Amanda Peçanha Hickey is the Director of Research and Policy at the California Center for Rural Policy. Prior to joining CCRP she worked for a decade as a research coordinator and project manager on initiatives related to food, sustainability, family farming, and land tenure; at home and across the Global South. Most recently Amanda worked for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations researching policies to support Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub Saharan Africa, and in Washington DC for an Indigenous People's coalition advocating land and forest rights. Amanda holds a BA in International Relations from SUNY New Paltz and a MRP from Cornell University. Hailing from a rural community in Upstate New York, she is delighted to be exploring the North Coast's hiking trails and beaches, and getting to know the vibrant communities that call it home.