Biography

After 10 years as a research geologist with the USGS, Eiswerth relocated to Tucson in 1992. Barbara worked in geospatial technology transfer to Latin America, before pursuing a career as an environmental scientist with the Arizona Remote Sensing Center working on USAID and NSF projects in Africa. In 2003, she earned her UA doctorate degree and founded the Iskashitaa Refugee Network, a non-profit organization that creates opportunities for integrating immigrants into the community

Iskashitaa has harvested over a million pounds of unused fruits and vegetables (now ~150,000 pounds annually) from backyards, and farms which are then donated to food banks, soup kitchens, and hundreds of food insecure families.

Dr. Eiswerth serves on the Linking Edible Arizona Forest (LEAF) steering committee as well as the national Gleaner' s Association steering committee. Eiswerth is now spearheading a gleaner's network start-up in Nogales, AZ with USDA funding through Mariposa Health Center.

Recognitions that Eiswerth has received include National Finalist in Community for Sustainable Food, Baha'i "Vision in Action Award", National Garden Crusader Award for Feeding the Hungry, Church Women UN Human Rights Award, and the Hon Kachina Volunteer Award in Arizona. Part of a winning team in a national contest called "Portraits of Compassion", she was recognized by the White House Community Based Initiative twice.

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