Dakota Stranik is a planner at Whatcom County Planning and Development where she has managed the Conservation Program on Agricultural Lands (CPAL) and also provided staff support for the Whatcom County Agricultural Advisory Committee for the past four years. Her previous experience includes working as a farm planner for Whatcom Conservation District, owning and operating a small farm in Ferndale, WA, and serving as Board President of the Lynden Farmers Market. Dakota is passionate about local food systems and has a deep understanding of the everyday challenges facing agricultural producers. She brings empathy and creative solutions to the table when helping agricultural land managers through regulatory processes and permitting.