Meet the Team

Ryan Wagner is the founder and co-owner of Driftless Provisions, where he combines craftsmanship with a love for the outdoors. His path to running a sausage company has been anything but ordinary—he’s an avid outdoorsman, Marine, Civil Engineer, M.B.A. business manager, and butcher. This unique blend of experiences shapes his hands-on approach and dedication to quality. When he’s not crafting exceptional charcuterie, Ryan can be found chasing after his two energetic kids, Aldo and Eleanor, or exploring the Driftless region with his wife, Kristen. An outdoor enthusiast through and through, he enjoys fly fishing, canoeing, hunting, and hiking. He also finds time to hit the ice for a hockey game or battle it out on the pickleball court.

Ryan is passionate about creating products that bring people together and is grateful for the support of the community as Driftless Provisions continues to grow.

With a career path rooted in organic farming, sustainable food systems and natural health, Kristen has always had an affinity for honoring local food & living in community that shares in the value of good food & taking care of the land. Kristen firmly believes that our food choices have a profound impact—not only on the health of our body and mind but also on the well-being of society, the welfare of animals, and the sustainability of our planet. When Kristen isn't working on all things marketing and events for Driftless Provisions, you likely will find her on outdoor adventures, reading, gardening, and enjoying quality time with Ryan and their littles, Aldo & Eleanor.

After 27 years in hospitality, Matt, a former Executive Chef & service industry veteran said goodbye to the restaurant world in 2020 to explore a new, deeper connection with where the foods we love come from. When he’s not at work stuffing sausages and playing loud rock & roll, he’s probably playing loud rock & roll somewhere else.

Justin grew up in Delaware where he worked in warehouses and eventually a chicken processing plant. He moved to Wisconsin in 2022 and started working at Driftless Provisions to primarily assist with the expansion project. Despite never thinking he'd work in a meat processing facility again, Justin stuck around because he found making good food with the Driftless Provisions team to be so enjoyable.

Allison keeps things running smoothly at Driftless Provisions, making sure every salami finds its way home. Originally from Minneapolis, she landed in the Driftless area in 2023, bringing with her a résumé that reads like an adventure novel: organic farming, summer camp wrangling, pizza slinging, log rolling (yes, really), and non-profit event management.

When not making sure customers are happy and operations are on point, she’s off exploring the great outdoors with her partner Max and their four-legged sidekick, Trudy. Hiking, canoeing, fishing, cribbage battles, audiobooks at 1.5x speed, and cooking fill her free time—though Trudy still insists on winning at cribbage.