John Holds a BA in English from Morehouse College and an MA in International Relations from Bond University where he focused his research on the politics of human trafficking on the African Continent. After his graduate studies, he served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, spending two years working on the preservation of historical sites of enslavement, English education, and alternative livelihood projects. After returning from Ghana, John worked with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as a Program Analyst supporting the agency’s International Services and Plant Protection and Quarantine activities. After leaving the USDA, John worked for Population Services International, managing HIV and Reproductive Health projects in twelve countries across Southern Africa.  John came to CSU to study Fermentation and Food Science where he earned his Masters and his PhD researching gluten free brewing and the fermentation of edible insect protein.  His research philosophy is community driven, using traditional fermentation techniques to troubleshoot current challenges in the global food system.