Kellee James

Kellee James is the Founder of Mercaris, a provider of market information for organic and non-GMO crops and ingredients. Mercaris was acquired by Argus Media in 2023, and Kellee currently serves as VP of Agriculture for North America at Argus. Kellee is also co-Founder of Freedmen Heirs Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting Black farmers. Kellee has an interest and experience in values-driven entrepreneurship, finance, and governance issues. She has served on the Boards of Oregon Tilth, and the Organic Trade Association. Formerly, Kellee was appointed as a White House Fellow during the Obama administration. She started her career working with coffee farmers and fishing communities in Honduras. Kellee has a BA in Spanish from University of Kentucky and an MA/MBA in International Development from American University. She's the proud parent of two kids, ages 8 and 5, and if she had any spare time, she would return to her hobbies of studying languages, and dancing.

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