Twenty eight years ago, Joanie Parsons started her own marketing firm as a way to have fun while working with great clients who share her commitment to making the world a better place.

Today, PARSONS + CO specializes in building and guiding lifestyle brands, with an emphasis on companies who promote sustainability, regenerative agriculture, environmental responsibility, and women in leadership. Joanie has worked with local, regional, and national companies such as Filson, Montinore Estates, Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce, and more.

In 2017, Joanie co-created Grapevine and CRUSH, two powerful communities that bring women of all ages together to share insights and inspiration through monthly events. Joanie serves on several nonprofit boards including the One Eighty Foundation, TRIBUTE – an online mentoring platform – and now, PCC Farmland Trust. An avid photographer, hiker, cyclist, and cross-country skier, Joanie lives in Seattle with her partner, Jordan, and two golden retrievers.

Here’s Joanie…

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What drew you to the issue of farmland conservation?

Growing up in Seattle, my mom was an avid gardener and we’d spend hours reading organic gardening magazines. I loved playing in the dirt from an early age and continue to play in my garden on Sunset Hill today.I’ve seen the progression of growth that has put enormous pressure on farmland. If we don’t have farmland, we don’t have access to regional food, and to me, protecting that local resource is the most critical thing that we can do right now and into the future. On a personal level, I want to know where my food comes from, and knowing that we have those resources locally is such a gift.

What are you most looking forward to accomplishing or working on at the Trust?

I’m really interested in PCC Farmland Trust’s Farm to Farmer program. There are so many people out there who are interested in farming but just don’t have the resources to buy their own land right away. Farm to Farmer is a brilliant and revolutionary program — matching people who want to grow food with people who want to lease or sell their land. I’m excited to learn more about what farmers are going through, how are they thinking about the future, as well as how can we continue to educate the community about their greatest needs so that we can keep farmers on the land.

Is there anything else you want our community to know about you?

I’ve always been a believer in things that come from the earth. I’ve been a supporter of PCC Community Markets for many years, and am very interested in biodynamic and regenerative agriculture. I love hiking and the outdoors, and spend most of my days in either Seattle or Roslyn. I’m grateful to live in this beautiful place!