Karen grew up in the rainy suburbs of Vancouver, BC. She studied politics and crime at Simon Fraser University, where she served as a student representative on the University Senate and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. After moving around British Columbia and exploring a variety of career fields, including poverty law advocacy, marketing, and volunteer coordination, Karen landed in Bellingham at a private law firm, where she worked as a paralegal before joining the Project.
Karen truly appreciates living in a rural setting, nestled in the foothills, walking distance from rivers and open space. She supports local farms, farmers and events like community seed exchanges - everything that helps preserve non-GMO supply chains. Karen has long believed in the Non-GMO Project's mission and the belief that everyone has the right to know what is in their food.
Pauline Lauvin grew up near Paris and holds a Master's Degree in Agriculture and Food Sciences from the Superior Institute of Agriculture located in Lyon, France.
Rachel Willner holds an M.S. in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of California, San Diego, and an M.S. in International Agricultural Development from the University of California, Davis. Rachel is interested in the way people express their worldviews and religious beliefs through diet. She has researched and at various times adhered to several specific types of diet, including veganism, vegetarianism, Halal, and Kosher. Her research also includes perceptions of GMOS, and how consuming or avoiding GMO products aligns with individual belief systems and personal expression.
Before joining the Non-GMO Project, Rachel practiced seed-saving as an intern with Native Seeds/SEARCH, got her hands dirty on organic horticultural farms in both California and Washington, and worked in the areas of food sovereignty and ethnobotany.
Most recently, she spent 3 years in Okanogan, Washington’s fresh fruit industry. She first served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer for the Okanogan County Community Action Council’s Food For All Project and then as a Program Specialist for the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA’s) Fruit & Vegetable Commodity Inspection Division. Rachel’s experience with both WSDA and US Department of Agriculture standards pertaining to the grade, condition, and phytosanitary status of export tree fruit has prepared her for exemplary management of the Non-GMO Project’s ever-evolving Standard.
When not eating out, Rachel enjoys agritourism, running, and botanizing in the beautiful North Cascades.
Erin is a California native whose love of the outdoors brought her to the Pacific Northwest. Erin is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a BA in Communication and a minor in American History. She also holds a Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School. Erin is passionate about providing consumers with the information necessary to make informed choices about the products they purchase.
Prior to joining the Non-GMO Project, Erin worked in legal clearance at a major television studio in Los Angeles. She is excited to bring her expertise in copyright and trademark law to the Non-GMO Project.
In her free time, Erin enjoys traveling, paddle boarding, and hiking with her family.
The Non-GMO Project welcomes Lucy MacLoughlin as our new Standards and Verification Director. With 20+ years in the natural products industry, Lucy has extensive experience in the managerial, operational, technical and promotional aspects of three different industry sectors including retail, wholesale and manufacturing. Her many years spent in contract manufacturing of nutritional supplements exposed her to numerous challenges inherent in the supply chain with respect to quality, integrity, processing, standardization, testing and certification of dietary ingredients. When not working, you will find Lucy behind a camera photographing the abundant flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest, absorbed in a good read, or exploring neighborhoods and forest trails with her husband and her beloved dog.