Dr. David Kohl received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University. For 25 years, Kohl was professor of Agricultural Finance and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. He is Professor Emeritus in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department at Virginia Tech.

Kevin Parker is an entrepreneur, former politician and a former advisor to a member of Congress and teaches in leadership studies at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. A Fellow at the Aspen Institute, he was also a facilitator (assistant professor) at Harvard University and served as a state representative in the Washington State Legislature for four terms.

In her work at Northwest FCS, Jesika Harper focuses on initiatives that support the success of young, beginning, and small producers. Jesika attended Regis University in Denver, Colorado and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She was raised on a family orchard in central Washington and has spent the last 20 years working in the ag sector. 

During his 25-year career in Financial Services, Ben Showalter has served in a variety of leadership roles In his current role, he provides strategic leadership, design and facilitation of the organization’s learning programs including family business consulting and trusted advisor education. Ben holds a master’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University where he also served as an adjunct professor in the college of business.