Rachel Lechuga
Midwest Program AssociateBiography
Rachel is an Illinois native and a lover of all things outdoors. She received her B.S. from Northern Illinois University in Conservation and Land Restoration with a focus on Sustainable Food Systems. She comes from a long line of farmers in Bolivia and Guatemala. To no surprise, she gravitated to immersing herself in the Illinois food and ag scape. She spent various seasons in organic vegetable production in northern Illinois and Bolivia, spent time in food baking, and worked collaboratively with Chicago Food Policy Action Council to support their annual Food Justice Summit. She recently took time to live in Bolivia and travel throughout 2022. She is most fascinated about the connections between healthy soils, productive/sustainable agricultural lands, food access, and supporting historically marginalized farmers in any capacity. Rachel is a foodie by nature and loves to travel to eat new dishes. She loves traveling, dancing, hiking, camping, and anything that involves being outside!