Dr Christelle van Zyl is a South African tourism researcher and practitioner specialising in agri-tourism development and destination marketing for rural and emerging destinations. Formerly a university lecturer in Tourism Management, she now supports research, training, and applied projects that strengthen farm-based tourism enterprises and local visitor economies. Her PhD research investigates agri-tourism development pathways in South Africa, focusing on farm-based experiences and sustainable value creation. Following her doctorate, she continues her studies in tourism marketing. She is actively involved in community skills development and local economic development initiatives that link education, small business, and place-based tourism growth.

Kara Rutter is a farmer, veteran, and agritourism advocate dedicated to helping rural communities thrive. A retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major, she co-operates Rutter's Ranch in Townville, South Carolina, raising heritage breed Mangalitsa pigs and producing artisan charcuterie. As President of Project Victory Gardens, she leads hands-on programs helping veteran farmers build sustainable agricultural businesses. Through a USDA-NIFA funded agritourism incubator, she works directly with farmer-veterans to develop enterprises rooted in their land and communities. Now a PhD candidate at Clemson University, Kara brings boots-on-the-ground experience to research that is practical, people-centered, and built for the real world.

Tara Lynn Hubbard is a regenerative entrepreneur and fourth-generation Floridian shaping enterprises that reconnect people with nature. Through Wonderfield Farm, Hubbard’s Ferry, and impact projects including the Egmont Key Alliance and The Sunline, she transforms tourism, transit, and community action into living models of regeneration. Rooted in Gulf Coast legacy and guided by a global vision, she builds systems that cultivate nature connectedness and create conditions for life to flourish.

Elizabeth Halpenny is a Professor at the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta, where she also serves as Associate Dean – Graduate Studies. She received a PhD in Recreation and Leisure Studies from the University of Waterloo. She teaches tourism, parks management, and marketing. She loves to garden and walk her dog in Edmonton’s many green spaces, and spends too much time in a car shuttling her two kids to soccer and creative arts activities. Her current research projects include recreational use and stewardship of natural areas; advancing agritourism in Alberta; community development through sustainable tourism, and fostering climate action through communication interventions. Her research web page is: https://sites.google.com/ualberta.ca/e-halpenny-research-page?usp=sharing