Robert Barnett

Background

About Robert Barnett

Over the last decade I have worked mostly with food entrepreneurs, gardeners, farmers, and ranchers in navigating regulations, developing products, and designing new processes. From 2006 to 2012 I was an Instruments & Flight Controls journeyman on US Air Force aircraft, working with integrated electrical, mechanical, and sensing systems. My meritorious service overseas was recognized with an Air Force Achievement Medal. In 2013 I co-founded an entrepreneurship program and competition for middle, high school, and college students called Aspire3. I worked primarily on developing entrepreneurial curriculum aligned with State-mandated requirements and multiple school academic calendars. Then facilitated public school educators, students, and business mentors & coaches to learn together. I studied Industrial Design and Manufacturing Technologies at Ventura College, rapid prototyping with 3D printing, CNC, and laser cutters. I independently studied agroecology and cooperative economics, and became a serial bootstrapper. I dabble in video editing, producing promotional pieces for artists, and special interest topics including farming, gardening, and current events in cooperative development. In 2017 I graduated from the inaugural cohort of the Cal Poly Farmer Experiential Education Development (FEED) Program, and was awarded a Farmer Veteran Coalition Fellowship in 2020. I like to cook from scratch and grow birdseed & flowers for attracting pollinators to my garden.