Jocelin was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is excited to be the first east-coast employee
with the Non- GMO Project Team!
Jocelin earned a BS in Environmental Studies and Policy from Florida State University.
Throughout her time at the university she became passionate about ecology and the impact
others had on the environment. Her previous work with environmental and health based
community organizations fired her passion for nonprofit work and enlightened her interest in
sustainable education. Her family is from Nicaragua where she hopes to visit soon. In her free
time she enjoys being outdoors hiking, kayaking, or visiting parks. When she’s not outside she
enjoys spending time with family and friends sewing, cooking, or reading.
Originally from the North coast of California, Oryx has been in Bellingham since 2010, drawn to the area by family connections. In previous roles Oryx has had the opportunity to balance the practical and the philosophical, and the fascinating and often unexpected overlap between them. This love of duality and intersection is what drew Oryx to Human Resources.
Coming from a family of activists, artists, authors, and regenerative farmers, the Non-GMO Project has been a household name for Oryx since its beginning during her teen years. The opportunity to become part of the Project was one that she couldn’t pass up! Outside of work, Oryx is an oil painter, knitter, and general homebody who loves nothing more than to be with her husband and baby, and their ridiculous dog.
Born in the Puget Sound to a family of Scandinavian fishermen and foodies, James has an inherent, deep-seated passion for all things food and the land that provides it. At the surface, his educational path has led him to explore other avenues, from a BSc. in Finance from BI University in Oslo to an MSc. in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Nevertheless, his professional and personal experiences have remained rooted in the food space, and he
has naturally sought ways to intersect these experiences with his educational pursuits.
Before joining the Non-GMO Project, James worked with an Oslo-based restaurant chain developed in collaboration with a global charity organization to create a “buy one, give one” model addressing food insecurity among school-aged children in Africa. In this role, James crafted marketing programs to scale the company’s social and environmental impact and educate local populations about the role consumer choice plays in the ecological and social facets of the food system.
After many years abroad, James made his way back to the Pacific Northwest to join the Non-GMO Project. His work at the Project encompasses program refinement and expansion while simultaneously integrating pathways to broaden and deepen the Project’s impact on people and the planet.
In his spare time, you can find James cooking, pickling, baking bread, sewing, plucking his Appalachian Lap dulcimer, or exploring the wet and wonderful woods of the Northwest.
Treaneva spent her childhood exploring the wildlands of the South Coast of Oregon, helping her family to build a homestead in pursuit of off-grid living, and wandering the woods and oceans in search of fresh oysters and chanterelles. Living in an environment where most food was sourced locally, if not in her family's own garden, it was evident that the interconnectedness of soil and table represented a delicate balance.
While studying Social Justice and Cultures at Seattle Pacific University and spending the early years of her career working in communications and administration for start-ups in the Midwest, she found herself gravitating towards curiosity around human rights and realizing the relationship between social and food systems was challenged in the rust belt much in the same way as in the Pacific Northwest, witnessing in rural and urban communities a throughline of struggle towards food equity and sustainable access, as well as the vital importance of nutrition to the pursuit of systemic change.
Ultimately a desire to again be close to the ocean and mountains called her back to Washington state, where she found the opportunity to work for a small brand dedicated to transparency in giving practices, then directed her focus during the onset of the pandemic to nonprofit work and community needs at home in Whatcom county, providing case management for families facing housing instability. Seeing the needs of individuals rippled out farther than her own community, layered in intersectionality, and finding like-minded folks at the Non-GMO Project she enthusiastically joined in the mission!
At the Project you can find her among the CX team, excited to meet you along the way as a passionate amplifier of what impact we can achieve as co-facilitators and a community of changemakers.
Sam is very excited to join the Non-GMO Project as part of the business development team.
Sam grew up on a small farm in the Pacific Northwest where he had a direct connection to the food that he ate. This sparked his interest in food systems, which only continued to grow as he spent more time working in agriculture. Sam recently graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Business and Marketing. He wants to utilize his skills in sales and marketing coupled with his passion for food systems to improve transparency for consumers.
When not at work, Sam enjoys being active outdoors. This includes things like snowboarding, mountaineering, and surfing. When not spending time outdoors, he keeps himself busy by sewing and making art.
I have always had an inherent passion for food, community, and sustainability. I grew up in southwest Washington, where I spent most of my summers swimming in my grandparents’ pool and picking fresh veggies and berries from their abundant gardens. This passion was nurtured during the time I spent as a server at various restaurants in Washington and Oregon, where I was able to cultivate robust communication skills and gain more insight into how food was being sourced, prepared and delivered to consumers.
This eventually led me back to school to pursue my ultimate goal, which is to provide a creative space for community members to learn, share, play, collaborate and educate. I graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s in Business & Sustainability as well as a concentration in energy studies. Through my education, I collaborated on many student-led projects, one being Project ZeNETH, which started the groundwork for the first zero net energy tiny home on Western’s campus.
My husband Owen and I share two kiddos, a cat, and dog. Our family loves to go outside to play in the garden, float on paddle boards, and run on the endless trails here in the PNW. When we cannot go outside, we bake!
As a Client Experience Associate at the Non-GMO project, I am excited to strengthen my ability to build relationships with the greater community as well as share the passion of knowing what is in our food, and where it comes from.
Megan brings her passion for good food and building relationships with food producers to the Non-GMO Project as the Business Development Manager. Megan was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and has always had a deep connection with food. Growing up, she watched her parents grow vegetable gardens, plant fruit trees, go fishing for salmon, and pull in pots of Dungeness crabs throughout the summer. These foundations of where food comes from stuck with Megan and instilled a passion to work with food.
Megan’s career has been in the natural and organic retail industry, running community outreach programs, in-store vendor programs, and culinary programs. She built relationships with food producers to create their in-store presence and recognition with customers. She did this through in-store events, cooking classes, industry trade shows, and community gatherings. Her favorite part of her career has been watching small local producers build their brand, build their recognition, and grow into flourishing businesses.
Outside of work, Megan enjoys cooking for friends and family, hiking with her dog Bilbo, and taking naps in her hammock.
Madison was born and raised here in western Washington and is excited to be back in the area and joining the Non-GMO Project team!
After earning her B.A in Sociology from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, Madison spent time in Vermont serving with the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Her work with youth development and environmental education based community organizations fueled her passion for nonprofit and mission-driven work and cultivated her interest in sustainable food systems and food education. Most recently, this interest led her to a community-owned food cooperative in Burlington, VT where she joined the Community Engagement team and worked on Co-op membership and programming.
Her passion for food education and transparency is what brings Madison to the Non-GMO Project. She is excited to contribute to the Project as a member of the Client Experience team!
In her downtime you can find Madison working on various craft projects, seeking out the best local cuisine, cooking, baking, or exploring local hikes and trails.
Shannon earned a BS in Biology with a focus in Conservation from Illinois State University. During her studies, she became passionate about ecology and the human impact on ecosystems.
Working as the manager on an organic farm, Shannon gained a labored appreciation for our food system. She understands the importance of sustainable farming practices. After working as a fisheries biologist in Dutch Harbor, AK, Shannon was rooted in the Pacific Northwest. Her deep-seated concern for food security and transparency in the food system brought her to the Non-GMO Project.
Shannon brings a unique perspective to the Project with her background in water quality, organic farming, and fisheries. She is excited to contribute to the expansion of Non-GMO Project Verified food choices for consumers.
Born and raised in the Midwest Shannon grew up in the country collecting eggs and climbing trees: She now collects stamps and climbs the endless trails in Bellingham.