- This event has passed.
Monthly Program – Sustainable & Local Food Production: People, Knowledge, Community
September 9 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
In a world increasingly shaped by the impacts of climate change, sustainable local food production offers a vital alternative to the global food supply chain – and a path towards a healthier, more resilient future for local communities. Join us for a program exploring the role of sustainable local food production in improving health, tackling food insecurity and strengthening communities. Our panelists will share their expertise and insights about sustainable and regenerative practices and the essential role of people, education and community in increasing food equity and creating a more resilient food system in St. Louis. Participants will gain a holistic understanding of local food system dynamics, learning about sustainable practices, regenerative agriculture, and innovative and community-based solutions to create healthier, more just, and secure food futures.
Panelists:
- Jay Valley, Executive Director & Head Chef, Field to Table Institute, St. Charles Community College – Dardenne Creek Campus
- Jena Hood, Director of Agriculture & Education, EarthDance Organic Farm School
- Vanessa Cooksey, Founder & CEO, Vested Urban Farms
The discussion will be moderated by Gillian Garland, Green Dining Alliance Program Manager at earthday365.
Panelists
Jay Valley, Executive Director & Head Chef, The Field to Table Institute, St. Charles Community College – Dardenne Creek Campus
Jay Valley has built a remarkable career rooted in tradition, fueled by passion, and defined by excellence. Raised in Clinton, Massachusetts, his lifelong passion was born in the family kitchen, inspired by his mother’s homemade pasta and sauce and his father’s fresh-baked bread. A 1982 graduate of the David Hale Culinary School, Valley’s career started in Dallas, where he worked with Rosewood Hotels and helped launch The Beau Nash as a chef/sous chef and spent time at The Mansion on Turtle Creek. In 1997, Valley became Corporate Chef and CEO at EatZi’s, founded by restaurateur Phil Romano, where he introduced many of the brand’s signature offerings, including pizza Fridays and rotisserie chicken. In 2015, he partnered with Romano once again to launch Saint Rocco’s New York Italian in the Trinity Groves development of Dallas, and propelled the success of multiple culinary ventures there, including Holy Crust and Sum Dang Good. Now, as Executive Director of SCC’s Field to Table Institute, Valley is excited to bring decades of leadership and culinary passion to inspiring a new generation of creative minds and growing SCC’s role in shaping the future of sustainable food systems and culinary excellence.
Jena Hood, Director of Agriculture & Education, EarthDance Organic Farm School
Jena Hood is an organic farmer and educator rooted in Ferguson, Missouri. They first came to EarthDance Organic Farm School as an apprentice in 2018 and now serve as Director of Agriculture & Education after several years of working in farm and education leadership roles. Jena grew up gardening in south Georgia and later deepened their knowledge through hands-on experiences with subsistence farming and off-grid homesteading across the U.S. Their background in social work continues to inform their approach to farming, especially a commitment to food justice and community care. At EarthDance, Jena helps steward the farm as both a place of nourishment and a space for learning—where neighbors, apprentices, and beginning farmers can grow food and connections. They hope to inspire others to believe in ecologically minded, organically guided agriculture as a sustainable model for the community, for the farmer, and for the planet.
Vanessa Cooksey, Founder & CEO, Vested Urban Farms
Vanessa Cooksey is the Founder and CEO of Vested Urban Farms. She established Vested Urban Farms in 2019 out of her passion for health and wellness, with a mission to inspire and promote community wellbeing. Vested Urban Farms is a technology-driven farming company that produces fresh, nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, and herbs in greenhouses, focusing on cultivating hyper-local produce for consumer grocery retail. The company’s tower gardens, tower farms, and community engagement programs aim to connect like-minded individuals with plant-based nutrition and entrepreneurship opportunities, supporting the core belief that our health is our wealth.
Moderator
Gillian Garland, Green Dining Alliance Program Manager, earthday365
Gillian Garland is a sustainability professional that has years of experience in the hospitality, healthcare, and non-profit sectors. Her work with earthday365 has been crucial to St. Louis’ food waste initiatives through her role as the Green Dining Alliance Program Manager. She runs a yearly Food Waste Challenge that inspires restauranteurs and customers alike to reduce how much waste is leaving their kitchens. Her year-round work has helped to divert over 13 million pounds of waste from the landfill in 2024. Her expertise in the hospitality sector has aided her work to create more sustainable food systems as she is able to speak “the language of food” only amplified by her love of cooking in her free time.
WHERE
IBEW Local 1
5850 Elizabeth Ave | St. Louis, MO 63110
Note – parking and building entrance are in the back. From Elizabeth, turn South on 59th Street and then turn right into the parking lot.
ADMISSION
Free for Missouri Gateway Green Building Council members and full-time students
$25.00 for Non-Members
CONTINUING EDUCATION: To be submitted for AIA CES.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Missouri Gateway Green Building Council (MGGBC) is committed to providing a safe, productive, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all participants attending our events in person or virtually. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination in any form. We aim to provide opportunities for open dialogue and exchange of green building & sustainability ideas and promote full participation and belonging for all participants. Discrimination and harassment include unwelcome, exclusionary behavior because of gender or gender identity, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran status, age, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, physical appearance, economic status, and/or other identities. MGGBC expects everyone participating in its events and discussions, including Board Members, Committee Members, Volunteers, Members, Staff, and Guests to comply with this Code of Conduct. It is the responsibility of all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everybody. Individuals violating this Code of Conduct will be asked to leave.
CONSENT TO USE PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES
This event will be recorded and shared on our website. Registration/attendance at, or participation in Missouri Gateway Green Building Council programs and activities constitutes an agreement by the registrants to allow the organization to use and distribute (both now and in the future) the attendee’s image, in photographs, video, and electronic reproductions of such events and activities.
AIA CES PROVIDER STATEMENT
Missouri Gateway Green Building Council is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number R341. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
