrities who desire to optimize their perception, image and success. BrandStrategy™ clients use the proprietary BrandPromise® science to enhance hundreds of millions of their customers’ experiences every day in 50 countries worldwide.
Director, WSU Skagit County Extension
Director, WSU Skagit County Extension
Don McMoran was born on a 2000 acre diversified potato farm in Mount Vernon Washington. He grew up working on the farm including bucking hay bales and moving irrigation pipe all summer long. Working in the fields was long and hard but he grew to appreciate how hard area farmers work to make the valley what it is today. Don completed his Masters Degree in General Agriculture in 1998 with a minor in Spanish and a Masters in Arts and teaching in 2000. After graduating from college Don taught Spanish at Stanwood Middle School for one year before receiving a position with the Skagit Conservation District where he implemented the Conservation Enhancement Reserve Program (CREP). In May of 2006 Don was hired as the WSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator for Skagit County, where he assists local farmers and gardeners with their research and extension needs. His major programming at the WSU Skagit County Extension includes Cropping and Irrigation Systems, Leadership, Farm Stress, Agricultural Suicide Prevention and Outreach to Underserved Audiences.
CEO Spinach Bus Ventures
CEO Spinach Bus Ventures
Kristen is the CEO of Spinach Bus Venture Group, which was formed to preserve and promote Skagit Valley. The group currently owns and operates Skagit Acres, Tulip Town, Fairhaven Mill and Skagit Landing Restaurant and Catering. Kristen was born and raised in Oak Harbor and moved to Skagit Valley in 1992 to attend Skagit Valley College. She began her career in hospitality with the Best Western CottonTree Inn in 1993 as a front desk agent and was quickly promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing.
Kristen spent 14 years at the helm of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce as President/CEO. During which she graduated from the US Chamber’s Institute program with her certificate in Institute for Organizational Management (IOM), Kristen was also very active in the Washington State Chamber of Commerce Executive during her chamber career serving on the board for 12 years including a term as president 2008. She also represented the chambers on the Association of Washington Board of directors serving on the board of the Western Association of Chamber Executives representing Washington State along with serving as an active member and past president of the Skagit County Chamber of Commerce Executive Directors Association.
Kristen lives in Mount Vernon with her husband Donnie. She has two amazing daughters who are her proudest accomplishments. When she isn’t volunteering in the community Kristen can be found watching her husband coach basketball, her daughter compete in barrel racing, or simply just hanging out with family and friends.
Co-Founder Tulip Valley Farms
Co-Founder Tulip Valley Farms
Fiercely proud of his Skagit Valley roots, Andrew Miller is Co-Founder of Tulip Valley Farms, a 30-acre farm in west Mount Vernon, Washington with views of Mount Baker and beautiful surrounding farmland. A former director of business retention and expansion in Skagit County Andrew understands first-hand the challenges and opportunities facing the country’s rural and urban adjacent business ecosystems.
Andrew serves on the Viva Farms board and was elected in 2020 as Commissioner, Position 1 at the Skagit Public Utilities District. Prior to his return to Skagit Valley in 2015, Andrew served in the Air Force as an intelligence officer, before transitioning to the private sector where he lead global teams at Expedia, Weyerhaeuser, and Amazon. Andrew is a graduate of Seattle University School of Law (JD) and Pacific Lutheran University (MBA), Gonzaga University (MA Organizational Leadership) and the Naval Postgraduate School (MA Strategic Studies) and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Commissioner, Port of Skagit
Commissioner, Port of Skagit
Steven Omdal is a current Port of Skagit Commissioner. Prior, Steve spent 17 years in the corporate logistics sales arena for FedEx Services. He was also in sales management and marketing for BASF SE as well as Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. He welcomes the opportunity to offer support and direction in assisting the local farming community in the utilization of the Genuine Skagit Valley brand.
Executive Director, Western Washington Agricultural Association
Executive Director, Western Washington Agricultural Association
Executive Director, Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland
Executive Director, Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland
Born and raised in the Skagit Valley, Allen brings over 25 years of experience to SPF in natural resource management, land use planning, and economic development at the federal, state, city and tribal government levels. Graduating with a Masters of Science in resource management from Central Washington University, Allen has worked as a Hydrological Technician for the United States Forest Service, an Environmental Technician for the Washington State Department of Transportation and as a Natural Resources Planner and Community Development Coordinator for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Prior to joining SPF in 2006, Allen served as the Planning Director for the City of Sedro-Woolley.
CEO, EDASC
CEO, EDASC
John Sternlicht has served as the CEO of the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County (EDASC) since July 2015. Previously, John worked in economic development at both the regional (King County) and state (Virginia) levels as well as the private sector, and also served as Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Virginia Governor Mark Warner. After having earned degrees from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill, John practiced law in the private and public sectors for over 20 years in NC and VA after his clerkship on the North Carolina Supreme Court. John also studied journalism and communications at the Université de Fribourg (Switzerland), and speaks French, German and Spanish. He has presented across the US and abroad on economic development, equity and inclusion, incentives, negotiation, and organizational development. John loves living in Skagit County with its majestic beauty and, even more importantly, amazing people.
Community Outreach Administrator, Port of Skagit
Community Outreach Administrator, Port of Skagit
Linda Tyler is the Community Outreach Administrator with the Port of Skagit, where she
manages the communications and outreach efforts, and shares the Port’s mission.
After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in communications,
she moved back home to the valley to pursue work in the non-profit sector. Prior to
joining the Port team, Linda worked for Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland where she
learned firsthand about the local agricultural industry and the great people who make it
successful.
Director of Community Relations, Skagit Valley College
Director of Community Relations, Skagit Valley College
Dave Paul grew up in Enumclaw, Washington. He graduated from Seattle University and then earned a master’s degree from Miami University (Ohio) and a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Dave is an experienced educator. He has taught in higher education for over 20 years, most recently helping students at Skagit Valley College where he has served for 14 years. He is currently the Director of Community Relations. Dave has a background in helping non-traditional students navigate a changing employment landscape, and he serves on the Island County Economic Development Council.
In addition to his experience with higher education, Dave also has significant experience with PreK-12 schools. Dave served on his local School Board in Ohio. Dave is currently a Washington State Representative with the 10th Legislative District.
Executive Director, Northwest Agricultural Business Center
Executive Director, Northwest Agricultural Business Center
Mike Peroni has over 30 years of experience in agriculture in western Washington. He has extensive knowledge of agricultural business formation and management, brand support, public/private partnerships, market development, and regulatory compliance.
Mike has been a key leader in the expansion of NABC’s services to southwest Washington; adding an additional five counties to NABC’s service area and taking on the role of regional director. In September 2022, Mike became the Executive Director of NABC under long-standing Executive Director, David Bauermeister, who retired in August 2022.
Mike and his wife Heidi own Boistfort Valley Farm in Custer, WA.