Stephen Ussery
Meet Stephen:
Stephen brings a unique blend of technical, entrepreneurial, and field experience to his work with food and farm businesses. With a degree in agricultural engineering from Purdue University and a background in business and marketing, he has helped over 150 clients secure millions in grant funding and build resilient, sustainable operations.
His early hands-on work with smallholder farmers during his Peace Corps service shaped his approach to inclusive, community-centered development. Since then, Stephen has advised on national strategies, launched three businesses, and supported a wide range of producers, supply chain businesses, and not-for-profit service providers through program design, business planning, and grant writing.
In 2021, he founded Stewards Unlimited to help farmers and food system leaders access the resources they need to grow with confidence. He thrives on turning big ideas into practical, fundable plans — and sees potential everwhere he looks. When not working, Stephen enjoys spending time with his wife, trying to figure out how to cook everything in his CSA box, and practicing spiritual disciplines.
Fun Fact
Fun Fact: Stephen enjoys training in Brazilian Ju-jitsu, and uses what he learns when wrestling his thirteen nieces and nephews. He decimates them.
Meet Daniella:
Daniella brings over a decade of experience supporting farmers and food system organizations through program development, grant writing, and community partnerships. With a background in architecture and sustainability from the University of Texas at Austin, she shifted her career toward agriculture by helping establish the UT Micro Farm and later leading programs at Plant It Forward in Houston.
Now at Stewards Unlimited, Daniella combines her program management and grantwriting expertise to help producers and nonprofits access critical funding and grow resilient operations. Certified in organic crop inspection, she brings a systems-minded approach to every project. Outside of work, she enjoys playing violin in community ensembles and exploring new ways to connect food, culture, and place.
Fun Fact
Daniella plays violin in a San Francisco community orchestra and volunteers at local food justice events.
Daniella Lewis
Carol Olson
Meet Carol:
Carol brings more than 25 years of experience helping nonprofits, municipalities, businesses, and individuals secure funding through strategic grant writing and resource development. With strong agricultural roots and a degree in organizational communication and marketing from Creighton University, Carol offers a practical, grounded perspective shaped by both lived experience and professional expertise.
Over the course of her career, Carol has researched, written, and managed successful grant proposals for public agencies, private foundations, and corporations. In recent years, she has narrowed her focus to supporting farmers, ranchers, and organizations across the agricultural industry, helping them access funding to expand operations, strengthen sustainability, and achieve long-term goals. Her work reflects a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities facing rural and agricultural communities.
At Stewards Unlimited, Carol is known for her collaborative approach and for guiding clients through the funding process with clarity and confidence. She excels at translating complex ideas into clear, compelling proposals and connecting clients with the right resources to advance their projects. Her work is grounded in thoughtful strategy, strong storytelling, and a genuine commitment to helping agricultural and community-based initiatives succeed.
Fun Fact
Based in Nebraska, Carol is an avid equestrian and swimmer. Some of her best ideas come while on horseback or swimming laps.
Meet Valerie:
Valerie is a project manager at Stewards Unlimited who focuses on strengthening business systems and operational processes for Stewards Unlimited and its clients. With a background in marketing, operations, project and program management, Valerie brings a structured, systems-level perspective to complex work. Her approach emphasizes thoughtful process design, practical implementation, and operational efficiency to ensure that projects and client engagements run smoothly and sustainably.
Fun Fact
Valerie loves birds. She has three pet parrots and her dream is to have chickens of her own someday too!
Valerie Skinner
Jessica Decker
Meet Jessica:
Jessica brings over 15 years of leadership in food safety, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and operations to her work supporting food and agricultural businesses. As a family farm owner and entrepreneur herself, Jessica operates directly within the local food system, giving her a first-hand understanding of the practical and financial hurdles small-to-midsize producers face.
Holding a Master’s in Microbiology from SUNY Upstate Medical University and an Executive MBA from the Valar Institute, she bridges high-level corporate quality and food safety standards with real-world agricultural entrepreneurship. Jessica specializes in translating complex regulatory frameworks, including USDA, FDA, state-level regulations, SQF, and HACCP standards, into clear, manageable, and fundable strategies for scaling agricultural businesses.
Active in regional leadership, Jessica serves on the Board of Directors for both Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County and LeadNY through Cornell University, helping empower food and farm leaders across the region.
When not working, Jessica, her husband, and their five children enjoy spending time outdoors, camping, and relaxing along the shores of Lake Ontario.
Fun Fact
Jessica and her children enjoy exhibiting their nationally ranked herd of Rex rabbits at shows across the country!
Meet Cassie:
Cassie brings more than 20 years of bookkeeping experience, along with hands-on experience in both grant writing and grant-funded nonprofit work. A Michigan native who grew up surrounded by farmland and natural beauty, she feels a natural connection to the mission of Stewards Unlimited.
Throughout her career, Cassie has discovered that what she enjoys most is creating order from complexity. Whether working with financial records, grants, donor databases, or organizational processes, she has a knack for taking systems that feel overwhelming and making them organized, accurate, and sustainable.
Cassie especially enjoys supporting mission-driven organizations behind the scenes and helping build the strong systems that allow their work to thrive. She was drawn to Stewards Unlimited because the work goes beyond securing grant funding to helping clients put practical, sustainable systems in place for long-term success.
Fun Fact
Cassie is an accomplished watercolor artist and was recently commissioned to create commemorative artwork for the U.S. Army Adjutant General’s Corps’ 250th Anniversary celebration. She finds that after a day of crunching numbers, there’s nothing quite like trading spreadsheets for paintbrushes.
Cassie Mead
