EPN Signature Earth Day Event: Farm to Fashion: Natural fiber footprints and futures

As an associate professor at Ohio State, Dr. Lewis teaches courses in Fashion and Retail Studies. Prior to joining the College of Education and Human Ecology, she was an associate professor at Cornell University where she taught courses in fashion design management and served as a contributing faculty member for Bank of America’s Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell. She is widely published in journals such as the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Fashion Practice and the Journal of Textile Design Research and Practice. She serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Fashion, Style, and Popular Culture and is a member of Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel Practices. Dr. Lewis received her PhD in Apparel Design from Cornell University, and her MS and Bachelor’s degrees in Textile & Consumer Science and Spanish Language & Literature, respectively, from Ohio State.

In her work at Circular Thrift, LLC, Lisa develops strategies to support the advancement of the circular economy in textiles. She works on projects which explore meaningful local action that are scalable and repeatable at a regional, national, and global level. For fiber-to-fiber textile recycling, Lisa is working towards identifying strategies for how to scale collection and sortation of post-consumer textile waste. She has expertise in strategic planning and roadmap implementation, supply chain optimization, and product lifecycle management. Prior to founding Circular Thrift, Lisa held leadership positions at Abercrombie and Fitch Co. and Jones Apparel Group. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and several sustainability certificates from Harvard University.

Dr. Trejo teaches textile science, apparel construction, and research courses at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Her research explores the intersections of fibers, fashion, agriculture, and technology to support a local clothing and textiles economy. She has surveyed and interviewed several U.S. small business owners and entrepreneurs who are part of a farm-to-fashion value chain for sustainable fashion. She is currently collaborating in interdisciplinary teams to address sustainability issues in the apparel industry. Dr. Trejo received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Fiber Science & Apparel Design from Cornell University, and her bachelor’s degree in Design from the University of California, Davis.

Twin sisters Sarah Pottle and Jess Boeke are educators, textile artists, educators and ecological advocates. Their work focuses on place-based regenerative systems. They co-founded the Rust Belt Fibershed in 2018 after moving back to the Cleveland area, where they were born and raised. Since then, Sarah and Jess have been working to catalyze a bioregional textile ecosystem through a "farm-to-fashion" approach, while building robust community networks across the region. Their collaborative art installations, events, and programs transform sustainable fibers into vehicles for connection, helping all parts of a circular textile supply chain- from producers to consumers- find their place within the local textile culture. Sarah and Jess share many projects, also co-founding Drift Lab Earth, which offers creative experiences that reconnect people with living systems. Both of them are passionate about how community-centered approaches can revitalize regional economies, address sustainability challenges, but moreover, support more life in so many ways.

Laurel has been fiddling around with fiber since she was in elementary school and learned to knit. In high school she learned to weave and spin, but lost touch with doing much fiber art at all due to college studies, work and then raising a family. Laurel and her husband ran an organic vegetable business and wanted to diversify into some livestock which led, in 1998, to raising Suri alpacas. The experience has taught her all about this fascinating animal’s husbandry and veterinary care as well as brought her back to the fiber arts. Over the last few years, Laurel has become a member of the Suri Network Board of Trustees, judged alpacas from Australia to Austria, collaborated with Celeste Malvar-Stewart (getting a peek at the fashion industry), and taken a trip to Peru last fall where she participated in a Chaccu.

Celeste Malvar-Stewart is a Columbus-based fashion designer who has over 25 years of experience focusing on sustainable design in couture, high-end fashion, and fiber art. She is an Adjunct Professor of Fashion Design at Columbus College of Art and Design. She works closely with Ohio family farms, including alpaca and sheep farms in Ohio, to obtain luxury fibers from happy animals (she knows every animal whose fiber she uses by name!) to create zero waste pieces with minimal carbon footprint. With these fibers, she makes couture dresses, skirts, scarves and vests under her label MALVAR = STEWART at her studio in Columbus' German Village neighborhood. She holds an M.S. in Fashion & Apparel Design from Eastern Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Fashion & Apparel Design from Regent’s University London.

TJ Richardson is the co-founder and President of The Ohio Hemp Company, a leading agricultural producer of fiber and grain hemp in Ohio. TJ also works as a Venture Advisor and Startup Mentor at The Tim & Kathleen Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship at Ohio State. Born and raised in the birthplace of innovation, Montgomery County, OH, TJ is a proven leader with over 15 years of technology, startups, entrepreneurship, fundraising, research and development experience.

Justin Helt is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Ohio Hemp Company, a regenerative agriculture business based in Clark County, Ohio. A 4th generation farmer and former scholar-athlete at Bellarmine University, Justin launched the company in 2020 after a brief stint in fintech, returning to his roots during the COVID-19 pandemic.His work bridges tradition and innovation—reviving hemp as a key crop for Ohio’s future. Today, The Ohio Hemp Company partners with Heartland Industries to develop sustainable biocomposites and with Victory Hemp Foods to explore hemp’s potential as a plant-based superfood. Justin is passionate about rebuilding local supply chains and helping shape a more sustainable, soil-friendly future.

Bill Bridgeforth is a fourth-generation farmer in Tanner, Alabama. He runs Bridgeforth Farms, which grows cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans, and canola using a variety of cutting-edge agronomic techniques and land conservation practices. Bill graduated from Alabama A&M with a degree in Soil Science in 1980 and is active in the university's agricultural initiatives. In 2014, Bill was one of only 15 farmers in the country named a “Champion of Change” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He serves as Chairman Emeritus of the National Black Growers Council where he advocates on behalf of Black farmers in the United States and abroad.

Troy W. Bridgeforth has built a career rooted in service, problem-solving, and creating opportunities for others. As part of the Bridgeforth family enterprise, Troy is focused on expanding into new markets, building partnerships with major brands, and ensuring the business remains sustainable and impactful for future generations. His approach emphasizes thoughtful strategy, collaboration, and supporting underrepresented groups in agriculture and business. Before returning to agriculture, Troy served a decade in the U.S. Navy, where he specialized in advanced intelligence systems and led teams in high-stakes operations. He continued his career in the defense industry, contributing to next generation military technologies and overseeing complex aerospaceprograms. He holds degrees in engineering and business, and credits much of his leadership approach to the guidance of mentors and wisdom shared by people from diverse walks of life. His approachable style and passion for people make him a trusted voice in discussions on leadership, innovation, and building a legacy that inspires others.

Sarah Moore, MBA, leads ESG and Sustainability at Victoria’s Secret & Co., driving efforts to uphold product integrity, sustain critical resources in the apparel supply chain, and empower the people who make and use Victoria’s Secret products. With a tenured background in sustainability, business strategy, and community engagement across the food and apparel industries, Sarah is dedicated to driving sustainability as a catalyst for innovating, building trust, finding operational efficiencies, and creating meaningful impact for producers, global communities, and the environment. Prior to Victoria's Secret, Sarah was Senior Manager of Strategy at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, a rapidly growing certified B Corp. Here, she led sustainability and was instrumental in the company's retail expansion, managing real estate, design, and construction of retail stores across the US.  Previously, she was with global NGO Conservation International in Washington, DC and Hawai’i, leading projects to advance traceability in seafood supply chains, ocean health policy, and local supply chain development. She has also partnered with local non-profits in Ohio and Pennsylvania on waste reduction, transportation, and energy conservation. Throughout her career, Sarah has consistently delivered programs that drive business performance, foster community well-being and champion environmental responsibility. She is passionate about driving change through transparency, data, and partnerships.  Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University's cross-disciplinary sustainability program, EEDS (Environment, Economy, Development, Sustainability) with a focus in international development, and an MBA from Chatham University.

Matt Griffin manages Victoria’s Secret & Co’s. environmental reporting obligations and tracks VS’s GHG footprint to drive the company towards greater sustainability achievement. Matt works across VS’s business functions to gather the data and information necessary for VS to participate in sustainability reporting structures such as: CDP, SBTi, and Cascale BRM. Prior to joining VS, Matt worked with the Sustainable Columbus team as the Buildings and Energy Coordinator. In this role, Matt advanced energy efficiency programs and expanded Columbus residents’ access to renewable energy. Matt started his career as the Program Manager of Co-Curricular and Community Engagement for Ohio State’s Sustainability Institute, where he created inter-disciplinary opportunities for students, researchers, and community members to address real-world sustainability challenges. Matt is a two-time Buckeye with a Bachelor of Science from the EEDS program with a specialization in Sustainable Business and a Master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Matt is passionate about finding unique solutions to sustainability challenges by bringing together diverse viewpoints.

Abbe Turner is an entrepreneur, writer, cheesemaker, and farmer dedicated to the craft of artisan food production and ethical land stewardship. As a leader of Ohio women in agriculture, Abbe creates social good in small businesses and nonprofit organizations as a business strategist and grant writing consultant. A professional fundraiser by trade, she has raised money for public broadcasting, arts organizations, academia, agriculture, and national parks. Currently, she works as a USDA Technical Assistant with the Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network (NMPAN) where she helps people fund their food and farming enterprises. She also proudly serves the community as Executive Director of Common Greens, a nonprofit that manages five Columbus-area farmers markets that help provide Ohioans access to fresh, local food. Abbe has received degrees in Viticulture and Enology from Kent State University and received her Master’s Degree in Arts Policy and Administration from The Ohio State University. She currently grows Shiitake mushrooms, figs, flax, and medicinal herbs on her farm in Knox County.

Lily Turner (she/her) is a Fashion and Costume Designer, sustainable fashion activist, and arts advocate currently living in Minneapolis, MN. Her design work is influenced by her childhood-- connecting with soil and learning to tell stories on her family farm in Northeast Ohio shaped how she approaches art, design, and materials as a whole. She has worked with Rust Belt Fibershed (Cleveland) and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Three Rivers Fibershed (Minneapolis). Lily completed a thesis research project at Macalester College titled "From Field to Fashion: A Journey in Sustainable Design and Regional Understanding" which allowed her to deep dive into the fiber story of the Upper Midwest and create a circular, soil to soil based collection, showcased at Minnesota Fashion Week in April 2024. She completed her Bachelor's degree at Macalester College in Fashion and Costume Design and also completed a year-long program studying Fashion Design at the Paris College of Art.