Micah is from Central Pennsylvania where he studied at Penn State University, receiving dual degrees in International Development and French in 2017. While at university, Micah spent semesters in South Africa and Senegal improving his language skills, learning African perspectives on development, and understanding the challenges smallholder farmers and rural communities face. He also spent a term in AmeriCorps working on his university’s student-run farm, mobilizing student volunteers and building partnerships with local organizations.

After graduating, Micah assisted in a food security project in Rwanda for a grassroots NGO on behalf of the Mennonite Central Committee. While conducting focus groups with farmers around the country, he became interested in pursuing further research on addressing the gender disparities women face in labor, decision-making, and even their personal food consumption.

Recently, Micah has lived in Sacramento, working in the state government designing and implementing housing and policy solutions to combat homelessness. He is excited to return to the field of agriculture and food security and wants to focus on appropriate agricultural extension, participatory research, and other methods that empower communities to define their own food and agriculture systems equitably. 

Micah enjoys long walks with his wife Taylor, swimming at the river, reading science fiction, watching football (soccer), sharing a coffee or beer with friends, and sitting on his porch.