Olivia Shoemaker joined the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) in March 2022 initially as a scientific program assistant and currently as a scientific program officer. In this role, she supports multi-stakeholder collaboration, program development and project management in the Sustaining Vibrant Agroecosystems Priority Area and cross-cutting FFAR programming.
Prior to joining FFAR, Shoemaker worked as a research assistant at the Ostrom Workshop’s Sustainable Food Systems Science group, where she practiced social science methods to better understand regional value chains for perennial crops and elevated farmer voices in scientific forums. Abroad, Shoemaker gained systems- and grassroots-level experience. In Berlin, Germany, she supported an urban farming startup and volunteered with Uber den Tellerrand, an initiative using cooking to promote intercultural connection. In Mindo, Ecuador, she provided strategic and on-farm support at Sacha Urco nature reserve, a permaculture farm located in the cloud forest.
Shoemaker earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Indiana University with a focus in global development with a minor in German and a graduate certificate in sustainable agriculture and food systems from Tufts University. Shoemaker is currently based in Chicago, Illinois, where she enjoys the local food scene, spending time outside and learning new hobbies.