Soil health. Sustainable ag. Regenerative practices. These topics are no longer niche. They're front and center in conversations about the future of food, farming, and resilience.

This week on Secrets of Social Impact Communicators, I sit down with Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, president of Field to Market, a nonprofit coalition of nearly 200 organizations working to advance sustainable agriculture. Carrie is a sixth-generation farmer, coalition-builder, and lifelong learner who is passionate about helping farmers thrive while stewarding the environment.

We explore what it means to lead in a complex, often-polarized ecosystem, and how Carrie has learned to build trust, slow down, and focus on long-term impact—lessons every social impact communicator can apply.

• How to listen deeply without losing sight of your mission

• What it takes to convene unlikely partners across a wide value chain

• Why storytelling—especially personal storytelling—can build trust and fuel resilience

• Carrie’s inspiring pivot from a would-be college athlete to a nationally recognized ag leader

• Why slowing down can be a surprisingly effective leadership strategy

• How her mom’s “say yes and learn as you go” mindset shaped her approach to purpose-driven work

We also discuss the growing interest in soil health, why now is the perfect moment to lean into people’s curiosity about food and agriculture, and how organizations can lead with empathy and authenticity.

Plus, Carrie shares the story of how a miscommunication over the word “shed” became a powerful metaphor for listening better in our personal and professional lives.

• Learn more about Field to Market: https://fieldtomarket.org

• Connect with Carrie on LinkedIn

• Take the Nonprofit Resilience Quiz – get your free, personalized roadmap for growing your organization

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• Thanks as always to Lee Williams for editing and producing this episode!