Colleen Ross has been a sustainable organic farmer for 30 years and served as Vice President of policy of the National Farmers Union of Canada (NFU) for 12 years. She is an advocate for sustainable forestry practices, responsible land and water management and renewable energy. She has been an active representative for La Via Campesina (LVC) Biodiversity Commission, an official delegate at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and Genetic Resources, and a panelist at the Women’s Earth and Climate Summit. Elected Grand Forks city councillor in 2014, Colleen championed local green spaces and advocated for bylaw changes to allow for “pocket communities” that featured energy-efficient, affordable, walkable homes.