Groundwork for change

Dr. Christine Porter’s role in building the Wyoming Food Coalition

Abstract

Summary

The Wyoming Food Coalition (WFC) is a statewide network dedicated to “strengthening local food systems by connecting stakeholders and amplifying their voices to ensure Wyoming producers, con­sumers, and environments thrive” (WFC, n.d., “Mission,” para. 1). Established in 2020, WFC emerged from these stakeholders’ collective recog­nition of the need for a coordinated approach to address the unique challenges facing Wyoming's food system, including vast rural landscapes, limited infrastructure, and food insecurity. The WFC operates through a decentralized structure of working groups with each group self-selecting chairs who serve on a central board of directors, emphasizing shared leadership and inclusivity. This commentary describes the history and structure of the WFC with a particular focus on Dr. Christine Porter’s contributions. Christine played a pivotal role in WFC’s inception and development, and from 2020 to 2022, she acted as WFC’s Fairness & Justice working group chair. As a professor and Wyoming Excellence Chair in Community and Public Health at the University of Wyoming, she leveraged her position to provide initial funding and strategic guidance that were instrumental in establishing the WFC’s infrastructure.