Staff Bios
STAFF BIOS
David Bauermeister, Executive Director
Prior to joining NABC in 2006 as its first Executive Director, David Bauermeister served as Director of the Agricultural and Natural Resources division for the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of Northwest Natural Resources Institute. His agriculture background includes experience as the head of the Spokane Ag Expo, General Manager of Pacific Northwest Fiber LLC, and Assistant Manager and Shareholder of the Northwest Pea and Bean Company. David enjoys hiking and cycling and is the former head of the Inland Northwest Trails Coalition of Spokane, WA. David is a graduate of Washington State University.
Jeff Voltz, Project Manager
With more than 20 years of experience in retail grocery, urban and rural community development, and sustainable agriculture, Jeff Voltz is excited to be NABC's Whatcom County Project Manager, and Regional Food System Developer for the Puget Sound Food Network. Jeff's retail experience includes working for PCC Natural Markets, Trader Joe's, and Community Food Co-op in Bellingham. His nonprofit community and rural business development experience includes working for the Snohomish Private Industry Council/DownHome Washington and Farming & the Environment.
Lucy Norris, Director of Marketing
Lucy Norris is the Director of Marketing at the Northwest Agricultural Business Center (NABC) and also manages the Puget Sound Food Network (PSFN). Lucy brings over 12 years of food industry experience to Northwest Agriculture Business Center having worked with some of the largest companies in the world, helping them to understand consumer insights in food and beverage trends, including health and wellness, sustainability and organics. As Oregon State University faculty, Lucy managed a shared-use commercial kitchen at the Food Innovation Center and worked with Ecotrust's Food and Farms team as an interim editor of “The Guide to Local Seasonal Products for Oregon and Washington 2006.” She gathered qualitative data for an economic impact study for Portland's 6th Annual Farmer Chef Connection, and worked with the Oregon Department of Agriculture to develop products for commodity export showcase events.
Lucy writes articles and conducts lectures across the country. She is the author of Pickled: Preserving a World of Tastes and Traditions (2003), a collection of stories and recipes that emerged from a three-year oral history project with the New York Food Museum. Lucy helped launch the New York City International Pickle Day in 2001 (now called the Peck Slip Pickle Festival). She holds a MA in Food Studies from New York University, and a BA in Performance Studies and Cultural Anthropology also from NYU. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The New York Times, Food Network, NPR’s Morning Edition, The Splendid Table, Lee Bros. Boiled Peanut Hour on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Saveur, Domino and more. She has been a member of Slow Food since 1999, has been involved in chapter leadership in Portland from 2004-2006, and co-chaired the Seattle chapter from 2007-2009. She currently serves on the Seattle Culinary Academy's Technical Advisory Committee..
Karen Mauden, Account Manager
Karen first came to NABC as a contractor working for PSFN as Farm to Table Coordinator and is now a full time Account Manager working directly with NABC Clients and PSFN members. She is responsible for the success of the CDC-Funded CPPW Farm to Table project led by City of Seattle/King County. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Food & Nutrition from Washington State University. Karen brings to this position thirty-six years experience in managing purchasing systems and distribution networks. Karen also owned her own foodservice brokerage for sixteen years. Karen is co-owner of the Houser family dairy farm in Sedro Woolley. From 3rd grade on, she worked in berry fields during summers. Her favorite job was driving the truck during pea harvest season in the Edison area. NABC was delighted to learn that she was crowned 1971 Skagit Island Dairy Princess and received Skagit Valley College & Washington State University athletic letters in Field Hockey, Basketball and Tennis. These days, Karen likes to garden, play golf, volleyball, tennis and go hiking. She is a member of Association for Healthcare Foodservice.
Karen will draw on her professional foodservice experience, business networks, entrepreneurial spirit and creative thinking to help NABC clients and PSFN members succeed in business.
Sera Hartman, NABC’s Office Administrator, has been with NABC since its first month in operation in 2006. Sera is the Project Manager of the NABC Poultry Processing Equipment Rental Program, serves as one of Puget Sound Food Network's Account Managers, and publishes NABC's Whidbey Island Farm Map - "Whidbey's Country Farms." She works collaboratively, and directly with clients, to faciliate local agribusiness growth including development and support of agritourism and grower cooperatives, and oversees NABC office administration. Sera has served as Superintendent of the Evergreen State Fair's Agriculture Education Display, launched major expansion of the Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins in her capacity as Marketing and Adminstrative Manager over two years, worked with Cascade Harvest Coalition for two seasons as Sales Manager for the Puget Sound Fresh Farm Guide, developed and managed the Snohomish County Focus on Farming Conference's Wine & Cheese Tasting Event for four years, and worked with an international non-profit organization to develop and manage their 4-day 40th year anniversary event. She is currently serving on the Leadership Snohomish Signature Program's Education Committee. Sera graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences with an emphasis in agroecology and biology, and was subsequently hired to research and design a wetland landscape project. She has 20 years' small business experience as a self-employed craftsman. Sera enjoys micro-farming, archery, living history, motorcycle and equestrian activities, is a twice-published poet, and is currently co-chair of the regional division of an international historical recreation organization with a focus on education.