Emily Rose Haga named SSE’s executive director

Emily Rose Haga assumed responsibilities as executive director of Seed Savers Exchange on September 16.

The Seed Savers Exchange Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Emily Rose Haga as its next executive director, effective September 16, 2019. 

“The board is very excited to have Emily Rose Haga bring a new generation of energy and leadership to Seed Savers Exchange,” said Neil Hamilton, Seed Savers Exchange board member and search committee member. “Her deep understanding of seeds and the American gardening culture makes her an excellent leader to help Seed Savers Exchange build on its rich history preserving humanity’s shared plant heritage.”

A Wisconsin native and Seed Savers Exchange member, Haga has worked as a plant breeder developing tomato, pepper, and lettuce varieties at Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Albion, Maine, since 2012. She holds a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and a master’s degree in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

“Seed Savers Exchange has played a leading and historical role in preserving, honoring, and sharing America’s diverse garden heritage by not only carefully stewarding seeds from our ancestors for future generations but also nurturing a culture where the traditions and knowledge relating to those seeds endure as well,” said Haga. “It is incredibly exciting to join such a deeply rooted organization whose mission keeps us connected to our past, but also offers a tremendous source of resiliency and hope for the future. As Seed Savers Exchange’s 50th anniversary approaches in the coming years, I am especially looking forward to the opportunities this important milestone presents to celebrate past successes and reflect on how to best carry on this good work into the next half century.”