Staff
Heidi Lynch (she/her) Executive Director [email protected]
Heidi is passionate about growing community resiliency through spaces that reconnect people and food. She grew up in Rutland, worked on small farms throughout Vermont and abroad, and began volunteering with VFFC in 2012. Heidi founded and led VFFC’s Farmacy Project from 2014-2019, and began serving as VFFC's Operations Director in 2020 when staff and programming grew significantly in response to community food needs. In 2022, Heidi was appointed VFFC's first Executive Director. She holds a BA in Art and Global Studies from Saint Michael’s College and worked for Antioch Education Abroad in India for several years before returning home to Vermont. Most days Heidi can be found hiking, snowboarding or gardening with her family here in the Green Mountains.
Emma Hileman (she/her) Program Director [email protected]
Emma originally found her love of good homegrown food growing up in the blue ridge mountains of southwestern Virginia and tending to the family garden - in her years at Ithaca College her love and interest in local food flourished. Emma became involved with the Vermont Farmers Food Center and the Farmacy Project while finishing up her master's degree in macro social work with Boston University after she made the green mountains her home in 2018. She has spent time as a crew leader on farms in upstate New York and western North Carolina and received her bachelor’s in Environmental Studies. As a board member of the Rutland Free Clinic and a health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition her focus is to make preventative healthcare a priority for Rutland county using food as medicine. As program director she strives to find all the ways in which local, healthy food can become a part of the everyday lives of Vermonters. Emma is also a lover of the outdoors and can be found in her free time hiking in the white mountains of New Hampshire, kayaking on many a Vermont lake or tending to her community garden plot in Ludlow, Vermont.
Melinda Laben-Hardt (she/her) Procurement Specialist [email protected]
Melinda believes wholeheartedly in the power of building local communities, micro food systems, and sustainable agriculture. She grew up on a small family dairy farm in Western New York, where her love for all things 'farm' was first cultivated. She earned a B.S. in Recreation, Adventure Travel and Ecotourism from Paul Smith's College, then spent her 20's working at various Outdoor, Environmental and Farm education centers throughout the country. Moving to Vermont in 2011, she pursued work in the recreation and the animal health industry, finally becoming part of the Vermont Farmer Food Center team in 2018. Melinda ran the FaBEL education program at VFFC until 2022, at which point she switched roles to Procurement Specialist. Her job revolves around the details to connect growers to buyers, and keeping all the moving parts in order. In her spare time she owns and runs an instructional archery business, Aim for Archery. She lives in Salisbury Vermont, with her husband Josh Hardt, and their 3 sons, River, Leif and Nolan, where they manage a 36 acre farmstead, growing much of their own produce and raising pigs, turkeys, chickens, ducks and various other critters.
Tracy Weatherhogg (she/her) Facilities and Fulfillment Manager [email protected]
Tracy began her relationship with VFFC in 2012 when she served the Grace Congregational UCC Church as Associate Minister and volunteered on Sunday afternoons helping to transform the vacated, industrial property into a viable facility. She continued as a volunteer when the Farmacy Project began in 2015. In the fall of 2019, she began to help with general operations. In April 2020, when COVID-19 shut down the indoor farmers market, Tracy helped to coordinate VFFC’s Online Market which began as a way for farmers and producers to continue to offer their local produce, meat, dairy, bakery, and specialty items to their customers in a safe and convenient way. The Online Market continues today. Currently, Tracy serves as VFFC’s Facilities and Fulfillment Manager providing oversight and management of VFFC’s campus grounds, facilities, and food distribution systems. Tracy enjoys bringing people together and helping to create community, especially when food is involved! Being a part of creating a food system that supports local farmers and brings more local food access to everyone is exciting and challenging, especially in these times. In addition to her work at VFFC, Tracy is the part-time pastor of the Pawlet Community Church, co-chair of the Rutland County Hunger Council, and a member of the Resource Development Committee of Rutland Co. Habitat for Humanity. She also participates in 350 Rutland and the Root Words project. Tracy enjoys hiking, kayaking, playing tennis, attending local sporting events, and spending time with her family.
Wayne Morrissey (he/him) Bookkeeper [email protected]
Wayne Morrissey grew up in North Providence Rhode Island and moved to Vermont in 1993. Wayne has been with the organization since 2017 as bookkeeper. He acquired an Associates Degree in 2019 in bookkeeping and accounting from the Community College of Vermont in Rutland. Wayne enjoys hiking and being outdoors and lives in Rutland with his wife, dog, and two cats.
Julia Anderson (she/her) Planning and Development Director [email protected]
Julia began volunteering at VFFC in 2018 and working here in 2020. She brings a unique blend of experience in land use and strategic planning, federal grant programs management and nonprofit grant writing, government and private sector work.
Since 1995, her work has conserved tens of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat and farmland. In addition to easements, she believes that farmland protection requires a robust local agricultural infrastructure as more farms transition away from conventional agriculture operations. Her experience enables Julia to bring practicality and passion to her efforts to help achieve a future where human and natural systems may thrive together, not compete against.
Over her career, Julia has worked for The Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. As a volunteer, she imagined and established Quiet Trails for Quiet Parks International and was Quiet Trails’ first executive director. She served on the boards of the Bexley Natural Market Cooperative, OSU School of Natural Resources Alumni Society (president), and the Middlebury Area Land Trust (vice-president).
Julia has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Land Use from Ohio State University with concurrent graduate work in City and Regional Planning. She enjoys thinking about human and natural systems while hiking quiet trails in Vermont.
Daniel Graves (he/him) Technology Specialist [email protected]
Daniel started with VFFC in March 2025 as an AmeriCorps member with the Lyndon Economic Opportunity AmeriCorps Program (LEAP). He now is on staff as a technology specialist and van driver. He grew up in Middletown Springs, VT, where he currently lives. He studied Environmental Science at Brown University, graduating in May of 2024. After college, he hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia. Daniel loves exploring nature, and is passionate about environmental conservation and local communities.
Lisa Fennimore (she/her) VFFC Culinary Training Program Creator
Chef Lisa Fennimore (she/her) has educated folks about choosing, preparing, and preserving fantastic food throughout her professional life. She grew up in her father’s expansive garden, learning the joys of shelling fresh peas and having hands stained with berry juice, and in her mother’s kitchen, where she learned how to make incredible pie. She has worked in conjunction with the VFFC since itsinception in 2012, when she brought her Stafford Culinary Arts class to help with demolition and yard clean up. In the years since then, she has contributed to Harvest Fests, brought her class to farmsto glean produce for local organizations, and with her business partner and soulmate, Chef Nate Wright, prepared over ten thousand meals for the Everybody Eats program. Lisa has a Bachelor of the Arts in Hospitality and Restaurant Management from New England Culinary Institute, a Bachelor of Music in Education from the College of New Jersey, and a love of differentiating curriculum to reach every single student.
Lisa volunteers as a member of the Stafford Culinary Program Advisory Board, the Rutland Restorative Justice Center Board of Directors, and the Marble Valley Community Band. She lives in Proctor with her favorite Chef, Nate, her ten year old son Jax, and her five rescue animals; two dogs, Blizzard and Bluto, two rescue cats, Billie and Athena, and a ball python named Chaos, who strangely enough is the most peaceful critter in the house.
Hilary Lambert Farm to School Coordinator – Rutland & Bennington Counties
Hilary Lambert is the Farm to School Coordinator for Rutland and Bennington Counties with Vermont Fresh Food Collaborative (VFFC). A lifetime resident of Vermont, Hilary brings more than 27 years of hands-on farming experience in Rutland County and a deep, personal connection to the region’s agricultural community.
Since 2001, Hilary has operated a successful CSA program and began homesteading in East Poultney, where she actively participated in numerous Rutland County farmers markets, including the Rutland Farmers Market, selling fresh fruit pies, produce, and eggs. Through this work, she became an integral part of the Rutland County farm network, helping to build a strong, interconnected farming community stretching from East Poultney to Pittsford.
For the past 15 years, Hilary has taught farm and food education programs, first occupying her Florence farm in 2011 and purchasing it in 2014. There, she raised pigs, chickens, and turkeys, ran a collaborative CSA program, and operated a small bakery. She is accredited as a Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is certified in Sustainable Farming and Food Systems through the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass.
A long-time advocate for local, sustainable food systems and food equity, Hilary developed the Healthy Foods From A–Z program and currently teaches in 65 classrooms each month within the Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union. Her favorite thing to do is share food with her family and community. Hilary firmly believes Vermont can feed all of Vermont—and beyond—through a resilient, caring, and hardworking local food system. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her three Irish Setters, cooking and sharing local food, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is passionate about local food and excited to be part of the VFFC team, enriching the Farm to School initiative in Rutland and Bennington Counties.
Board
Philip Ackerman-Leist - Co-Chair
Philip Ackerman-Leist is the co-founder and Executive Director of Regen by Design (RxD), a new online education and community-building platform focused on regenerative communities, with food and agriculture at the center. For two decades, Philip was Professor of Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems at Green Mountain College, where he established the college's 23-acre organic farm, designed and launched the undergraduate program in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, and founded and directed the nation’s first online graduate program in food systems. Prior to launching RxD, Philip served as Dean of Professional Studies from at Sterling College in Vermont for two years, where he established the college’s first online educational initiatives and professional certificates. Philip and his family raise grass-fed American Milking Devon cattle at UpTunket Farm in Pawlet, Vermont. Philip is also the author of A Precautionary Tale: How One Small Town Banned Pesticides, Preserved its Food Heritage, and Inspired a Movement; Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable, and Secure Food Systems; and Up Tunket Road: The Education of a Modern Homesteader. He believes the Vermont Farmers Food Center represents the future of local food systems in the US. |
Ryan Yoder – Co-Chair
Ryan grew up in Nepal, providing him a firsthand view of the emerging global ecological crisis, as well as strong opinions about sustainable living. After obtaining a philosophy degree, Ryan spent over a decade in the field of experiential education, leading cultural immersion trips to India, wilderness therapy, and farm based education therapy. Ryan now co-owns Yoder Farm with his Wife Rachel in Danby, VT. They are committed to regenerative agricultural practices, deescalating the ecological and health crises, and expanding the calorie options available to local customers. After several years on the VFFC board of directors Ryan is excited to see the organization maturing and stabilizing while it lays the foundation for Rutland's future food system. He is honored to be a part of this endeavor. |
Raymond DiPrinzio - Secretary
Raymond A. DiPrinzio has or is serving in a variety of positions on several Non-Profit, educational or community boards for a diverse group of organizations including the Classic Stage Company (Executive Committee, Development Committee, Finance Committee); Christodora (inner city middle and high school environment education, leadership training, summer and school year programming), Cornell University Program on Infrastructure Policy (Advisory Board, Executive Committee); 327 CPW Board of Managers (condo board). Ray’s professional roles as an infrastructure banker provides him with expertise and decades of experience in evaluating a wide range of public use infrastructure projects (examples include environmental facilities including drinking water pipelines, waste water treatment plants, solid waste disposal facilities; hospital and educational facilities, intercity and intra city rail facilities; electric vehicle charging and micro grid infrastructure; district and campus heating facilities; airport terminals). Ray brings this expertise to VFFC in the areas of development, financial planning and budgeting and infrastructure development. As a longtime (30+ years) part-time (and full time ) resident of Shrewsbury, where he owns a home with his late wife Lisa Garson and sons Harry and Charlie, he has been a strong supporter of VFFC and welcomes the opportunity to serve the diverse community of stakeholders throughout Rutland County in furtherance of VFFC’s important and crucial mission. |
Scott Garren - Treasurer
Scott has been a full time resident of Shrewsbury, Vermont for the last 20 years. He has perviously served on the board of Directors for Spring Lake Ranch, Brookline PAX, Brookline Underground Railroad Committee, Brookline Sister City Committee and Treasurer at Pass It On Guatemala, as well as numerous political organizations. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and For over 30 years, Scott has provided information technology solutions for clients. He has worked with a multitude of libraries, schools, districts, and state departments of education to plan, design and implement effective computer and network systems. He has also served as a project manager, and Director of Marketing for a number of IT companies and assisted Fortune 100 companies in developing worldwide voice and data networks. Scott is honored to be serving on the Vermont Farmers Food Center's board of directors, working at the local level to bring positive change to our communities. |
Ingrid Wisell
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Whitney Burgess
Whitney grew up in the Rutland area and has always had a love for the outdoors. It was during college that she found a love for agriculture while working with local producers during the summer seasons. After earning her bachelor’s in biology and environmental studies in 2016 from Saint Michael’s College, concentrating on Wildlife Conservation and Management, Whitney worked at a local sheep farm for several years providing care for the animals and the farmland that supported the operation. Whitney now works as an Agricultural Outreach Specialist for the Conservation Districts in Bennington and Rutland Counties, including the Rutland, Bennington and the Poultney-Mettawee Conservation District. In this role, Whitney provides local producers with resources and knowledge to help them improve farm water quality and comply with Vermont’s required agricultural practices. |
DeMetris Reed Jr.
Dr. DeMetris Reed, Jr. was born in Houston, Texas and raised in the small but growing rural town of Montgomery, Texas. He attended The Prairie View A&M University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. His Master of Science degree was obtained at West Texas A&M University where he researched beef quality and yield on over 40,000 head of cattle while at the Beef Carcass Research Center in Canyon, Texas. Reed also served as the graduate assistant manager of the meat lab. He received his Ph.D. in Animal Science with emphasis in Meat Science at The North Dakota State University where he was also the Graduate Student Director of NDSU BBQ Boot Camp for two years and President of the Animal Science Graduate Student Organization. Currently, he is the Assistant Professor of Meat Science at Sul Ross State University. In his spare time, he enjoys going camping, cooking BBQ, and enjoying time with family & friends. Reed and his wife have two sons. |
Ludy Biddle
Ludy is the recently retired Executive Director of the non-profit NeighborWorks of Western Vermont which has a mission of transitioning people from rental arrangements to home ownership. Ludy led NeighborWorks for 20 years after spending most of her career working in the arts. |
Tatiana Abatemarco Tatiana is passionate about the right to food, food justice, and resilient and sustainable food systems. She has a PhD in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont, a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota, and is a proud Green Mountain College alumni. Tatiana directed the Food Security Innovation Lab at the Vermont Foodbank and taught Food Studies at Bennington College. She has published philosophy and qualitative research on food systems and food security. Tatiana lives in Mt Holly with her partner and two children and loves practicing permaculture, wandering in the woods, and getting lost in a good book. |
Greg Cox - Chair Emeritus |
Ingrid is a lifelong Vermonter who grew up in Shrewsbury. As a child, Ingrid and her sisters were told what items on their plate had been grown in their family garden. It was with a sense of pride when the entire meal was grown/raised within miles of their home. The seed was planted from a young age that having a connection to one's food is incredibly important. Ingrid earned a BA in Spanish and Spanish for Business from Castleton University. While at Castleton, Ingrid was inspired by a presentation Greg Cox gave her Horticulture & Medicinal Plants class. Greg focused on the importance of spending your money with local farmers versus large corporations, and the impact of his presentation has stayed with her 20 years later. Ingrid feels passionate about supporting the Rutland community and believes VFFC plays a central role to that end. Ingrid worked for many years in the Business Office at Spring Lake Ranch where she was part of a true farm to table community. Most recently, she worked at Neighborworks in the role of Senior Staff Accountant and Grants Compliance Manager. Ingrid lives in Mt Holly with her husband and two daughters who love spending time outside and exploring the woods.
