Dr. Cornelia Butler Flora has conducted ground-breaking sociological research on the impacts of human communities and the ecosystem, community processes, and gender and social institutions. Many of her articles have been widely used by nonprofit organizations that work with farmer groups, particularly in sustainable agriculture, to build stronger communities and a stronger economic base. Flora has held several academic positions and has also been a program officer for the Ford Foundation. In addition to her responsibilities at the Center, Flora also works on international development issues with World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development. A number of honorary societies have recognized her work and have elected her to positions of authority. Her doctoral students are employed in liberal arts colleges, major land-grant universities, and international development organizations. Flora received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California-Berkeley and a master’s degree and doctorate degree from Cornell University, which recognized her with an Outstanding Alumni Award in 1994. She joined the Iowa State University faculty and was named director of the Center in 1994.

Leann M. Tigges is Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  Her research interests include economic change and labor force issues. She has conducted research on Wisconsin manufacturers’ labor utilization strategies and their global competitive position.  She teaches courses on gender and local labor markets.

Dr. Carmen Bain is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Iowa State University. Her research interests focus on the political economy of agrifood systems and its intersection with rural economic development. She is a co-principal investigator on a project entitled "The Biofuels Revolution: Understanding the Social, Cultural and Economic Impacts of Biofuels Development on Rural Communities," a three year study funded by the US Department of Energy."