Source: NCDA&CS, 4/22/22

We Are Agriculture is a year-long series that will highlight the hard-work done by employees across the Department of Agriculture. Lesley Starke, N.C. Plant Conservation Program Manager with our Plant Industry Division, is one of those employees. Stay tuned each Wednesday here on the blog or any of our social media accounts and join us in honoring those who continue to drive our state’s agriculture industry forward each day!

The agriculture industry offers a wide array of career paths, including biology and plant study. Although she never imagined she would establish a career within agriculture, Lesley Starke, N.C. Plant Conservation Program Manager with our Plant Industry Division, grew up with an interest in agriculture that eventually led to a unique profession. “I have always had an interest in agriculture, especially small and organic farms because I grew up around them,” she said, “but I couldn’t have predicted that I would have ended up in this industry simply due to the nature of my interests in conservation biology, environmental management, plant studies and wildlife.”

After obtaining her undergraduate degree at Hampshire College in Biology and Animal Behavior, Lesley went on to pursue her graduate degree at Duke University in Environmental Management. During her time at Duke, Lesley held two internships at local land trusts where she learned how to design and manage nature preserves and steward endangered species. “One of the people that I worked with throughout these internships was currently on staff with the NCDA&CS Plant Conservation Program,” Lesley said. “I got to work with them and learned a lot from them that has helped me throughout my career.” Upon completing graduate school, twelve years ago, Lesley started her job with the NCDA&CS and has loved it ever since!

For more of this story, click here.