Our Staff

Lily is the Black Currant and Elderberry Breeder for the Savanna Institute. Her focus is breeding new cultivars of currants and elderberries to be disease resistant, easily harvested, flavorful, and suitable for growing in Midwest Agroforestry systems. Lily also prioritizes collaborative research with farmers, justice, and connecting with her community. She came to SI in fall 2023 from a blueberry breeding program. Lily has a PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics and has worked with a variety of species including sweet corn, pumpkin, miscanthus, and teosinte. She, her wife, and their dog, Melon, live in Wisconsin. She enjoys bike commuting, podcasts, and textile arts.