Leslie grew up in Alaska, is a resident of Palmer and makes her home on the Springer Loop System. She recognizes the value of protecting farmland and wanted to ensure that the agriculture industry remains a viable choice for the next generation of Alaskans.

Read a Letter from Leslie about how Development Pressure impacts Alaska’s Food Security.

Long-time Alaskan Erin Kittridge has a deep love for the Valley’s agricultural history and first-hand experience with the importance of food security in remote communities. Having volunteered for years for Alaska Farmland Trust events, Erin was struck by the importance of AFTC’s mission and looks forward to doing the good work of protecting Alaska’s at-risk agricultural lands. She is a proud farmland owner.

Carol was born and raised on a farm in the Valley. She has seen many changes over the years, including the amazing growth in this area. She supports the growth, but is disheartened by the loss of some of the area’s best farmlands to residential and commercial development. She believes that farmland is worth protecting and looks forward to educating the public and promoting farmland preservation in Alaska. As a second-generation Alaska farmer, she understands the issues facing farmers in Alaska.

Sarah was born in Alaska and grew up in Palmer, on her family’s small farm. After years of living away from Alaska, she was distressed by the rapid changes, development, and loss of prime soils and farmland she saw when she came home to the Mat-Su Valley. With a background in business, real estate investment, and development, as well as farming and ranching, she knew knew there were ways to promote economic growth, while simultaneously protecting and conserving land. The farm she grew up on in Palmer possessed top quality soils. It had been abandoned and not actively farmed for many years, and was at risk of being sold for development. She dreamed of restoring the property and farming the land again. In 2018, after successfully purchasing the family farm in Palmer, she donated an easement to the Alaska Farmland Trust, and started Mountain Field Farm, a peony, cut flower, and vegetable farm, with lodging and a wedding venue. She began serving on the Alaska Farmland Trust Board soon after, to help facilitate and inspire others to save farmland in Alaska.

Bio Coming Soon

Daniel has lived in Alaska since 1996 and the Mat-Su Valley since 2003.  His family loves the Valley for its many landscapes including its farms and farmland.  Daniel oversees lands and resources matters for Bristol Bay Native Corporation and brings legal and natural resources management experience to the Alaska Farmland Trust.  New to the Board in late 2021, Daniel looks forward to this opportunity to work on farmland preservation and ensuring the qualities that make the Mat-Su Valley so special today continue to exist for all Alaskans far into the future.