Our Roots

Renée Fourie

Renee Fourie is the Education and Outreach Coordinator at Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, a seed-saving education and networking organization. Renee is a lifelong gardener, beginning seed saver, American-born daughter of an immigrant, earth steward, anthropologist, and social justice activist. Through seeds, she understands their vital importance on community, economics, social equity, the environment, as well as empowering humans to reconnect with the land.  

She is passionate about both seed saving and the Philippines. Through the Peace Corps program, Renee’s father and mother met in Cebu and Renee was fortunate to spend some of her primary and secondary education in both rural and developed areas of the island, connecting with the culture and family. She has first-hand experience with the vast disparities of wealth which has fueled her passion to support food equity, sustainability, and independence for her people and family. 

She calls home the Arizona desert, land that was stewarded by the Tohono O’odham, Maricopa, and Hohokam peoples. The Hohokam developed the current canal system which supports her and many others food-growing capabilities. She studied at Arizona State University focusing on Cultural Anthropology and Geology for her undergrad, and Adult Education for her graduate degree. After several years of overseas volunteering, teaching, corporate America, and real estate, she is happy to now work in an industry that fuels her passion, intersects with food, and positively impacts the environment.