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ABOUT US

Locally led. Regionally coordinated. Cooperatively owned.

The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund is a 56-year-old regional cooperative and rural economic development organization serving a membership of Black farmers, landowners, cooperatives, and other low-income rural people in the South with coop development, land retention, and advocacy.

The Federation was born out of the Civil Rights movement and exists to save Black-owned farms and land. 

 

We strive toward the development of self-supporting communities with programs that increase income and enhance other opportunities; and we strive to assist in land retention and development, especially for African Americans, but essentially for all family farmers. 

 

Our charter is held in Washington, DC, and we assist members in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Meet Our Team

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF• ATLANTA, GA

Cornelius Blanding  Executive Director

Chawnn Redden  Regional Marketing Coordinator

Eboni Thomas  Executive Assistant

Erika Shealey  Administrative Assistant

Floran Syler-Woods  Director of Finance

Gordon Drennan  Senior Accountant

Kevin Wyche Finance Department

Lauri Blackmon  Accounts Payables Specialist

Marc Michael  Financial Literacy Training Coordinator

Shaday Towns  Membership Outreach Specialist

Tandelyn Daniel  Director of Communications & Member Relations

Terence Courtney  Director of Cooperative Development & Strategic Partnerships

GEORGIA STATE OFFICE • ALBANY, GA

Cornelius Key  State Coordinator

Britannica Peterson  Outreach Specialist

Brittany Meyers   Administrative Assistant

James Jackson  Forestry Outreach Specialist

Karen Timmons  Field Accountant

Lisa Broadway  Outreach Specialist

Marquis Harris  Outreach Specialist

​Precious Lunsford  Land Tenure Outreach Specialist

Roderick Collins  Co-op Specialist

RURAL TRAINING & RESEARCH CENTER • EPES, AL

Freddie Davis III   Director- RTRC

Audrey Haskins  Senior Outreach Specialist

Cassandra Hawkins  Field Accountant

Darren Beachem  Alabama State Coordinator

Ethel Giles Outreach Specialist

Fredricka Mitchell  Outreach Specialist

Jock Webb  Demonstration Farm Manager

Tia Parker  Administrative Assistant

Will Muhammad  Building & Grounds Manager

Shelia Daniels - Outreach Specialist

FLORIDA FIELD OFFICE

Celcia Hall Outreach Specialist

LOUISIANA FIELD OFFICE

Bruce Harrell  State Coordinator

Akila Fontenot   Outreach Specialist

Erica Smith Co-op Specialist 

Andrew Fuller Field Accountant

MISSISSIPPI STATE OFFICE • JACKSON, MS

Ben Burkett  State Coordinator

Ashton Norwood  Agribusiness Management Specialist

Corey Bacon  Forestry Specialist

Darnella Winston  Project Director 

Emary Smith  Co-op Development Specialist

Joe Barnes  Co-op Development Specialist

Lytanya Brown  MS Mediation Director

Maya Crooks  Agribusiness Management Specialist

Ray Magee Loan Specialist

Brittany Oatis Interim Bookkeeper

Dylan Davis Outreach Specialist

KeAria Frelix Admin/Communications/Outreach Specialist

Tremell Sherman Cooperative Development Specialist

 

SOUTH CAROLINA

Julius Fernandez  Outreach Specialist

Lisa Thomas  Outreach Specialist

TEXAS

Tanya James  Texas Interim State Coordinator

Brandon Smith  Senior Outreach Specialist

Camryn Edwards  Outreach Specialist

Mario Rodriguez  Outreach Specialist

Tamara Veal  Legal Fellow

Veronica Briceno  Outreach Specialist

Jose Herrera Outreach Coordinator

Nia Howze Outreach Specialist

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SHIRLEY BLAKELY
Board President     MISSISSIPPI 

Board of Directors

President

Board of Directors

Shirley Blakely

MISSISSIPPI

Vice-President

Board of Directors

Daniel Bustamante

TEXAS

 

Treasurer

Board of Directors

Carrie Fulghum

ALABAMA

 

Secretary

Board of Directors

Satina James

GEORGIA

Board of Directors

Helen Fields

SOUTH CAROLINA

 

Raymond Olds

Board of Directors

FLORIDA

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CORNELIUS BLANDING
Executive Director      
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TERENCE COURTNEY
Director of Cooperative Development & Strategic Initiatives                  
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TANDELYN DANIEL
Director of Communications & Member Relations       
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FLORAN SYLER-WOODS
Directr of Finance    
                                           
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FREDDIE DAVIS
Director Rural Training &
Research Center 
           
   

Leadership Team

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DARREN BEACHEM
State Coordinator      ALABAMA 
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CORNELIUS KEY
State Coordinator      GEORGIA 
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BRUCE HARRELL
State Coordinator     LOUISIANA
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BEN BURKETT
State Coordinator    
                                MISSISSISSIPPI
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TANYA JAMES
State Coordinator        TEXAS
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