Meet The Team

Tanja and her family heeded the call of the mountains, relocating to Modoc County in 2017. Her days are divided between Momming, spearheading Modoc Harvest initiatives, and leading the charge as Executive Director of Advancing Modoc, a collaborative endeavor which aims to cultivate, educate, and anchor Modoc residents, fostering a flourishing community. For Tanja, it’s more than a job—it’s a harmonious fusion of her core beliefs and passions: advocating for social equity, prioritizing holistic wellness, and fostering cooperative efforts to fortify rural infrastructure. Embracing the ethos of “radically rural,” she’s committed to propelling her beloved community forward.

Abbey Kingdon is the Savory Global Network Coordinator for the Savory Institute. She is also the owner and operator of UVE, a Savory Network Hub serving the West Coast and the Intermountain West and is headquartered in Fort Bidwell, California.

She spent time in South Africa living with families on holistically-managed cattle farms after graduating magna cum laude from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a degree in animal science and a focus in communications and ethnic studies. She learned how powerful and transformational Holistic Management is in Africa. She attended graduate school at the University of Nevada, Reno, and received a master’s degree with honors in interactive journalism.

Abbey grew up on a commercial cattle ranch in Indian Valley in Plumas County where her family has lived for seven generations. Her mission in life is to build a beautiful world for her daughter, Maezy, and son Sam, which is why she became involved in creating a thriving local food system.

Living in the rural community of Surprise Valley, California, and being involved in a global organization is Abbey's dream come true. She also serves on the Surprise Valley Education Foundation board and is the board president of Think Regeneration, a national organization offering leadership programs for regenerative farmers. She enjoys doing yoga, gardening, and hiking with her family. She loves endurance running and often runs the beautiful mountain trails of Modoc County. Her favorite run is from Fort Bidwell past Lily Lake to Highway 395 in Oregon.