Speakers Bureau

Chuck is The Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs specializes in commodity programs, rural development policy, research and extension, rural revitalization, and higher education.

Mr. Hassebrook has been with the Center for more than 25 years, developing strategies for rural revitalization, devising farm program payment limitations and enhancing federal funding for rural programs. The Center for Rural Affairs has helped nearly 5,000 small businesses get started or survive, and has assisted in the development of nearly one dozen cooperatives.

Hassebrook was instrumental in the passage of Initiative 300, Nebraska's anti-corporate farming amendment. He also was involved in the passage of federal agricultural tax reforms in the 1980s, research and rural development provisions of recent federal farm bills and a pioneering package of rural development initiatives passed by the Nebraska Legislature.

In addition to his work with the Center for Rural Affairs, Hassebrook serves on several boards and committees, including the University of Nebraska’s Board of Regents and the Nebraska Rural Development Commission. He also has served on the National Commission on Small Farms, and co-chaired the USDA Agricultural Science and Technology Review Board.

He has spoken extensively on federal farm and rural policy. Hassebrook's professional endeavors have brought several awards, including the Service to Agriculture Award presented by the Northeast Nebraska Experimental Farm Association, the Distinguished Alumni Award through the Central Nebraska Community College, and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Research Award.

He is a University of Nebraska graduate and a native of Platte Center, Nebraska where his family is still engaged in farming. Chuck lives in Lyons, Nebraska with his family.

Chuck Hassebrook can speak about: A new vision for a strengthening rural America through entrepreneurship, local initiative, and policy reform. He is an expert on rural and farm policy.

Jon directs the Rural Research and Analysis Program at the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska. Jon is a native of Sterling, Colorado, and a 1980 graduate of Creighton University with a B.A. in Political Science and a 1983 graduate of the Creighton University School of Law. Jon practiced law for 12 years in Sterling, Colorado, including four years as the elected District Attorney for Colorado’s 13th Judicial District.

In 1996 he received a Masters in Public Policy from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Jon was awarded a 1996 Presidential Management Intern award and served as a Special Assistant to the Associate Commissioner for Policy at the Social Security Administration in Washington, DC. In 1997, he became a Legislative Fellow for United States Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota. Jon came to the Center for Rural Affairs in 1998. Jon, his wife Ginger and children Michael and Anna live in Bancroft, Nebraska.

Jon Bailey can speak about: Rural asset and wealth building, including rural development policy; Rural poverty, and Rural demographics.

Dena Beck

Dena Beck is a REAP Business Specialist and serves the Southwest and Central regions of Nebraska encompassing 21 counties providing micro start-ups and existing micro businesses with technical assistance, small business loan opportunities, networking and training events.

Dena came to REAP from the Minden Chamber of Commerce and Kearney County Economic Development Agency where she served as Director for 5 years.

She has a B.S. in Horticultural Therapy from Kansas State University, graduated from Heartland Economic Development Course, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science degree in Organizational Management from Peru State College.

Dena Beck can speak about: Microenterprise, Small business development, and Business transition.

Traci is Assistant Director of the Rural Policy Program at the Center for Rural Affairs. Traci is a native of rural Nebraska. She is a graduate of Wayne State College, with degrees in political science and rural sociology. Traci leads the Center’s work on conservation policy and beginning farmer and rancher policy. She serves on the USDA Advisory Committee for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.

Traci Bruckner can speak about: Payment limitations, Conservation programs, Beginning farmer issues, Family farm issues, and Sustainable agriculture in relation to federal policy and the polices that support sustainable farming systems/family farms

Barbara is the Director of Administration and Organizational Development with the Center for Rural Affairs. She brings years of non-profit executive experience to the Center. The Winds of Life – Windmills Across Nebraska is a project near to her heart because of her background in the arts and history of service.

Barbara has been recognized both nationally and internationally for her dedication to improving the lives of women and children. It is appropriate and exciting that the Women’s Project for Rural America center on the iconic symbol of “life” for the revitalization and “new life” of our communities.

Barbara Chamness can speak about:Windmills with stories and poetry and stories about the roles of women who have altered the course of history in rural America.

John is the Development and Outreach Officer at the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska. A native of Iowa, John has devoted his professional and personal life to strengthening rural communities throughout the Midwest.

A diverse background enriches John’s work. John has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry with minors in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Iowa. He has served as a community development specialist in North Dakota, run grassroots political campaigns throughout the region, and has led the development and media teams at the Center for Rural Affairs since 2005 after previously serving for four years as an organizer and public policy analyst for the Center for Rural Affairs from 1996 to 2000.

John has testified before the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on several occasions. He worked with members of Congress and 11 state legislatures on development and passage of legislation relating to livestock concentration and market competition policy. John has served on numerous policy and advisory committees, including Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack’s advisory committee on agriculture.

John Crabtree can speak about: Competition and market concentration in agriculture, Media and how to use it for your cause, and Development related issues.

Brian Depew

Brian Depew is the Rural Organizing and Outreach Program Director at the Center for Rural Affairs. He is responsible for online outreach, advocacy and web development. Brian manages the Center's online advocacy, writes online action alerts, and helps to manage the Center's website. He also contributes to the Blog for Rural America and the Center Newsletter.

Brian holds a master's degree in philosophy from Colorado State University where he worked on issues of agricultural ethics and the family farm. He completed additional graduate work at Michigan State University where he studied agrarian thought, agriculture philosophy, and rural sociology. Not quite able to let go of his academic interests, Brian is a member of the Rural Sociological Society and the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society.

A farm boy from near Laurens, Iowa, Brian helped run his family's farm when he was in high school and college.

Brian Depew can speak about: Nonprofit advocacy and especially online advocacy, youth and rural America, and farm and rural policy.

Wyatt has helped beginning farmers and ranchers find information for their businesses for over 10 years through his work with the Center for Rural Affairs. His background includes work in wildlife management and natural resources in several western states, as well as managing a ranch for several years. He now helps farmers and ranchers with alternative marketing and production practices. He and his wife raise a few sheep for wool and meat near Coleridge, Nebraska.

Wyatt Fraas can speak about: Beginning farmer issues, Risk management, Farm transitions, and Alternative crops and marketing.

Martin is a Nebraska farmer with 35 years experience as a sustainable farmer (13 as an organic farmer). To affect more change in the sustainable agriculture community, Martin accepted a position with the Center for Rural Affairs in 1993. He currently manages a three-year Carbon Management Project designed to learn what factors affect farmers’ decision to sequester soil carbon; and a 3-year organic education project designed to help farmers/ranchers to transition to organic status.

In addition to offering carbon sequestration and organic training courses across the state, Martin has a 3-year history with the National Assessment of Climate Change, Great Plains Region. He was the Center’s contact working with the Nebraska Farmers Union and American Corn Growers to propose a community-based wind project to Nebraska Public Power in 2005-06. The goal of the project was to develop a 40 megawatt (20 turbine) wind development to produce clean energy and provide economic development targeted to rural areas.

Martin Kleinschmit can speak about: transitioning to organic agriculture, wind energy, and energy conservation.

Steph Larsen

Steph Larsen is a Rural Policy Organizer with the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska. Before coming to the Center she worked as a policy organizer and policy director for the Community Food Security Coalition in their Washington, D.C. office. Steph also brings experience in environmental and labor organizing to her work. Her work falls at the intersection of policy, grassroots organizing and on-the-ground practice.

Steph earned her BS in geology from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, and her master's degree in geography from UW-Madison. She completed her master's research in Mexico on sustainable agriculture and corn agrobiodiversity. Steph was born and raised in northwest Wisconsin.

Steph Larsen can speak about: Nonprofit policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and farm and rural policy


Joy Marshall

Joy Marshall has joined the Center for Rural Affairs staff as a planner to work primarily on our annual Market Place entrepreneurial conference. MarketPlace was so successful last year that we are looking forward to her full time employment to make this second MarketPlace even better.

Since 2000, Joy has worked part time for the University of Nebraska's Center for Rural Innovation with a project called the Nebraska EDGE (Enhancing, Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs). Her role with EDGE was to train and assist coalition members, program managers and instructors in offering quality educational entrepreneur classes primarily in the western Nebraska. In 1995 she also started her own small business called Performance Planners -- independent meeting planning service.

This is not Joy's first experience with the Center for Rural Affairs. Joy has served on the Center for Rural Affairs board and belonged to two different REAP organizations. In 1995 she received an award for her outstanding leadership as "REAP Officer of the Year" and in 1998 she was honored by receiving the "REAP Friend of the Year" award for her outstanding support for the project.

Joy Marshall can speak about: Entrepreneurship and the Business planning process.

Janelle, a native of Tecumseh, Nebraska, received her BS in Business Administration Management from Peru State College. Janelle spent the first 9 years of her career working at Peru State College and Southeast Community College, where she most recently was the Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Peru State until June, 2005.

Janelle joined the Center for Rural Affairs staff in June of 2005 as a REAP Business Specialist in Southeast Nebraska. Janelle serves 14 counties providing micro start-ups and existing micro businesses with technical assistance, small business loan opportunities, networking and training events. Janelle works from her home based office located outside of Tecumseh.

Janelle Moran can speak about: Microenterprise, Small business development, and Business transition.

Eugene has been with the Center for Rural Affairs Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) for the past 10 years working with small business owners in Nebraska. A home office located in Atkinson is the base for serving 12 counties in north central Nebraska.

Eugene has worked at building collaborative lending partnerships with banks, development districts, revolving loan funds and other lenders. Collaborative lending provides additional available capital for small business owners to start or expand their businesses in rural Nebraska.

Additional lending and economic development activities present and past include serving on the Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District Loan Board, member of the Nebraska Economic Development Corporation, Nebraska Enterprise Opportunity Network, and Nebraska Development Network.

Eugene Rahn can speak about: Microenterprise, Small business development, and Business financing.

Jeff Reynolds

Jeff is the Program Director of the Nebraska based Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP), a program of the Center for Rural Affairs, Lyons, Nebraska. The REAP program works with small, self-employed businesses in rural areas of Nebraska working toward their goal of rural enterprise development through business training, one-on-one technical assistance, networking, and micro-lending.

Reynolds joined the Center as the southeast Nebraska business specialist in 1994. Reynolds served as the senior business specialist of REAP before taking the REAP assistant project leader position in November 1998. Reynolds assumed the position of REAP Program Director in August 2000. Reynolds brings an extensive small business management background to the REAP program having most recently owned and operated his own convenience store.

Jeff Reynolds can speak about: Microenterprise/entrepreneurship, Small business development, and How small businesses can compete with large chains.