AZFSN Annual Gathering Agenda

Registration and Breakfast 
9:00 - 9:30 am 

Breakfast pastries (vegan and gluten free options available), fresh fruit, coffee, and tea provided by Creations in Cuisine Catering.

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
9:30 - 9:45 am 

Adrienne Udarbe, MS, RDN, Founder and Executive Director of Pinnacle Prevention​
Celina ​Mahinalani Garza, Indigenous Advocate and ​Founder of Native Lifeway

The Ways We Gather: How Cultures and Communities Come Together Around Food
9:45 - 10:30 am 

Celina Mahinalani Garza specializes in creating meaningful connections as an Indigenous advocate and practitioner of wellness: mind/body/spirit and emotions. She is a full spectrum Indigenous doula, a mother and “G-ma.”
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Celina is known as an energetic Motivational Facilitator who integrates traditional ecological knowledge, holistic modalities, Mind/Body Transformational Psychology, personal empowerment coaching, cardiovascular health, and wellness; Movement is Medicine to inspire people from the inside/out. Celina is a Tribal Liaison, Community Outreach Coordinator and Study Coordinator for the Strong Heart Study Phoenix field office. She has worked in Native communities for over 14 years, her family collectively for over 60 years. Celina is the Founder of Native Lifeway and author of 365 Days of HA. For more information, visit www.nativelifeway.com.

Don Guerra uses flour and water to build connections, to make the world a better place. When Guerra founded Barrio Bread he had a vision to revive native and heritage varieties of grains in order to build a sustainable grain economy in southern Arizona. Today, his bakery is a model for the future. Guerra unites regional farmers and millers in bringing healthy whole grains, flours, and breads to consumers, expanding the meaning of Tucson’s gastronomy. With his unique, naturally fermented breads he promotes bio-diversity and drought tolerance, and enhances the nutrition and flavor profiles of the regional food supply. Guerra has won numerous awards, including the 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker. He shares his knowledge through interactive workshops and in the classroom with schoolchildren, at Tucson Village Farm and the U of A. He collaborates with brewers, restaurateurs, and retailers to bring new foods and drinks to life. It is his vision for the future that not only bakers but all food producers and chefs source a diverse array of sustainable ingredients from their local area, to sustain the global environment and the local economy. For more information, visit www.barriobread.com.

Bleu Adams, Mandan/Hidatsa/Dine', is the Founder of Black Lamb Group, a member of the American Culinary Corps, and the director of IndigeHub, an organization dedicated to nurturing relationships within indigenous communities, amplifying their voices, and co-creating solutions to address their specific needs. Bleu firmly believes in the transformative power of education, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building for long-term, sustainable impact. Her efforts in forging partnerships and advocating for policies reflect her unwavering commitment to social and environmental justice, working towards an equitable and sustainable future for all. For more information, visit www.indigehub.org.

Arizona Food Systems Network Business Hour
10:30 - 11:30 am

Jessie Gruner, PhD, RDN, Director of Community Innovation at Pinnacle Prevention
Shelby Thompson, Arizona Food Systems Network Coalition Coordinator

Learn more about what the Arizona Food Systems Network has been working on and what you can expect in the year to come! During this session, we'll give an overview of AZFSN, reveal the AZ Food Action Plan Dashboard, share results from our first annual survey, and provide a sneak peak of upcoming offerings.

Lunch
11:30 am - 1:00 pm 

A delicious lunch made with locally grown and produced foods will be provided by Creations in Cuisine Catering. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available and the entire menu is nut free. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the Heard Museum during lunch. 

The Game We Play: Reconnecting Around the AZ Food Action Plan
1:00 - 2:00 pm

We'll play a fun, thought-provoking game to help us think about how we work together as a Network.

Together We Thrive: Why Diverse Networks Create Resilient Local Food Systems
2:00 - 2:45 pm

​Erin Raczynski is a public health dietitian who received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arizona. She has over 10 years of experience in Federal nutrition programs, including eight years in the Child Nutrition Programs at the Arizona Department of Education, and now supports the leadership of SNAP-Ed in her current role as the Office Chief for the Office of Community Innovations at the Arizona Department of Health Services. She has a passion for convening partners to explore collaboration and build more connected systems of support for the people we serve. Outside of work, Erin lives in Chandler with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs, and enjoys crafting, coffee and wine, and college football and basketball. 

Tricia Kinnell has been active in the field of public health for 23 years with Yuma County Public Health Services District, with a special focus on community food systems. Additionally as co-chair of the Yuma HEAL Coalition and a Master Gardener she specializes in building communities around food gardens and advancing strategies that increase the availability and equitable access to nutritious food.  A long-time resident of Yuma County, she has nurtured deep relationships with the community, dedicating many of her years here collaborating with local and regional partners to improve food systems. 

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​Juan Aguiar Bravo 
Juan Aguiar Bravo is a fourth-generation farmer from Guanajuato, Mexico who grew up surrounded by agriculture and livestock. Juan helped his father start his farm almost a decade ago before deciding it wasn't for him and moving away. In 2018, inspired by what his father had accomplished, Juan moved back to Arizona to try his hand at farming again. In 2019, Juan and his wife started Blooming Reed Farm in Paulden, AZ, where they currently live and work. Blooming Reed Farm is a small five-acre farm specializing in veggies and cut flowers. They grow using regenerative practices and without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers in semi-permanent beds using low till methods. In the time that they have been farming, Juan has served on the board of directors for the Prescott Farmers Market. Recently, they have secured a grant through Purchase Local AZ that has allowed them to provide hundreds of pounds of fresh produce every week to communities in the Hopi nation through their partners at Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture. Through farming, Juan has learned the difficulties that small farmers face on county/statewide levels when it comes to exemptions and regulations and continues to fight for himself and other small farmers to be recognized as a crucial part of our local food system.

Survey and Closing Remarks
2:45 - 3:00 pm

Fill out our short survey and be entered to win a fantastic local prize! Guests are invited to explore the Heard Museum until 4:00 pm.