Akash Bakshi
Kelli McCune
Kelli McCune, Director, Freshwater & Food Transformation, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) advances regenerative agriculture as a key part of transforming food systems within WWF’s vision for a future where nature and people thrive. Prior to joining WWF, Kelli worked at Sustainable Conservation, a California non-profit. During her 13-year tenure, Kelli built diverse stakeholder collaborations to develop solutions on working lands that improve water, biodiversity, climate outcomes, and producers’ livelihoods. Her work demonstrated innovative voluntary performance-based incentives in agricultural lending and regulatory programs. Kelli received her B.A. in Environmental Science and Spanish from Northern Michigan University and her master’s degree in Environmental Science & Management from UC Santa Barbara.
Samantha Buchalter
Samantha joined The Russell Group in 2017 and quickly rose through the ranks to become a member of the firm’s senior lobbying team. In her role as Vice President, she advises clients on an array of policy issues and oversees the firm’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs division.
During her time with The Russell Group, Samantha has been instrumental in building out the firm’s climate and sustainability practice, delivering counsel and developing advocacy strategies that position clients to take on a leadership role in reducing GHG emissions and promoting resiliency throughout the agricultural supply chain. She has also managed the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance – a first-of-its-kind effort uniting key agriculture, forestry, and environmental stakeholders in support of voluntary and incentive-based climate solutions – since its inception in early 2020.
Samantha is passionate about vocational agriculture education and cultivating the next generation of student leaders. She is a proud byproduct of her hometown agriscience program in central Connecticut and went on to earn a B.A. from the George Washington University
She now resides in Capitol Hill with her husband, Adam, and their two Siamese cats (who make an appearance on Zoom calls from time to time). In her free time, Samantha enjoys sampling the city’s newest restaurants, exploring new hiking trails, and mentoring teens through the DC Family and Youth Initiative.