Leslie grew up in Columbia, Missouri, and her parents instilled in her a passion for gardening and cooking from a young age. After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor’s in art history and psychology, she changed paths and worked for eight years as a vegetable farmer (as one does with art history and psychology degrees!). While in Missouri, she worked on urban farms, university research farms, and on her own organic market farm, certified by QCS. Leslie earned her masters from the University of Missouri in rural sociology, where her research focused on the experiences of young, African American farmers like herself. Having experienced organic agriculture as a farmer, researcher, and social scientist, Leslie appreciates the additional perspectives on organic agriculture she is exposed to as a QCS employee. In her free time Leslie can be found cooking, woodworking, and trying to adapt her Missouri gardening methods to the Florida conditions.

Lindsay received her B.S. in Agricultural Operations Management with a focus in Organic and Sustainable Crop Production from the University of Florida. Growing up on a cattle ranch, her passion for agriculture started at a very young age and continues to grow. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys doing anything outdoors, watching movies, and rooting for the Florida Gators. Lindsay has been with QCS since 2017 and has thoroughly enjoyed working with all types of farmers and protecting organic integrity.

Lisa works with the Processing & Handling Team - providing personal attention and service to our clients, while assisting the team with completing thorough and efficient reviews, with the goal of making informed certification decisions. Lisa enjoys being a part of the system built to ensure that organic remains a trusted and valued certification standard. 

A combination of industry experience, producer appreciation, and Lisa’s personal commitment to the spirit of organic production fuels her enthusiasm for certification work. Prior to QCS, Lisa provided counsel to a wide variety of producers and handlers, implementing policies and procedures for compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements. Also, Lisa has extensive experience in on-site organic audits. Through conducting organic inspections across the US and abroad, Lisa had the privilege of meeting all sorts of producers and learned about the constant planning, innovation, and plain hard work that drive their products to market. What an industry! 

Outside of work, Lisa enjoys hiking in the hills near her home, reading terrific books, cooking tasty and healthy treats, and nurturing her ever-expanding collection of plants.