Contact us
To learn more about the Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI) or to be added to our mailing list, email ffri@siumed.edu or call the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development at 618.453.1262.
Help to spread the word about the FFRI.
FFRI offers marketing materials, social media graphics and articles at no cost, thanks to the generous financial support provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health.
Donations to the Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI) may be made through the SIU Foundation by mail. Please make checks payable to SIU Foundation and note “FFRI” in the memo line.
Mail to: Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development
Farm Family Resource Initiative, MC 6892
Attn: Sharie Cradduck
975 S. Normal Ave.
Carbondale, IL 62901
Meet the FFRI Team
Karen Leavitt Stallman
Program Coordinator
A double alumna of SIU Carbondale, Karen Stallman earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Agriculture Education with a minor in Animal Science.
She worked with University of Illinois Extension in Randolph County for 20 years, serving a decade as unit leader and earlier as youth development extension adviser. Stallman then served as the Director of the Sustainability Initiative and Vice Provost of the Red Bud Campus at Southwestern Illinois College for 9 years, followed by 6 years as Director of Continuing Education and Outreach Director at SIU Carbondale.
Today, she serves as the Program Coordinator for the Farm Family Resource Initiative, managed by SIU School of Medicine's Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development. Karen and her husband farm in Randolph County, raising corn, soybeans, wheat, and beef cattle.
Rachel Brown
Mental Health Specialist
Raised on a family farm, Rachel Brown spent nearly five years working in agriculture before answering a deeper calling to support mental health in rural communities. Now a Licensed Professional Counselor, she serves as a Mental Health Specialist with the Farm Family Resource Initiative and also sees clients at Pepper Brown & Associates in Springfield, IL.
Rachel supports clients with a variety of needs and has special focus areas in trauma, grief, and life transitions. She is passionate about making mental health care more accessible and relatable for those in agriculture and rural areas.
Sharie Cradduck
Agriculture Resource Specialist
Sharie Cradduck is an accomplished professional with a degree in Geography and Geographic Information Systems from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. With 26 years of experience in government service, she has spent the last 16 years as a federal employee with the Department of Defense. Her career also includes five years with the municipal government of O'Fallon, Illinois, and another five years providing contract support for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
Throughout her career, Sharie has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. She is especially excited about her new role as a part-time Agriculture Resource Specialist, where she can combine her passion for agriculture with her dedication to community service. In this position, she looks forward to engaging with farmers and their families while contributing to vital agricultural initiatives.
Sharie’s roots in agriculture run deep. She grew up on her family’s farm outside Coulterville, Illinois—a property that has been in her family since the early 1900s. The farm is known for growing row crops such as soybeans and corn, as well as raising a variety of livestock. This upbringing instilled in her a lifelong love for farming and rural life.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Sharie and her husband enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including gardening, hunting, traveling, and camping. She is also a proud mother of two—a daughter and a son.
Emily Reinhardt
Marketing Specialist
Emily Reinhardt is a full-time dairy farmer in Red Bud, Illinois, where she farms alongside her husband and in-laws. Together they milk about 240 Holsteins and grow corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa. Emily and her husband are also raising their young daughter on the farm, making family a central part of their daily life.
She grew up on a grain farm, watching both of her parents farm full-time together. Emily attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she majored in Plant and Soil Science. After graduation, she worked as a researcher in SIU’s Weed Science Department before transitioning to life on the dairy.
Over the past year, Emily has managed FFRI’s social media presence. She now serves as Marketing Specialist, where she is excited to expand her role in sharing resources and connecting with farm families across Illinois.