Erin Fitzgerald (@fitzisit) serves as CEO of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action® (USFRA®), an organization that represents farmers, ranchers, and food and agricultural partners who share a common vision to further our global sustainable food systems. USFRA believes farmers uniquely contribute to nourishing our planet, people, and natural resources, and is committed to creating a proactive collaboration between the best minds in food, agriculture, science, and technology to co-create solutions that will result in environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Fitzgerald previously served as senior vice president, global sustainability for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®, a forum for the dairy community to work together pre-competitively. She led efforts to enhance dairy’s contributions to a more sustainable food system by examining the intersection between nutrition, health, hunger, food waste and impact. Under Erin’s leadership, the Innovation Center conducted an environmental impact assessment that led to an industry-wide voluntary carbon reduction goal of 25% by 2020. She also previously served as senior manager, business development at Lowendal group, and led multiple projects at Cardinal Health in Chicago, and Maurepas, France, where she received the Chairman’s award for integrating a pan-European business plan for sales and marketing measurement.
Fitzgerald is recognized as a White House Champion of Change for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture, an Aspen Institute First Movers Fellow, and a Crain’s Chicago 40 under 40 recipient. She serves on the boards of Aspen Institute First Movers Fellowship Program, a board advisor to Food Waste Reduction Alliance, The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, National Agriculture Water Quality Assessment and was a former expert in residence at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.
