Our Staff

RIPE is directed by Aliza Wasserman-Drewes, a seasoned non-profit program director and policy expert, with a focus on facilitating consensus-based policy recommendations. She previously worked at the National Governors Association as director of energy and environment, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and Business for Social Responsibility.

Policy Director Trey Cooke comes to RIPE with over two decades of experience serving as the Executive Director of both Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management (Delta F.A.R.M.) and Delta Wildlife.  There, Trey worked extensively with farmers, commodity groups, and other NGO’s to develop and advance conservation policy changes at the national level.

Communications Director Sue Dieter is an award-winning community journalist with 30 years experience in both radio and newspaper reporting. Prior to joining RIPE, Sue served as communications director for Congressman Collin Peterson, chair of the House Agriculture Committee. Sue also served as the National Legislative Liaison for the Barnes-Aastad Soil & Water Conservation Research Association, a stakeholder group of conservation-minded rural residents who support USDA-ARS in general and the ARS Laboratory in Morris, Minn., in particular.

Outreach Director Jamie Powers comes to RIPE after three years of project management with Environmental Defense Fund, where he led EDF’s engagement of private sector farm advisors. Jamie worked for nine years as a social network analyst, first as an intelligence collector with the U.S. Army and then as a senior and principal analyst in support of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Midwest Agricultural Organizer , Matt Ohloff, comes to RIPE with over a dozen years of grassroots organizing experience on issues related to agriculture, climate, and the environment. In that time, he has worked for state and national organizations focused on fair farm prices, equity, and sustainability.