Mary Kimball co-founded the Center for Land-Based Learning in 1998 and has led its growth since that time. The organization was launched with a single program (FARMS) and 30 high school students; today, the center operates nearly a dozen model programs under six umbrellas, including the California Farm Academy. Raised on a small farm in Yolo County, Mary is active in local, regional and statewide groups, including the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the California Community Colleges Agriculture & Natural Resources Statewide Advisory Committee, Yolo County Planning Commission, Yolo Land Trust, and the Yolo Food and Ag Alliance.

Mary holds a Master’s Degree in Human and Community Development from the Ohio State University, and a B.S. from the University of California at Davis in Agriculture Science and Management, Plant Science Option.She is an alumnus of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (Class XXXII) and the American Leadership Forum, Mountain Valley Chapter (Class XV). Awards include the C.A.R.E. Award, Wells Fargo, Profiles in Leadership Award, California Agricultural Leadership Foundation, and the Award of Distinction, UC Davis College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.