Rachel has worked as a Hotline Operator with Farm Aid since 2021. She comes from a long line of family farmers in both North Dakota and Washington (and in the Netherlands, 3 generations ago). After many years as a teacher, she decided to reconnect with her family’s farming roots. She worked on a handful of small farms and completed Viva Farms’ farmer training. Along with training to be a farmer, she trained to be a chaplain and completed a Masters in Theology with a focus on food justice and farming. She also coordinates a small community garden growing food for a mutual aid food justice project in Bellingham. She is passionate about supporting diverse family farms and connecting communities with their local food producers.