2nd Annual Colorado Grain Summit

Lineup

• More details about KEYNOTE: Andrea Stanley, Co-Owner of Valley Malt & Ground Up

  KEYNOTE: Andrea Stanley, Co-Owner of Valley Malt & Ground Up

  Andrea Stanley is the co-owner of Valley Malt, a woman-owned Craft Malthouse in Holyoke Massachusetts supplying Craft Brewers, Distillers, and Bakers with locally grown malts and grain since 2009. For 15 years, Valley Malt's mission has been to 'bring the malthouse back' allowing for a regional supply chain to form and grow for over 14 years. This mission has led to the development of Northeast varieties that are providing a "taste of place" and providing Northeast Farms with a stable market to grow cover crops such as barley, wheat, rye, and oats. At Valley Malt, each variety of grain is studied for several years to explore the possible style and flavor it can create. In a renovated 19th century mill Andrea also runs Ground Up, a flour mill specializing in fresh stone-milled flours for artisanal bakers.

• More details about Andrew Heyn, Founder of New American Stone Mills

  Andrew Heyn, Founder of New American Stone Mills

  Andrew Heyn owns Elmore Mountain Bread with his wife, Blair Marvin, in northern Vermont, where they bake wood-fired breads made from stone-ground local grains. To support their bakery, Andrew designed and built his own stone mill, which led him to found New American Stone Mills in 2015. Since then, he has built more than 250 natural granite mills for bakers, millers, and farmers around the world.

• More details about Chef Matt Vawter of Rootstalk, Radicato, & Threefold Bakery

  Chef Matt Vawter of Rootstalk, Radicato, & Threefold Bakery

  James Beard Award-winning Chef Matt Vawter, raised in Summit County, began his culinary career through Colorado Mountain College's apprenticeship program. After training under Chef Alex Seidel at Fruition and helping launch Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver, Vawter returned to his mountain roots in 2020. He now operates three Breckenridge establishments: Rootstalk (2020), offering approachable, ingredient-driven cuisine; Radicato (2022), a modern Italian restaurant; and Threefold Bakery (2025). Throughout his career, Vawter has championed intentional sourcing, maintaining strong relationships with Colorado farmers, ranchers, and artisans. His restaurants reflect a commitment to exceptional hospitality and creating thriving workplaces for mountain communities.

• More details about Garrett Richman, Executive Baker at Cherry Creek School District

  Garrett Richman, Executive Baker at Cherry Creek School District

  Garrett Richman is the Executive Baker for Cherry Creek School District in Colorado, where he leads a central production bakery serving more than 53,000 students across the district. With a background in large-scale baking operations and scratch production, Garrett oversees the development and manufacturing of baked goods that balance nutrition, consistency, and student appeal at institutional scale. In recent years, he has championed the integration of locally grown and stone-milled grains into K–12 menus, working closely with regional farmers and millers to incorporate Colorado-grown wheat into items such as cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls. His work focuses on demonstrating that local procurement can be both operationally feasible and nutritionally meaningful within public school food systems. Garrett is passionate about using school food as a platform to strengthen regional food economies while improving the quality and transparency of ingredients served to students.

• More details about Justin Carter, Farm to School Coordinator at Colorado's Departnment of Education

  Justin Carter, Farm to School Coordinator at Colorado's Departnment of Education

  Justin Carter has worked in farm to school initiatives since 2019, beginning with a project to revitalize school greenhouses in Nebraska while working for the nonprofit Center for Rural Affairs. Now serving as Colorado’s Department of Education Farm to School Coordinator, he connects school districts with local producers to strengthen K-12 local procurement and support child nutrition, agriculture, and local economies. Beginning in March 2026, Justin will manage the Local Food Program, Colorado’s state incentive program that provides funding for school districts to purchase Colorado-grown products. Justin’s background in agriculture and food systems began during his service as an environmental action and food security volunteer with the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa, from 2011 to 2014. A native of rural eastern Nebraska, he holds degrees from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Colorado State University.

• More details about Erica Gagne Glaze, Head Doughpuncher at The Pig & the Plow

  Erica Gagne Glaze, Head Doughpuncher at The Pig & the Plow

  Erica Gagne Glaze is the owner and Head Doughpuncher at the Pig and the Plow bakery in Fort Collins, Colorado, founded in 2014. She is passionate about strengthening her community, environmental sustainability, and personal health by connecting folks to local food sources. She is a strong grain advocate, utilizing more than a dozen heirloom and whole grains in her bakery and promoting local farmers, ranchers and dairy's by utilizing local ingredients and offering many for sale in her shop. Erica is also a Board Member of the Colorado Grain Chain, and is always looking to develop partnerships to promote Colorado grown grains.

• More details about Zach Martinucci, Founder & CEO of Rebel Bread

  Zach Martinucci, Founder & CEO of Rebel Bread

  Zach Martinucci loves telling stories about food, over food, and even through food. He studied Culinary Anthropology at UCLA and the University of Bologna before training in Professional Bread and Viennoiserie at the San Francisco Baking Institute. In 2018, Zach founded Rebel Bread, an artisan community bakery and bread school in Denver known for unique loaves, pastries, and sandwiches made with regional grains. Rebel bakes for cafés, restaurants, grocery programs, and retail customers. The bakery's new Cafe + Teaching Kitchen hosts hands-on classes and behind-the-scenes experiences that connect people with how food is made and why it matters. An Italian-Jewish grandmother at heart, Zach especially loves making sourdough (his first love) and all kinds of pasta. He spends his time climbing, going out for coffee, and turning just about everything into gnocchi.

• More details about Dr. Nanna Meyer, Clinical Associate Professor of Human Physiology & Nutrition + Co-Owner of Pueblo Seed & Food Co.

  Dr. Nanna Meyer, Clinical Associate Professor of Human Physiology & Nutrition + Co-Owner of Pueblo Seed & Food Co.

  Nanna Meyer is a Clinical Associate Professor Emerita in the Department of Human Physiology and Nutrition. Together with Sean Svette, they founded UCCS Grain School in 2016 after the university transitioned its food service to self-operation and opened its doors to trans-disciplinary food systems work. She teaches Grain School and Food Culture, Community and Health. She is also the co-owner of Pueblo Seed & Food Co., located in Cortez, Colorado. She works with a diverse set of grains and develops whole grain recipes, value-added products, sourdough breads, dishes, and cookies. In 2026, Nanna also supports the launch of the non-profit Pueblo Seed & Grain Hub and focuses her efforts on training & education for the hub.

• More details about Christopher Schooley, Owner & Operator at Troubadour Maltings

  Christopher Schooley, Owner & Operator at Troubadour Maltings

  Christopher Schooley founded Troubadour Maltings in Fort Collins with Steve Clark in 2013 with the mission to produce unique character-driven malts that inspire creativity in those who use them. Troubadour has been in full production since April 2015 and works with brewers, distillers, and bakers all over Colorado and throughout the country.

• More details about Clark Harshbarger, Director of Stewardship at Mad Agriculture

  Clark Harshbarger, Director of Stewardship at Mad Agriculture

  Clark has dedicated nearly three decades to agriculture. His curiosity for soil began on his family farm in southern Ohio, leading him to study horticulture and soil science at Montana State University. After graduating, he spent 17 years with USDA-NRCS as a Soil Scientist, mapping soils and educating others on agricultural and rangeland management. His work spanned private, national, and federally managed lands, focusing on soil health, cover crops, and hydric soils vital to wetlands. Transitioning to hands-on regenerative agriculture, Clark served as farm caretaker at Grassroots Farm & Foods, raising pasture-based livestock and connecting with his Ohio community. This experience deepened his understanding of soil, relationships, and self. Now, as Director of Stewardship at Mad Agriculture, Clark leverages his theoretical and practical expertise to empower land stewards in advancing regenerative agriculture practices.

• More details about Dr. Martha Calvert, Sensory Manager at Colorado State University

  Dr. Martha Calvert, Sensory Manager at Colorado State University

  Dr. Martha Calvert is the Sensory Manager at Colorado State University’s Spur campus located in Denver, CO. She recently received her PhD in Food Science from Virginia Tech, focusing her research on hard cider quality and sensory evaluation. Dr. Calvert currently manages all sensory testing services and supports researchers and students with sensory research projects. Dr. Calvert has extensive experience in qualitative research, focus group and interview moderation, consumer testing, descriptive panel training, flavor wheel development, and data visualization. She has a passion for studying artisan food systems, helping small and medium size growers and producers, and supporting student engagement with sensory science research.

• More details about Jodie Popma, Board Chair at Slow Food Boulder County

  Jodie Popma, Board Chair at Slow Food Boulder County

  Jodie Lindsay Popma has a Masters in Sustainable Food Systems from the University of Colorado Boulder, Bachelors in Computer Science and is a certified Holistic Nutritional Practitioner. She is a food systems advocate and a community organizer working at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, regional grain economies, and food policy. She leads the Slow Food Boulder County, where she advances farmer/buyer connections, grain education, and collaborative projects that strengthen Colorado’s grain chain from field to market. She also leads the Slow Grains North America program for Slow Food International.

• More details about Taylor Frederick, Senior Culinary Programs Manager at Nourish Colorado

  Taylor Frederick, Senior Culinary Programs Manager at Nourish Colorado

  As a Chef and the Senior Culinary Programs Manager for Nourish Colorado, Chef Taylor works with school districts, institutional kitchens, and local producers to help make Farm to Institution the normal choice in Colorado. Taylor loves to help people by feeding them, and teaching how to cook with new, exciting ingredients and different cuisines. He also loves to hike, camp & ski.

• More details about Carlos Castro, Miller at Moxie Bread CO.

  Carlos Castro, Miller at Moxie Bread CO.

  Carlos is a life-long baker who became interested in locally sourced, heirloom grains when the coffee shop he worked at started its own bakery with the help of Andy Clark. Since then, he's fallen down the rabbit-hole of grains and has only fallen more in love with this industry.

• More details about Yadi Wang, Vertical Resolutions

  Yadi Wang, Vertical Resolutions

  Inspired by the farming lifestyle of his extended family, Yadi Wang was determined to become a farmer after receiving his doctoral degree in environmental science, careers in chemical and process engineer, and stint as a client financial portfolio manager. Throughout his farming journey, he rediscovered his own roots being a Chinese, which allows him to celebrate life of all kinds and embrace the culture and his ancestral views of focusing on the intersect between health of people and all other lives within his touch.

• More details about Chef Yuri Sanow, Executive Chef at Boulder Valley School District

  Chef Yuri Sanow, Executive Chef at Boulder Valley School District

  Classically trained and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Yuri brings more than 30 years of experience as a chef in fine dining restaurants, resorts, hotels, and spas. In 2010, he transitioned into school food service as a Sous Chef of one of Boulder Valley School District’s Regional Production Kitchens; driven by a commitment to serving high-quality, nutritious meals at scale to the students of BVSD. After six years as Executive Chef for Jefferson County Public Schools, Yuri returned to Boulder Valley School District in 2018. Today, as Executive Chef, he leads a team at the district’s state- of-the-art Culinary Center, overseeing the production of 17,000 scratch-cooked meals each day to support the health and success of students across the district.

• More details about Sara Wood, Founder at Wyoming Heritage Grains

  Sara Wood, Founder at Wyoming Heritage Grains

  Sara Wood is a 5th generation farmer/rancher in the Bighorn basin of Wyoming. She founded Wyoming Heritage Grains in 2019 with the only commercial flour mill in the state. The focus of the operation is growing heritage and ancient wheat, corn and barley in a regenerative manner with emphasis on soil health and nutrient dense grains.

• More details about Morgan Neely, Rye Resurgence Project

  Morgan Neely, Rye Resurgence Project

  Morgan Neely is a 5th generation farmer in the San Luis Valley. Being heavily involved on the family farm and in several ag focused organizations, she has continued to promote the importance of civic engagement in rural communities and the need for more thorough education about agricultural practices. Through her family's heritage and her own love for agriculture, she has continued to develop her professional career towards advocating for and educating about ag to those who are not actively involved. As project manager for the Rye Resurgence Project, she focuses on growing markets, creating awareness, and promoting sustainable paths forward. The Rye Resurgence Mission is simple; Change from the Ground Up.

• More details about Brandon Boldt, Co-Owner Primitive Beer

  Brandon Boldt, Co-Owner Primitive Beer

  Brandon Boldt is the brewer, blender, and co-owner of Primitive Beer. With roots in homebrewing stretching back to his teenage years in New York, Brandon has been professionally brewing since 2013, discovering a niche in spontaneously inoculated and barrel-aged minimal intervention fermentations. Most days are spent cultivating wild yeasts alongside his wild children.

• More details about Aaron Beatty, Head Baker at Threefold Bakery

  Aaron Beatty, Head Baker at Threefold Bakery

• More details about Dr. Esten Mason, Colorado State University

  Dr. Esten Mason, Colorado State University

  Dr. Esten Mason is a Professor at Colorado State University (CSU) and directs the CSU Wheat Breeding Program. Wheat breeding at CSU was initiated in 1963 and has a rich history providing Colorado wheat growers and end users with superior cultivars adapted to Colorado’s unique growing conditions. Dr. Mason received a B.A. in Biology (2003) and a PhD in Molecular Plant Sciences (2009) from Texas A&M University, and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in the Global Wheat Program from 2009-2010. Prior to his position at CSU, Dr. Mason was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas. His program emphasizes genomics and phenomics for predictive breeding while staying rooted in core plant breeding principles. Dr. Mason has received over $40 million in research funding, publish 95 peer reviewed journal articles and released 15 wheat cultivars.

• More details about Stay tuned for more speaker updates - coming soon!

  Stay tuned for more speaker updates - coming soon!