Michelle Hughes is the Director of Investments and Partnerships of the National Young Farmers Coalition, and has been creating programs that increase knowledge, collaboration and equity across the food system for 15 years. Previously, Michelle led GrowNYC’s New Farmer Development Project for ten years, where she helped 19 immigrant families establish their own farms on a combined 400 acres. She teaches “Advanced Enterprise” for Farm School NYC, and has consulted for clients with projects creating positive outcomes for farmland affordability, veteran farmers, and community food access in the Hudson Valley. She has a BS in Conservation Ecology and Agroecology, and is a board member of NOFA-NY. In her home in Hudson, NY she bikes, runs, enjoys yoga and tries to get her hands dirty whenever possible.