Dr. Dawn Thilmany is a Professor of Ag and Resource Economics with Colorado State University and has served as the co-Director of CSU’s Regional Economic Development Institute and also co-directs the Northwest and Rocky Mountain USDA Regional Food Business Center. Dr. Thilmany specializes in regional economic development related to local, organic, entrepreneurs and food market supply chains, and more recently, has focused on developing engaged community development initiatives focused on rural Colorado and the Western US. She formerly served on and chaired the Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council and established and co-led the CSU Food Systems team, and now co-leads CSU’s Community and Economic Development programming.