Becki DeRusseau

Becki DeRusseau has enjoyed roles in nonprofit leadership for over 20 years. Much of that time was spent as the Finance & Operations Director of a mid-size Kansas City organization focused on community and environment. In her work and studies, she was most interested in the intersection of food, justice, community, and environment. She nurtured her passion for regenerative growing, ecology, and local food by volunteering at Cultivate KC, completing the Growing Growers beginning farmer training and internship program, becoming certified in Permaculture, serving on the inaugural Kansas City Food Policy Steering Committee, and as Treasurer of Lawrence Community Food Alliance (Sunrise Project) for eight years. As part of the VABF team, she loves learning, connecting, and collaborating with farmers and others to build community and resiliency. Becki was tending a small farm in Kansas in 2021, when she uprooted herself, a cat, and two donkeys to move to Virginia to welcome her first grandchild in Roanoke. She is building a small off-grid Hempcrete house in Franklin County with the help of many friends which she hopes to complete this summer. She is still awed every time she sees the sunrise over the mountains.