Kelli Bowen

Kelli Bowen is a lifelong North Dakotan. She grew up in a very rural area – a small ranch between two towns with a combined population of only 126 people. Living next to a waterfowl production area, her love for both agriculture and conservation began in that rural setting from a very young age.

In 2020, Bowen started researching her county’s soil conservation district (SCD) when a friend, who worked for the local SCD, posted on social media that they needed to fill vacant positions on the board. After attending a few meetings, she submitted her application and was appointed to the county board in early 2021. Bowen enjoyed this role so much that in November 2022 she also joined the North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts board.

Bowen works as the logistics lead for the region’s largest independent seed company, providing soybean, corn and wheat seed to dealers in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. She also provides social media content for the North Dakota Farm Bureau through her blog.

Bowen lives with her husband of almost 20 years, Jayson; their two daughters; and two dogs. They live in Casselton, 20 miles from Fargo. In their down time, the family enjoys camping, bonfires, swimming, hiking and kayaking. Hosting holidays and friends with crockpots and salads (not made of lettuce) are frequent in the colder months. Bowen hopes to hone her leadership skills to become a better communicator and be a more effective soil conservation advocate in the upcoming cohort.