GusNIP NIFA In-person Meeting
GusNIP NIFA In-person Meeting • February 18-19, 2026, Lexington, KY
Attendees: Chief Executive Officer Dr. Amy Yaroch, Director of Scientific Strategy Dr. Carmen Byker Shanks, Senior Research Scientist Dr. Courtney Parks, Associate Scientist Hollyanne Fricke, Senior Research Administration and Compliance Manager Beth Kerling (virtual), and Senior Project Manager Jenna Eastman, along with USDA NIFA Program Leaders and Fair Food Network representatives.
Overview: Members of the GusNIP NTAE team gathered in Lexington, KY for an in-person meeting with USDA NIFA Program Leaders Drs. Kris Grimes and Mallory Koenings (virtual). CNHI staff were joined by partners from Fair Food Network and The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to discuss key GusNIP priorities, including grantee award health, IRB processes, technical assistance, core metrics, and future planning.
The meeting created space to reflect on past progress and align around the next phase of GusNIP work. While in Lexington, the group also visited FoodChain, a local organization advancing food access, where they toured an indoor aquaponics farm coordinated by Ted Mason of the National Grocers Association Foundation.
