Ryan moved to California looking to contribute to ecosystem restoration and seeking a way out of an early career in finance. He pursued a master’s at UC Berkeley, where he discovered regenerative agriculture, but found that courses to explore this field were nonexistent. Through independent studies and collaboration with faculty, he pieced together an education looking at food systems through the lenses of business, policy, ecology, and public health. Before graduating, he advised the Berkeley Food Institute on a Graduate Food Systems Certificate that would be available to future students. Though they didn’t know each other yet, Laney and Ryan were already working on a curriculum together. Laney would be one of the first at Berkeley to receive the Food Systems certificate, and went on advise faculty on how to build out the core courses.

Ryan left Berkeley feeling like a key piece of his education was missing: direct experience. He became a cook at Chez Panisse and later spent time on several regenerative farms: raising chickens, continuing to cook, and helping create educational opportunities, particularly through culinary events. Laney and Ryan’s paths finally crossed when Ryan was invited by Chef Gary Podesto to help cook a dinner on a farm. That dinner was a celebration for the pilot course of Climate Farm School.

When Ryan saw the transformative experience participants were having, and learned more about the curriculum Laney had built, the two decided to join forces and continue building the program together.