Jean Brokish

Jean Brokish is the Deputy Director for the Midwest Region of American Farmland Trust where she provides leadership and coordination for programs advancing conservation cropping systems. Key initiatives include the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership, the Illinois Cover Crop Initiative, and farmer-led water quality programs.

Jean’s entire career has focused on the connection between agriculture and conservation, including serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho (Southern Africa); Conservation Technician for the Van Wert (OH) Soil and Water Conservation District; Program Director for Chikaming Open Lands, a Michigan Land Trust; and Executive Director for the Oahu Resource Conservation and Development Council in Hawaii. While each of these roles shaped Jean’s perspectives on the importance of being good stewards, she considers her experiences growing up on a dairy farm in southwest Wisconsin as the most informative and important influence. Jean has a Bachelor of Science in agronomy from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls and a Master of Science in soil science from Purdue University.