About us

🌟 Key milestones

May 2023: Our journey began

Our team embarked on a mission to address the growing challenges of climate stress and grief faced by agricultural producers. Supported by a $10,000 mini-grant from the Western Region Agriculture Stress Assistance Program, we designed a 30-minute curriculum specifically for producers and agricultural professionals to navigate these emotional challenges.

🌱 October 2023: Program Pilot

We successfully piloted our program four times.
89% of participants expressed interest in more in-depth learning about climate stress and grief.

December 2023: Sharing our findings

We presented our initial results at prestigious conferences:

OSU Extension Annual Conference
USDA SARE Building Partnerships for Agricultural Sustainability Summit
National Risk Management Education National Conference

April to September 2024: Data collection

We conducted a survey, interviews and focus group discussions to gather more data from agricultural producers

51 farmers and ranchers participated in the survey
46 agricultural producers participated in the interview and focus group discussion

October 2024: More data dissemination

We were invited to speak as a keynote speaker:

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE).

💡 New grants and funding

OSU’s 2025 Transdisciplinary Research Seed Fund Proposal
Hoecker Innovation Grant
Western Center for Risk Management Exploration Grant
OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences
WSARE Professional Development Project Grant

These grants will allow us to continue developing additional training and expand our research beyond 2023-24.

🌍 Looking ahead

We are committed to advancing knowledge in climate stress management for agricultural communities, providing tools for resilience, and ensuring long-term sustainability in the field. Stay tuned for more updates as we expand our research and training programs!

Meet our team

Photo: Courtney

Dr. Courtney Olcott

Courtney is an assistant professor of practice at Oregon State University, developing substance abuse prevention and mental health programs. She guides community partners and coordinates with grant agencies for quality and sustainability. With a Ph.D. in Health Behavior, an MPH, and an M.S.Ed in Mental Health Counseling, she ensures culturally responsive, effective interventions.

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Photo: Maud

Maud Powell

Maud holds an M.A. in Environment and Community Studies from Antioch University Seattle and a B.A. in Comparative Religion from Swarthmore College. She co-owns Wolf Gulch Farm and coordinates the Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative's Community Supported Agriculture Program. Maud is passionate about revitalizing rural communities through local economies and food production.

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Photo: Mary

Mary Halbleib

Mary is a Professor of Practice at Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Science. Her program promotes evidence-based teaching for extension professionals and educators. She co-leads educational projects, supports learning with farmers, and teaches professional development programs. Mary also develops tools for instructional design, teaching plans, train-the-trainer programs, and gender parity.

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Photo: Dede

Dede Setiono

Dede, a Ph.D. candidate at Oregon State University’s School of Public Policy, researches Collaborative Governance, International Development, and Environmental Policy. He is a Project Assistant at OSU Extension Service and previously worked at the Central Government of Indonesia. Dede is a Fulbright Scholar and a Fellow at Sasakawa Young Leader and Voice for Science- America Geophysical Union

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Photo: Kanchan

Kanchan Ojha

Kanchan, a Ph.D. student at Oregon State University, researches the human dimensions of climate change issues. Passionate about environmental and community needs, she leads "Women in Policy" and serves on Benton County's Environmental Advisory Committee. Kanchan, a first-generation graduate, integrates diverse perspectives into her work and collaborates on climate resilience projects.

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Photo: Ashley

Ashley Rood

Ashley has worked at the intersection of food, farming, and conservation issues across the West for twenty years. Her nonprofit work focuses on cross-sector collaborations to build a resilient agricultural system. Supporting producers through the mental and emotional impacts of climate change has been one of her most generative projects.

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Photo: Zoe

Zoe Rossing

Zoe is a clinical social worker and nonprofit consultant with 25 years of experience working to improve the effectiveness of organizations tackling climate change and agricultural issues. She also has a private therapy practice in Ashland, OR focused on supporting individuals who are processing grief and recovering from trauma.

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Servicio de Extensión de OSU

Climate Stress and Grief: Building Resilience in Farmers and Ranchers