Laura Mindlin

Laura brings over a decade of expertise to the Global Food Institute dedicated to fostering equitable and resilient food systems spanning grassroots initiatives to policy development. Laura has contributed to efforts to promote farmland affordability and expand access to conservation programs with organizations including The Conservation Fund, American Farmland Trust, and National Young Farmers Coalition.

With her training in community-engaged planning, Laura has consulted on projects with local land trusts, food hubs and academic institutions aimed at strengthening regional food economies and supporting small to mid-scale farmers. Drawn to the unique role of academic institutions in facilitating food system change, she recently developed a sustainable agriculture education program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is now thrilled to return to work in an academic setting with the Global Food Institute.   

Laura holds a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University, specializing in environmental policy and climate-resilient agriculture, and earned a graduate certificate in Community-Based Environmental Management.