Laura Carbonneau (she/her) is the Marketing Manager for Food Connects. She has an M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems and focuses on food systems education for communities and youth, with an emphasis on increasing awareness, knowledge, and access. Laura has varied experience in food systems working in restaurants, school foodservice, urban farms, retail operations, and teaching cooking classes. In 2021, she received a Trendsetter Award from the Business Journal of Greater Keene, Brattleboro, & Peterborough. 

Martha (she/her) co-directs the Agroecology & Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC), a community of practice at the University of Vermont. As part of a team that is dedicated to co-creation of knowledge and people-led processes of transformation, Martha's current focus is on issues of justice within the food system including questions around food security/food sovereignty, and land access. A mix of engaged research projects and courses pushes her to keep learning, unlearning, and reimagining what is possible.

Kevin (he/him) teaches at Tufts University as the Professor of Practice in Food Systems and manages the Farmer Training Program at New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. An advocate for food systems transformation, his professional experience includes working with students and small-scale diversified farmers in California, Colorado, and New England. He’s also a relatively new dad and amateur mycologist that enjoys exploring natural landscapes. Kevin received a PhD in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz.

Kathy Engle-Dulac (they/them) is a community organizing social worker, dedicated to expanding public conversations around food justice to include the voices of people with lived experience. Through visioning, launching, coordinating, and directing the food programs at the Institute for Community Research, Kathy has maintained a focus on putting young people in charge of conversations about how to make the food system work for everyone.

Jennifer Fontaine (she/her) joined the Haven in 2008 after twelve years in the for-profit business sector. Jennifer holds a BA in Social Work, an MS in Human Services, is a graduate of Leadership Upper Valley and the Common Good Vermont Nonprofit Management certificate program. She serves as Co-Chair of the Hunger Council of the Upper Valley, a steering committee member of Upper Valley Strong, and on several other community food justice workgroups.

Arthur Johnson (he/him) is a long-term Providence community worker and community guy.  Arthur works with The African Alliance and Bami Farm to bring fresh vegetables to the inner city.

Sis Robin (she/her) is a resident of Rhode Island and an active worker with Bami farms of Johnston, RI. Robin is also an active Gardner at the Prairie Ave community garden in Providence, RI. She's part owner of a new upcoming business called Driveway Giveaways, which brings communities together through providing healthy food and teaching proper food preparation and preservation. Robin was a Food Inspector for several years in the state of Georgia. She's also a Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother.

Shawn is the Program Director for Seacoast Eat Local where he is responsible for the management and oversight of fundraising, finance, communications, program development, and general organizational administration. He has previously worked in management of local food co-ops for several years and enjoys creating deeper connections between people and where their food comes from. Shawn is a new dad who loves spending time outside with his son and wife at their home in Epsom, NH.

Claudette (she/her) is a Business Development Consultant and Cultural Broker with extensive experience in intercultural communications for both for-profit and nonprofit sectors. As Executive Director of In her Presence, she sits on multiple boards in Portland and is deeply connected to community-based initiatives across the city. As a community leader who has herself gone through the immigration process, she has a unique ability to anticipate challenges New Mainers face.

Andrea O’Donnell is the Sustainability Coordinator of the Ipswich Shellfish Group. She holds a Master of Science in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston and her Bachelor of Science in Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of New Hampshire. She relocated to the North Shore of MA from Charleston, SC after working in sustainable seafood at the South Carolina Aquarium. Andrea's background also includes years of experience in environmental education and oyster reef restoration.

Lylee (she/her) prides herself on being a generalist of many subjects, and has spent the last decade focused on community building and local food. She is the Communications Manager and Outreach Coordinator for the Center for an Agricultural Economy. Her background includes degrees in visual art and urban planning; her experience ranges from art educator and researcher, to chef, and gardener. She shows her love by feeding people and can often be found in the kitchen, or on a walk with her wife and dog.

Chef Raquel (she/her) graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education after completing her externship at Le Bernardin. Raquel quickly realized her love for teaching and created A Pinch of Salt focusing on preparing healthy, inexpensive and easy to create meals that utilize farmers markets and local ingredients.  Chef Raquel also offers mentoring and culinary education to low income, aspiring entrepreneurs. Chef Raquel is on the board of GVI, Cook & Grow and is Co-Chair Food Policy Council of Bridgeport.

Jenn (she/her) is passionate about addressing issues of social and economic inequality through the food systems lens. She spent a decade working in food education and access in New York City and New York’s Hudson Valley. Before joining the team at Full Plates, she worked with the Maine DOE to launch Maine’s Harvest of the Month program, a local food initiative for public schools. Jenn is a graduate of Wesleyan University, where she received her BA in Film Studies and holds an MA in Food Studies from NYU. 

Miriam (she/her) has worked with food-related non-profits in New England for almost 20 years, with a focus on vegetable production, youth development, and food access. Currently, she is the Agricultural Operations Manager at The Trustees, where she supports farmers and operations across five farm sites in eastern Massachusetts. Working towards a healthy food system requires collaboration across sectors and Miriam is excited to be involved with FSNE!

Douglas Stuchel is an Associate Professor in the Hospitality College, Food & Beverage Management Department at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is a member of the Society of Hospitality & Foodservice Management and has over 30 years in the Food & Beverage industry.  He served two terms on the Rhode Island Food Policy Council and has a small duck farm called Doug's Ducks. He is passionate about sustainability, the environment and a fair and equitable food system for all.

Becca Toms (she/her) is the Communications Coordinator for the Sustainable Food Systems program at UConn Extension.  Her work specifically focuses on providing support and resources for farmers throughout Connecticut and helping CT consumers have a better understanding of who their farmers are, what goes into food production, and how to make local food more accessible. She also farms when she's not at the computer.

As the Program Manager, Charissa (she/her) oversees the professional development offerings at Mass Farm to School and works with all farm to school stakeholders to drive local food sourcing and education in schools across the Commonwealth. Growing up in the city and suburbs of Boston, while also spending summers growing food on her grandparents farm in the mountains of Puerto Rico, her experiences cultivated in her a diverse perspective on life, the environment, and the places people call home.