Harvesters is excited to announce the hiring of Elizabeth Keever, our new Chief Resource Officer.  In this role, Elizabeth will oversee fundraising, communications, volunteers, food drives and advocacy for the organization. This role was previously held by Joanna Sebelien, who retired earlier this year after 23 years with Harvesters. 

Elizabeth was most recently the Chief Development Officer at Heartland Community Health Center in Lawrence, Kansas, from 2022 to August of 2024. For nearly a decade before that, she also worked at another of Harvesters’ valued partner agencies, Just Food. 

“Mobilizing the community around the mission of fighting hunger is the bedrock of my career and a deep passion of mine,” Elizabeth says. “I have been fortunate in my career to work with Harvesters, both as the Executive Director of Just Food and as Chief Development Officer at Heartland Community Health Center. The partnership allowed both organizations to grow and advance their respective missions. At Harvesters, I knew I could not only expand the reach of the work I am passionate about while still contribute to an organization that not only addresses the root causes of hunger through education, partnerships, and advocacy.”   

Elizabeth is a perfect example of someone who is committed to our mission and vision, even before we hired her. She has developed a deep understanding of just how deep the impact of food goes. 

“Food is fundamental—it not only fuels our bodies, but it impacts all components of our daily lives,” says Elizabeth. “Access to nutritious food impacts every aspect of health from physical health, mental health to oral health. It is vital from day one for all of us and impacts our outcomes in life including a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school. Food is also the backbone of culture and has the power to strengthen communities. I believe that addressing food insecurity can create ripple effects that help solve other societal challenges. Knowing that I can play a role in making that possible motivates me every day.” 

Elizabeth began her career as Finance Director for the Kansas Democratic Party, playing a pivotal part in the 2010 and 2012 election campaigns. She graduated from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. In 2020, she received a Food Systems Leadership Certification from Iowa State University.  

Elizabeth has served as a member of the Lawrence Emergency Planning Committee, The Lawrence Community Shelter, Vice-President of the Douglas County Policy Council, Chair of LiveWell Lawrence/Douglas County, and Vice President of K-State Research and Extension. She is a graduate of the Leadership Lawrence and Leadership Kansas programs. In 2016, she was awarded the Don Volker Leadership Award from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and in 2019 was included in the list of “Hawks to Watch” from the University of Kansas.  

Now as she is settling into her new role, Elizabeth is excitedly looking toward the future of Harvesters. 

“My hope is that we continue to grow to meet the need in both our reach and our ability to support those who need us most,” she says. “I’d love to see Harvesters not only grow food distribution of nutritious foods but also make advancements in addressing the root causes of hunger and economic advancement for those experiencing food insecurity. I also hope that we can deepen our relationships with community partners, so together we can create long-term solutions to hunger and poverty.”