Veronica Mazariegos-Anastassiou is a farmer and operator at Brisa Ranch, a 15-acre diversified fruit and vegetable operation in Pescadero, California. Vero has been farming on the Central California Coast for the past 6 years. She earned a Master’s degree in Applied Economics and Management focusing on Food and Agriculture from Cornell University, where she focused her research on food value chains, equitable and sustainable food systems, and cooperatives. Vero is a member of the Farmer Governance Committee of the California Farmer Justice Collaborative (CFJC) and a steering council member of the California Food and Farm Network (CFFN). In 2021, Vero, along with her two farming partners, were named California New Farmers of the Year by the California Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF).