Growing up in rural Northfield, Minnesota, and helping my dad on my grandparent’s farm in Webster, Minnesota, I developed a deep appreciation for rural communities and small farms. From a young age, I often witnessed small farms struggling to make ends meet and began to wonder how I could help them. That curiosity inspired me to pursue higher education and seek opportunities to help those affected communities.
I graduated with my master’s degree in environmental conservation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in August 2023 and received my bachelor’s in environmental biology from Winona State University in May 2022.
I value the importance rural communities and small towns hold, so I was excited when I found the Center for Rural Affairs and read how the organization stands up for the small family farmer and rancher, new businesses, and rural communities. Through my role at the Center, I feel incredibly grateful that I am able to pursue my “why,” while helping rural areas and representing my home state of Minnesota.
In my free time, you can find me listening to podcasts, going on walks, visiting a local coffee shop, and playing pickleball with my husband.
Cora is a clean energy policy associate and covers energy engagement in Minnesota.
