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Staff

Natalie Reitman-White
Executive Director
email: natalie_RW@ftsla.org
phone: 541.501.6083

Natalie Reitman-White is the Executive Director of the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association (FTSLA). Launched in 2008, the FTSLA focuses on research, education and collaborative problem-solving across the organic food supply-chain to develop innovative sustainable models. Since 2005 she has been the Sustainability Manager at Organically Grown Company, the Northwest’s largest distributor of organic produce where she works with cross-departmental teams to integrate sustainable practices across the organization. For two years she was on the faculty of the Institute for Sustainable Environment at the University of Oregon.

In 2008, Natalie was named by Fast Company Magazine as a “leading executive making the food supply cleaner, greener, and healthier.” Natalie’s passion for sustainable agriculture runs deep. In the last 10-years she has been a manager of the Lane County Farmers Market, she has served on numerous advisory boards including the Willamette Food and Farm Coalition, helped to launch a regional Food Policy Council, and was active in Oregon’s GMO labeling campaign. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Sociology from the University of Oregon.
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Melissa Schweisguth
Director of Membership Devlopment & Education
email: melissa@ftsla.org
phone: 541.727.0460

As Director of Membership Development and Education, Melissa is responsible for growing membership, advising members and developing educational resources to drive performance measurement and continuous improvement, and educating the broader organic food trade to catalyze wider change.

Melissa has worked in the food sector for nearly 10 years. In addition to her work at FTSLA, Melissa operates a consultancy on CSR/Sustainability and Marketing/Communications. She was previously Corporate Social Responsibility Manager (CSR) at the Hershey Company, where she managed the launch and development of its CSR program; Manager of Marketing and Full Circle Sustainability for DAGOBA Organic Chocolate, where she ran marketing/PR and innovated and implemented its "Full Circle Sustainability TM" program; and Fair Trade Coordinator at Global Exchange, where she ran a national fair trade cocoa campaign.

Melissa is also an advisory board member for Big Tree Climate Fund and a freelance writer. She grew up on an organic homestead and thrives on growing her own food and advancing sustainable agriculture. She was named one of TIME Magazine's "Responsibility Pioneers" in 2009.

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