Board of Directors
Kris Habashy, Founder & Executive Director
Kris Habashy serves as Connecting City To Farm’s Executive Director. She is a farm girl who loves living in Dallas. Having been raised on a commercial farm in Southeast Arkansas, she knows the life of the American farmer first-hand. Living in the city for the past 20 years, she sees the wide gap which exits between farm culture and urban culture, yet has a unique perspective on both. Kris attractively and authentically bridges these two worlds, and brings light to each of them.
This unique perspective was the inspiration behind Connecting City To Farm, a nonprofit organization that advocates safe and affordable nutrition through the lens of agriculture. Kris highlights modern farming practices through social media, blogging, interviews and public speaking opportunities. She is passionate about promoting the American farmer by educating those living in urban areas about modern agriculture and its far-reaching benefits.
Kris is equally passionate about alleviating the generational impact of childhood obesity, food insecurity and the rampant decay of healthy nutrition among the underserved. Her Farm Camp program is a four-day “meals and lessons” curriculum hosted at her original home in Arkansas. Farm Camp teaches, motivates, and inspires youth about nutrition, original food sources and sustainable lifestyles. As the founder and visionary for Connecting City To Farm, Kris champions its mission, builds relationships within the intercity and professional agriculture communities, and plans the organization’s strategies and missions.
Rachel Logan, Director of Media
Rachel has been a part of Connecting City To Farm since its inception. She now serves as the organization’s Director of Media & Urban Stratagies. She is a dedicated wife, mother of three sons, and is very involved in her community. A long-time North Texas resident, Rachel has valuable relationships throughout the Dallas metroplex, and participates actively in local outreach with her husband and three children. She owns a portrait photography business, and is deeply committed to childhood education and development.
Stephanie Martin
Stephanie is an active community volunteer, and a staunch advocate for childhood nutrition and awareness. Having received a BS in Nutrition Sciences at Baylor University, Stephanie has a unique awareness of nutritional health and nutrition-based health issues among children, particularly the underserved. She actively serves Connecting City To Farm by cultivating local engagement and volunteerism among various North Texas communities. Stephanie is happily married and has three children that often serve with her.
Shay Paulson
Shay is a Baylor University grad, a premature baby impacted by the work and later employed by the March of Dimes. Her childhood, college and first several years in the working world prepared her to launch her business to serve as a social media strategist, web & graphic designer and writer at her company, Merit Media. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Adam, and their rescued chocolate lab, Rye, and continue to grow roots in their town, serve at church, travel to see friends and family, and help small businesses grow.
Jim Whitaker
Jim is a commercial production farmer in Southeast Arkansas (Mississippi Delta). Managing over 10,000 acres of conventional crop growth annually, Jim brings rare and invaluable insight to feeding a global population with efficiency, intelligence and environmentally sustainable farming practices. Joined by his wife and two children, Jim has a true heart for American farm culture, and is a fierce advocate for the family farm business model. A pioneer in production rice cultivation, Jim leads the way in pursing techniques which conserve water and decrease Green House Gas emissions. In these specific areas, Jim has a record of repeated accomplishment among agricultural professionals across the United States. The Whitaker Family Farm is regularly highlighted on Connecting City To Farm’s online platform.
