Dawn Thilmany is a Professor of Ag and Resource Economics with Colorado State University, serving in that role since 1997 and now serves as the co-Director of CSU’s Regional Economic Development Institute and supports Engaged Research for the CSU Office of Engagement and Extension. She got her degrees at Iowa State University (BS, Public Service and Administration in Ag, 1990) and UC-Davis (MS and PhD Ag Econ, 1991 & 1994). She specializes in regional economic development related to local, organic and food market supply chains. She has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and presented to over 500 academic, industry and policy audiences. She Chaired the Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council and established and co-led the CSU Food Systems team through 2017, when she was appointed to the leadership for CSU’s Community Development team. She collaborated with several USDA agencies including the ERS, AMS and NIFA, and served as a reviewer or panel manager for over a dozen USDA grant programs. She has been President and led several organizations including the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, the Western Agricultural Economics Association and the Food Distribution Research Society. Previously, she represented the AAEA on USDA’s Advisory Board on Research, Extension, Education and Economics from 2012-18.