I Am a Seed

Annie R. Lindsay, Ph.D. is a Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Nevada Reno. A fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, she has published research and focused much of her programming, speaking and teaching efforts addressing childhood obesity, particularly physical literacy, nutrition, healthy body image and how they intersect with mental health across the lifespan. Dr. Lindsay has published journal articles, facts sheets, early childhood health curriculum and developed methods for assessing preschool movement skills in young children. She has served on several local task forces and national committees over the years and numerous early childhood obesity prevention research and promotion initiatives. She has supervised many adult and youth schools, fitness and aquatics programs, youth camps, hospitals, non-profits, corporations and government agencies and owned her own health consulting business for almost a decade. Dr. Lindsay is a songwriter and musician and has recorded several publicly available multi-media music and dance projects to help young children eat healthy and be active https://extension.unr.edu/healthykids/default.aspx . She has received numerous awards for her work. Dr. Lindsay currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and enjoys mountain biking, paddleboarding and playing guitar.

Vanessa Portillo is a certified clinical herbalist and certified Waldorf Grades teacher. A Las Vegas native, she discovered her love of plants during a semester abroad in Costa Rica while earning her bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology, with additional coursework in Elementary Education. Her early immersion in the natural world led her to study medicinal herbalism, food cultivation, and biodynamics. She later worked with Garden Farms of Nevada, where she helped develop its nonprofit branch, Garden Farms Foundation, dedicated to providing garden-based education for children and advancing food equity initiatives for adults throughout the Las Vegas Valley. After eight years in garden education, Vanessa pursued her Waldorf teaching certification, further deepening her study of biodynamics alongside her pedagogical training. She is a recipient of the Community Leader in Green Schools Award (2018) and the Women Inspiring Nevada Award (2020). Vanessa now resides in Colorado, where she teaches second grade at a public Waldorf charter school.

Aurora Calvillo Buffington, PhD, RDN, FAND, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with over 18 years of experience of providing nutrition education in the community as well as in the public health, academic, and healthcare related sectors. Aurora’s passion for public health nutrition started while working in the office of chronic disease, prevention and health promotion at her local health department, where she taught school children and parents about healthy eating as well as implemented initiatives that improved access to healthy foods. She is a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and has held numerous leadership positions at the local, state, and national levels for professional and grass roots organizations. Dr. Calvillo Buffington holds degrees in Public, Health, Exercise Physiology, and Nutrition Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Kylie Russell holds dual Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Science and Dietetics and has dedicated her career to advancing community-based nutrition education and food access initiatives. She began her work as an undergraduate volunteer supporting school garden initiatives. She later launched her professional career with the University of Nevada, Reno Extension as a nutrition educator, working with preschool-aged children, youth, adults, and farmers market managers to advance garden-based nutrition education and food access efforts across Nevada. Ms. Russell currently serves as the SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator for UNR Extension, leading statewide efforts to ensure the healthy choice is the easy choice for limited-resourced children, youth, and families. Her passion for gardening and foodways began early through time spent growing fruits and vegetables with her dad and papa. Many of her most cherished memories come from those moments in the garden — climbing the apricot tree in her papa’s yard, helping him bake zucchini bread with freshly picked zucchinis, and helping her dad harvest rows and rows of beefsteak tomatoes to sell to a local grocery market. These experiences shaped Ms. Russell’s values and continue to inspire her passion for creating meaningful, hands-on food and garden experiences for children and families.

Kelsey Allan is currently the Director of Operations for the Vancouver Farmers Market (VFM) in Vancouver, Washington, where she leads organizational strategy and oversees market operations and community events that create inclusive public spaces, strengthen community connections, and support small-business growth. With more than a decade of experience in program management focused on building healthy communities and increasing food access, Kelsey brings a deep commitment to fostering equitable and resilient local food systems. Before her current role at VFM, she managed a culinary workforce development program for at-risk adults in Portland, Oregon. She also spent four years leading the Healthy Food Systems Team at the University of Nevada, Reno Extension. There, she directed school wellness and garden-based nutrition education initiatives, with a focus on accessible programming that supports nutrition, health, and hands-on learning. Kelsey holds a degree in Psychology and Environmental Studies from Michigan State University, with an emphasis in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. She is a strong believer in the transformative power of local food and in inspiring the next generation of healthy eaters. Kelsey is also a certified yoga teacher and enjoys hiking, trying new foods, and traveling.

Susan Taylor, CHES®, is a health education professional who spent over a decade specializing in the implementation and management of early childhood wellness initiatives at the University of Nevada Extension. Working in close partnership with Dr. Anne Lindsay for 11 years, Susan led the operational rollout of obesity prevention programming, overseeing the integration of physical activity and nutrition curricula within diverse early childcare settings. Her expertise lies in the bridge between research and practice, where she managed critical data evaluation, site analysis, and the development of the program’s digital presence, including the Healthy Kids website. Susan’s time at UNR was dedicated to creating sustainable, evidence-based health interventions for young children. Susan has since transitioned to becoming a secondary mathematics teacher but continues to advocate for childhood health literacy. She currently resides in Miami and enjoys coaching soccer and tennis.