Midwest Climate Summit
Event description
The Midwest Climate Summit is a three-day gathering of climate leaders, researchers, and professionals focused on expanding knowledge, accelerating climate action, and catalyzing new partnerships for an equitable Midwestern response to the climate crisis. With exciting options to join in person and virtually, this is a summit you won’t want to miss!
GFI will be leading an in-person workshop, “Diversifying protein production in the Midwest: Mapping how the Midwest U.S. can sustainably feed more people and usher in the next chapter of food and agriculture.” Via a participatory Midwest mapping exercise, this workshop will focus on the people and places throughout America’s Heartland that can help lead and benefit from alternative protein innovation and opportunities. What does workshop success look like? Greater understanding of and enthusiasm for protein produced in ways that slash food/ag emissions, enable healthier lands and waters, and create thriving regional bioeconomies.
Moderated by GFI’s Sheila Voss, the conversation will bring together stakeholders from across the food system:
- Sheila Voss, Senior Vice President, Communications, The Good Food Institute
- Ryan Blum, Founder, Alt Protein Project at University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Dr. Victor Ujor, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Nicole Atchison, CEO, PURIS Holdings
Together, we’ll ask: What does it look like for the Midwest to lead in sustainable protein production? How can communities across the region benefit from these shifts? What systems, policies, and partnerships are needed to catalyze lasting change?
Event location
Meet the speaker

Sheila Voss
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS, GFI
Sheila Voss is the senior vice president of communications at The Good Food Institute, where she leads GFI’s global brand and engagement strategy. With more than two decades of leadership in mission-driven communication, Sheila helps connect the dots between alternative protein innovation and its benefits for climate, health, food security, and the economy. Prior to GFI, she held senior communications roles at the American Lung Association, World Wildlife Fund, and the American Heart Association. At the intersection of science, storytelling, and systems change, Sheila brings deep expertise in movement-building and strategic advocacy to drive meaningful food system transformation.