At fieldTRUE, we are a knowledgeable, dedicated and innovative group of agriculture, food and community members inspired to align environmental and economic sustainability with evolving consumer food-buying preferences. Our family of employees is the heart of our success and we are excited to grow alongside others who have the same passion and integrity.
As co-founder, President and CEO, Carol Barsotti leads all strategic initiatives for fieldTRUE, bringing local farm box brands into a new chapter of growth, aligned on enhanced customer experience, increased service offerings, business development, new category introduction and the opportunity for more consumers to access delivery of high-quality organic produce and natural grocery.
After starting her career with the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C. and California, Carol joined the family business to challenge and modernize what consumers could expect from a farm box service. Over the past 15 years, she has served in various positions within the organization and played an integral role in the development of the fieldTRUE brands. Under Carol’s leadership, fieldTRUE has advanced the customer experience and developed an innovative network of organic farms, natural grocery producers, unique artisan makers and local food banks with the convenience of online shopping, delivery, and donations.
Carol serves as Board President of both the Kathleen Barsotti Non-Profit for Sustainable Agriculture and the Davis Farmers Market Alliance, as well as holding board positions at other philanthropic food and community organizations. Carol holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a Master of Public Administration and Policy from American University. Carol and her husband, Freeman, have four children.
fieldTRUE co-founder and second-generation farmer, Thaddeus Barsotti continues the work his parents began as an advocate for local sustainable food networks. With an emphasis in food system innovation, Thaddeus creates forward-thinking models of environmental and economic sustainability for regional family farms.
Growing up on one of the first certified-organic farms in Yolo County, California, Thaddeus showed an early proficiency in the machine shop and designed custom tractor modifications and tools still used on the farm today. After college, Thaddeus stepped into the role of Farm Manager, actively focusing on selecting, growing and introducing exciting specialty produce varieties to farm box members.
As a well-spoken and passionate champion for a healthy agricultural landscape, Thaddeus’ expertise will help ensure the viability of family-owned farms, augment and innovate the fresh food supply chain, and bring greater awareness of modern farming practices to the broader food community. He advocates a return to better quality food products as well as protecting and extending the future of both beginning and multi-generational farms amidst an increasing trend of conglomerate and international influence over food production in the United States. Thaddeus participates in panels and conferences and speaks with the media as an industry expert. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo. Thaddeus and his wife, Moyra, have three children.
As co-founder and Chief Strategy and Integration Officer, Freeman Barsotti’s focus is on shaping strategy and enhancing business operations and efficiencies across a broad portfolio of food, agriculture, retail, industrial and technology relationships and partners.
From an early age, Freeman demonstrated an aptitude for finance and business by engaging in projects aimed at enhancing and fortifying various aspects of the family's operations. This included optimizing and strengthening their organic farm, market programs, retail specialty store in the San Francisco Ferry Building, and farm box subscription service. As the community-supported agriculture farm box program began to gain traction, Freeman leveraged his skills to develop a sophisticated grocery delivery routing system to better serve the increasing demand for organic produce home delivery.
Today, Freeman drives innovative logistics and technology development, strategically optimizing an efficient mechanism for delivery of fresh produce and groceries directly to consumers. He continues his commitment to building a strong financial model for farmers and food makers to connect their products directly to an appropriate customer base. Freeman holds a bachelor’s degree in Bio-Resource and Agricultural Engineering from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, and a master’s degree in Business from Pepperdine University. Freeman and his wife, Carol, have four children.
With over 20 years’ experience in grocery, bakery and warehouse operations, Michelle Silvestri leads fieldTRUE’s regional farm box production across the company’s facilities and virtual hubs in California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.
With a passion for wellness and healthier food access for all, Michelle directs fieldTRUE’s operational forecasting, inventory and workforce management, grocery procurement, business-to-business initiatives, food safety programs and production design efficiency. An overarching goal is to strengthen the ability of each region’s farm box program to provide high-quality, organic produce and natural grocery farm boxes to more individuals and families. Key priorities include identifying new opportunities to reduce food waste and harnessing advancements in sustainable packaging.
Michelle joined fieldTRUE with a genuine enthusiasm for and excellence in identifying and leveraging the individual strengths of others. Her talent for fostering cohesive teams and cross-department efficiencies lies in her ability to invest in the growth and development of her team members, earning recognition and praise for her commitment to their professional advancement. By prioritizing their success, she creates a collaborative and empowering environment that contributes to the overall strength and effectiveness of the larger fieldTRUE organization and family of employees. Michelle and her husband Nate enjoy spending time with their two children, enjoying good food, live music, sports and outdoor activities.
Courtney Aguiar-Giorgi joined fieldTRUE in 2011, inspired to help develop and grow farm box services by leveraging technology to modernize traditional Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. Motivated by the company’s mission and the dedication of its people, she embraced the opportunity to foster closer connections between the people around the table and the growers and makers who sustain them.
As Vice President of Marketing, Courtney leads brand positioning, subscription marketing, e-commerce acquisitions, and merchandising strategy. Instrumental in shaping fieldTRUE’s customer experience, her contributions include developing the company’s brand reputation, creating its visual and digital identity, improving online functionality and UI/UX design, and fostering collaboration across teams. Contributing to the expansion of fieldTRUE’s offering beyond organic produce, she now leads the development of a robust selection of natural grocery and artisan products through strategic product selection and partnerships.
After earning her degree from St. Mary’s College, California, Courtney established her career in public relations and website design, specializing in food, wine, and agricultural commodities in the San Francisco Bay Area. With childhood roots in farming, she later returned to the Sacramento Valley, working in floral marketing and design before discovering fieldTRUE, where she continued her passion for advancing local food systems through creative, technology-focused online marketing. Courtney and her husband, Christopher, have two children.
Brenda Phillips joined fieldTRUE in 2016 with a strong background in human resources and a blend of experience in various positions within the food industry. As Vice President of Human Resources, Brenda is responsible for human resources, risk management and legal affairs. She has a passion for partnering with executives to meet organizational goals and staying up to date with knowledge of human resource laws, initiatives, and concepts. Brenda began her career at Bel Air before moving into human resources at Raley’s where she served for over 20 years as a leader.
Brenda earned a master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from California State University, Sacramento, and has a bachelor’s degree in Business with a concentration in Strategic Management from CSU-Sacramento as well. She also holds a Human Resources Certification from Sacramento State College of Continuing Education. Brenda and her husband, John, have three children.
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