Founder and CEO

I grew up in Hustburg, Tennessee, a tiny community right next to the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. It was a special place, and I spent countless hours there during my youth exploring its woods and waters. As I got older, I became interested in how the place was managed, and why. I noticed that agriculture and conservation existed there side-by-side, and people came from all over to enjoy the beauty of it all. It inspired me to pursue a career in conservation and agriculture, and I’ve been lucky during my 30-year career to work on lots of initiatives that have made a big difference in the world. During my career, which has spanned higher education, industry, and nonprofits, I’ve learned one clear lesson: our greatest opportunity and challenge in advancing conservation and agriculture lies in people. The ability to think strategically, develop partnerships, manage conflict, work in teams, and communicate clearly usually make the difference between success and failure. I founded Risora to help our clients do just that. 

I have degrees in natural resources from the University of Tennessee-Martin (BS), Virginia Tech (MS), and Utah State University (Ph.D.). Further, I have additional training in facilitation, conflict management, communication, program management, and strategic planning. I have leveraged these skills in my career to help universities, nonprofits, corporations, and government agencies launch big initiatives and make them successful.

Want to know more? See my resume here

Emily's professional journey has been a dedicated pursuit of empowering nonprofits to achieve their utmost impact. With a wealth of experience and degrees in psychology and sociology, she's adept at steering and supervising operations of diverse scales. Her work at the United Soybean Board, including service as Vice President of Operations, particularly equips her with a deep understanding and network within the agricultural sector. A deft facilitator and consensus-builder, she finds fulfillment in grappling with intricate challenges, striking a balance between innovative problem-solving and practical, down-to-earth solutions. Notably, Emily holds the distinction of being a certified Gallup Global Strengths Coach, amplifying the potential of those around her.

Hailing from rural West Tennessee, Michele's upbringing nurtured an affinity for agriculture and nature.  Armed with B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee, she embarked on a dynamic journey spanning education, entrepreneurship, and relationship-building. Now, she is a seasoned development professional with the ability to develop the strategies, creating the pitches, and building the relationships needed to fuel fundraising success. With a strong background in conservation and agriculture fundraising, Michele helps clients generate more money to drive their missions.

With degrees in accounting and a client-focused approach to everything she does, Kim runs the back office of Risora and serves as our business manager. Whether it is contracting, billing, invoicing, or recordkeeping, Kim makes it easy for our clients to work with us. 

Virginia specializes in program design, proposal/grant writing, and other technical writing in support of program implementation. Over her 18-year career, she has developed successful proposals to donors including USDA, USAID, Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Ford Foundation resulting in more than $200 million in funding. Her technical areas of expertise include food and agriculture, international trade, and private sector engagement. She holds a master’s degree in global political economy from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in international affairs from George Washington University.

Working with a variety of agricultural organizations, B3 is a boutique firm that offers tailored, creative marcom solutions. B3 leads communications for Farmers for Soil Health, TN Soybean, and works closely with other organizations that are leading the way in agriculture.