Sarah Ford 

Sarah Ford is the Dreamer, Visionary and Inspiration behind the QC Collective. As an independent journalist living and working in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River, she has written numerous articles on key topics related to creative endeavors, environmental initiatives and human interest. She has been dreaming and planning for new business approaches for years and has devised a number of important new models for community and people coming together to improve the quality of life for all. The QC Collective has evolved from her passion to be a responsible and involved part of growing the Village of Port Byron with a new "brand" for sustainability and is actively working with community leaders to make that vision a reality. You can find her inspirational writing in a variety of periodicals in the Quad cities like the Dispatch and the Radish.

Andy Skadberg, Ph.D.

Andy's professional career and experiences have involved many roles and responsibilities in rural economic development, environmental conservation and tourism. Over time, he has gained recognition as an expert on rural issues and solutions, the development of technology tools and the use of the Internet for the development of information and educational resources to support business development, with an emphasis on the "rural - urban nexus". Before returning to Texas A&M, Andy helped found AdventGX, a start-up tourism consulting company that spun out of Texas A&M University. Andy is excited to be part of Sarah's vision to create new ways to gather and support friends, and to stimulate new business. The QC Collective, he believes, represents the essence of what is going to transform the world - vision, passion, creativity and cooperation.