Lacey Bishop is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology at Colorado State University. She works with Dr. James Hale through the Integrated Rocky Mountain-region Innovation Center for Healthy Soils (IN-RICHES) on the Discovery Farms and Ranches initiative, where she studies on-farm research and community-engaged approaches to sustainable agriculture. Growing up in the Puget Sound, she witnessed the closure of her family’s fifth generation organic dairy farm under the pressures of industrial agriculture alongside the cultural and ecological revival represented by the Elwha River dam removals and wild salmon restoration. These experiences shaped her interest in how communities navigate ecological transformation and how policy, governance, and inequality influence both collapse and renewal. Her research focuses on environmental sociology and green criminology, exploring the intersections of regenerative agriculture, soil health, just food systems, and Pacific Northwest salmon restoration to better understand how communities respond to environmental challenges through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and stewardship.

Outside of academia, Lacey spends as much time as possible outdoors. She enjoys rock climbing, skiing, trail running, and exploring the mountains, experiences that continue to shape her appreciation for environmental stewardship and the communities connected to the landscapes they call home.