Announcing CFANS Commencement 2026 keynote and student speakers

CFANS Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony 
Friday, May 8, 2026 at 2 p.m. | 3M Arena at Mariucci 

Keynote Address: Della Nyondi Schall Young, PMP, CPESC, CTF is the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Hydrologist of Young Environmental Consulting Group, LLC, a Minnesota-based environmental consulting firm specializing in water resources, stormwater management, and environmental planning. A proud double CFANS alumna, she earned both her BS in natural resources and environmental studies and her MS in water resources science from the University of Minnesota. With nearly three decades of experience, Della has partnered with public agencies, municipalities, watershed districts, tribal governments, and regional planning organizations to translate complex science and policy into practical, community-centered solutions. She is deeply committed to mentorship and developing the next generation of environmental professionals — a legacy she brings full circle as this year's undergraduate keynote speaker. Read our recent story about Della →

Undergraduate Student Speaker: Emma Johnson ('26) graduates with a BS in Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management and a minor in Urban Studies. During her time at the University of Minnesota, Emma dedicated herself to environmental education and community engagement through extensive work at the Bell Museum, serving as both a student interpretive guide and an educator. She also contributed as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Center for Changing Landscapes and as an Undergraduate Leader with the Institute on the Environment. Emma will continue her impact after graduation as a Summer Camp Lead Educator at the Bell Museum, where she hopes to champion accessible environmental education and urban sustainability in the Twin Cities.

CFANS Graduate Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 3 p.m. | Ted Mann Concert Hall

Keynote Address: Lee Ann Jackson, PhD is Head of Programmes at the Forum on Trade, Environment, and the Sustainable Development Goals (TESS). Prior to joining TESS, she served as Head of the Agro-Food Trade and Markets Division at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where she led teams producing evidence-based agricultural policy guidance for governments worldwide, including the annual OECD–FAO Agricultural Outlook. She previously spent 16 years at the World Trade Organization as Counsellor in the Agriculture and Commodities Division and Secretary to the Committee on Agriculture. She has also held research and academic positions with the World Trade Institute, the University of Barcelona, the University of Adelaide, and International Food Policy Research Institute. A certified mediator and executive coach, Jackson holds a PhD in applied economics from the University of Minnesota, joint master's degrees in public and private management and environmental studies from Yale University, and an undergraduate degree in biology from Princeton University.

Graduate Student Speaker: Susie Strom, JD, MS '25 Food Science received her undergraduate degree from St. Catherine University in St. Paul and completed law school at the University of Minnesota Law School in 2013. She went on to serve in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, spending five years on active duty and four in the U.S. Army Reserve, reaching the rank of Major. In December 2025, she earned her MS in food science from the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, where she was advised by Zata Vickers; she was also a fellow in the CFANS Policy Engagement Program. She is currently completing her LLM in patent law at the University of Minnesota Law School and looks forward to a career at the intersection of law, intellectual property, and food science.