Sam Rikkers leads and manages Tiny Earth direction, goals, fundraising activities, and team. Before joining Tiny Earth, he launched and led Georgetown University McDonough School of Business’ Rural Opportunity Initiative. Prior to this position, President Obama appointed Sam to serve as Administrator of USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Before joining the USDA, Sam served as Director of the Energy and Environment Team with the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office. Prior to this position, Sam served as Regional Field Director in Wisconsin on President Obama’s re-election campaign. From 2007 to 2012, he was an attorney with a commercial litigation firm in New York City specializing in antitrust and First Amendment law. Before practicing law, Sam spent years working as a community and political organizer nationally and internationally. He earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin, a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also served as a volunteer with the US Peace Corps in rural Zambia. Sam is from a small town in Southern Wisconsin.