Lihlani Nelson

Lihlani Nelson is the Deputy Director & Senior Researcher at the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) at Vermont Law and Graduate School, where she leads strategic initiatives, research, and partnerships to support equitable and climate resilient food systems. She has over a decade of experience in food systems policy, nonprofit and higher education leadership, and cross-sector collaboration, with a focus on using law and policy to strengthen food systems, provide environmental protections, and improve public health, particularly for vulnerable populations.

At CAFS, she leads and contributes to projects such as the Healthy Food Policy Project, Farm to School State Policy Handbook, Urban Agriculture & Innovative Production Policy Project, and Farmers Market Legal Toolkit, among others. She has a dual masters in Agroecology and Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining CAFS in 2016, she worked at the National Farm to School Network as a Program Associate. 

Born and raised in Boston and currently based in Melrose, Massachusetts, Lihlani brings a personal and professional interest in agriculture and food systems, shaped in part by her father’s farming roots. She enjoys gardening (especially community gardening), music, and spending time with her family. Lihlani is honored to serve on the FINE Network Advisory Council and contribute to strengthening farm to institution efforts across the region.