Who we are

Americans for the Common Good is a Washington, DC-based advocacy organization dedicated to advancing federal policy that modernizes American agriculture and strengthens the US food system. We work with key stakeholders to build support for practical, common sense legislation that delivers real results for American farmers, consumers, and taxpayers. We were founded on the belief that the most effective agricultural policy is both forward-looking and fiscally grounded.

our approach

Our team brings decades of experience in federal advocacy, agricultural policy, and stakeholder engagement. We meet decision-makers where they are and make the case for smart, forward-looking agricultural policy that reflects the economic realities facing American food producers today. 

We work across party lines because the issues we care about - food security, supply chain resilience, and American competitiveness in global agricultural markets - don’t belong to either party.  We also believe that a well-functioning, modern food system is an ethical one.

Our Team

A man with short dark hair, light skin, and blue eyes, smiling outdoors with a blurred green background.

Ariel Nessel

Ari is a veteran advocate and philanthropist whose work on agricultural reform and food policy has spanned two decades. He founded Americans for the Common Good to bring a pragmatic, relationship-first approach to federal agricultural policy.

Founder & President
A man with a beard in a suit and tie standing in front of American flags.

Eric deeble, VMD

Eric previously served as Senior Policy Advisor for Agriculture in the office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Policy Director at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and most recently as Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA. Eric is a large animal veterinarian who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.

Executive Director
Close-up of a woman with medium skin, curly dark hair, smiling, wearing a red dress and a silver necklace with a turquoise pendant.

leah crowder

Vice President, Federal Relations

Leah previously served as a US policy advisor to global energy and technology companies and as a policy fellow at the New America Foundation. Leah was also a doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford Faculty of Law, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

Ready to Influence Change?

Submit your inquiry now. Together, we’ll design policy that wins.