Board Member Spotlight: Gregg Hansel
Each member of the Farming for the Future board of directors brings advanced knowledge in agriculture, education or the state of Wisconsin. We’re honored to have state experts informing and guiding our path forward and know that each member is crucial in deepening the relationships between people, their food and growers. Check in each month to meet a member of our team and learn about their role in the future of farming.
Get to know Farming for the Future Foundation: Board of Directors Member Gregg Hansel
Gregg Hansel worked in education for 43 years. After recently retiring as the principal of St. Stephen and St. Bronislava elementary schools and director of education of Pacelli Catholic Schools in Stevens Point, Gregg is on a new path with plenty of work ahead of him. An avid gardener and volunteer, the health and wellbeing of the community remains a priority for Gregg and his wife Kathy, who also recently retired from a career in education.
Gregg’s work is motivated by relationships and a care for people. In addition to impacting lives through their careers in the education field, Gregg and Kathy have spent time in Mexico working with the Cuernavaca Center for Intercultural Dialogue on Development, welcomed children to Stevens Point from impoverished areas in Mississippi through Project Self Help and Awareness and organized an annual CROP Hunger Walk. In retirement, they look forward to continuing to raise money to fight hunger through Empty Bowls and volunteer with a local crisis center where they have dedicated time for many years. Farming for the Future Foundation appeals to Gregg as an opportunity to help families understand their food and improve quality of life through healthy decision making.
“We can help people make better choices by offering education on the benefits of fruits and vegetables,” said Gregg. “That will help our country and individuals be healthier and stronger in many ways.”
This much needed education about diet and food choice is imperative for healthy living, however, has been slow to be implemented. Gregg says that in order to see lessons on the topic of produce incorporated widely into classrooms, they will need to be designed and offered in a way that helps teachers instead of burdening them with more work.
“Unfortunately, many students are still learning about the food pyramid, which has been debunked for some time,” said Gregg. “I think school districts will be excited to incorporate new resources and ideas, but educators already have too much to teach. So, we have to make these new lessons simple and fun.”
Farming for the Future Foundation is hard at work with the help of Gregg and our education advisory committee to create lessons and activities that will offer meaningful information about food and agriculture while meeting the needs of both students and teachers.
We’re grateful to benefit from Gregg’s expertise in the education field!
A little more about Gregg:
Favorite way to enjoy a potato: Walt's Potatoes. (My dad baked wedges so they come out crispy on the outside, like a larger French fry)
Piece of technology I couldn’t live without: My iPad
Favorite place to be: With my wife and kids.
Mantra to live by: “It could be worse!”
