Welcome Camille Morse Nicholson – Program Manager, Midwest Row Crop Collaborative

Howdy! My name is Camille Morse Nicholson, and I am a new addition to Environmental Initiative as the Program Manager in support of the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative. I’m thrilled to share in the Collaborative’s efforts and advance sustainability initiatives within our agricultural system. As we collectively seek to secure the well-being and livelihood of individuals in our communities and across the globe, the importance of a healthy and sustainable food system has become more pronounced than ever. The ways in which our systems depend on others, whether individuals, communities, businesses, institutions, or other entities, becomes especially visible in times of crisis—and these points of interdependence are where I see exciting opportunities for growth and change.

Having grown up in a rural community in Southeastern Minnesota with strong connections to local farms and a deep appreciation for our natural resources, I know that our food systems can provide solutions to some of our most pressing environmental issues. The Midwest Row Crop Collaborative is an amazing opportunity to demonstrate that this can be true by leveraging the expertise, knowledge, and creativity that its members possess to protect water, build healthier soils, increase climate health, and support farm families.

I come to this work with a background in climate resilience, rural organizing, and public engagement. Prior to joining Environmental Initiative, I was fortunate enough to work on projects like the Rural Climate Dialogues, as Program Manager at the Jefferson Center, where we brought diverse groups of community members together to learn about and deliberate on the local impacts of climate change, the related challenges and opportunities, and identify and recommend individual, community, and policy actions. In partnership with the communities, we supported pilot projects and other follow-up activities that brought new voices to the table, building community connection and engagement alongside climate resilience. The communities where we worked taught me essential lessons about open collaboration, seeking out new perspectives, investing in relationships, and the importance of visionary champions who pursue possibility. I look forward to bringing that wisdom and my experience as a facilitator and convener to the Collaborative and Environmental Initiative.

When I’m not working, you might find me camping at one of Minnesota’s State Parks, spending time with friends and family, traveling, cooking, seeing live music, volunteering with Friends of the Mississippi River, or trying to convince people to move to Saint Paul.

I’m honored to be joining the team and I look forward to meeting with folks who are similarly passionate about food system sustainability! If you’re interested in connecting, I can be reached at [email protected] or 612-334-3388 ext. 8119.