Kelly Garbach is a National Program Leader at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Division of Agricultural Systems. She earned her Ph.D. in agricultural ecology at the University of California at Davis. Her research, extension, education, and policy work focus on technology in agriculture, enhancing ecosystem services, and increasing the societal benefits of agricultural landscapes.
She has served as a researcher at the University of California Agricultural Sustainability Institute with a focus on sustainable sourcing of agricultural goods and sustainable agriculture faculty at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Garbach was a Fulbright Fellow in Costa Rica, collaborating with the CATIE Center for Tropical Agriculture and the national Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Prior to joining NIFA, Dr. Garbach led research and policy teams for diverse organizations, including: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES); US Agency for International Development; Gates Foundation; Google; California Department of Food and Agriculture; and US Environmental Protection Agency.