Speakers

Cyrena works at the Connecticut Department of Agriculture on CT Farmlink and several food access and food system infrastructure grant programs, as well as beginning and BIPOC farmer outreach and co-coordinating the state food policy council.

Kim Stoner has been the Director of Policy & Advocacy for CT NOFA since January, 2023. She is a former CT NOFA Board member and co-founder of the Organic Land Care Program, as well as a long-time activist for climate, environment, and peace. She is a retired scientist at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station.

Monique has built over 30 edible school and community gardens and farms around the northeast, including a 2-acre urban farm in Bridgeport, CT. These days she works as a Soil Health Program Manager for CT NOFA and runs a worm composting business with her son, Justin. She also teaches Soil Management for Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Berkshire Botanical Gardens. She studied ‘The Soil Food Web’ under Dr. Elaine Ingham and teaches microscopy, soil health, and composting to farmers and organizations. Through microscopy and test trials, Monique explores the relationship between living soil and healthy, nutritious food.

Dr. Yonghao Li, a plant pathologist, runs the Plant Disease Information Office at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, Connecticut. He has more than 30 years of experience in gardening, disease diagnostics, and pest management.

Sherlene joined The Carrot Project in 2025 to learn about farm and food business advising, to advise farm and food clients in Connecticut, where she lives, and in surrounding states. She is enjoying working alongside Carrot’s current clients and business advisors. With two decades of program and project management experience in biotechnology and the non-profit sector, Sherlene transitioned her career in 2019 to focus on food systems and agriculture. Her dedication lies in implementing solutions that address system sustainability, food justice, environmental justice, and health justice.

Freedom Gerardo is co-founder of SEAmarron Farmstead and E&G Community Builders, both of which were founded with one thing in mind: building people power in BIPOC communities. His life is dedicated to organizing youth, teaching them about their individual and collective power – and the power and potential of their communities. Coming from a career focused on ending food insecurity, he is now building a multi-layered, long-term agenda to leverage farming and community organizing to build power and reimagine a new justice and equity centered food system connected to a regional economic ecosystem and revolution in natural building, materials, medicines, and urban revitalization.

AliRose Grabarz came to the CT Department of Agriculture in October of 2021. Before DOAG, she studied Animal Science and Agricultural Economics at the University of Connecticut where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. At DOAG, AliRose manages grant programs for the advancement of CT farms and promotion of agricultural viability in Connecticut.

Eric is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT.org), where his expertise focuses on apiculture (beekeeping), community farming, and intensive market gardening. Eric is the Founder of MEVO.org, a prominent youth-led environmental non-profit organization in New Jersey. While at MEVO he spearheaded and developed the Fresh Roots Farm and Lovewell Farm. These community farms annually engage over 3,000 student volunteers and provide healthy food to the local community. He also partnered with the Ramapough Lunaape Nation to create the Stag Hill Cleanup Program which over the last 15 years has organized over 150 trash clean-ups, engaged more than 4,000 volunteers, and removed 350 tons of illegally dumped waste from the community’s forest lands. He is a Master Beekeeper accredited through Cornell University and has been beekeeping for over a decade. He holds a degree in Ecological Sustainability & Social Change from New York University. Eric has received significant honors for his contributions to public and environmental service such as receiving the 2014 National Jefferson Award for Public Service Benefiting Local Communities.

Kaitlyn Kimball is the co-owner of Sunset Farm, a USDA Certified Organic farm located in Naugatuck and Milford, Connecticut. Sunset Farm is a diversified fruit, vegetable, and flower farm, growing on over 10 acres between two locations. Kaitlyn is also the Director of Agriculture at CitySeed, a food justice non profit in New Haven. Kaitlyn is the mother to Spencer and Harper, two rambunctious little farmers. Kaitlyn holds a Masters Degree in Leadership from Quinnipiac University.

Kip Kolesinskas is a Consulting Conservation Scientist. Current projects include assisting agencies, NGO’s, and private individuals with farmland protection, land access, and affordability for new and beginning farmers, farmland restoration, and climate change adaptation strategies. He is the Chair of the Working Lands Alliance Steering Committee, former member of the CT Council on Environmental Quality, and a USDA Climate Adaptation Fellow. Formerly USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist for Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Cian Dalzell works with The Carrot Project and operates Three Maples Market Garden, which he started with his wife in 2010. Cian’s areas of expertise are financial analysis and planning, including cash flow and enterprise budgeting, competitive analysis, business planning, and systems for efficient time management. Cian also brings a decade of experience working in natural foods retail, which informs his market understanding and business planning approach.

Louise serves as an organizer of Connecticut Pesticide Reform (CPR), a coalition of conservation organizations and individuals working to advocate for organic land management policy in Connecticut, including immediate restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Louise is also a co-founder and board member of the Pollinator Pathway, president of the Norwalk River Watershed Association, and serves on the steering committee of the Hudson to Housatonic Regional Conservation Partnership (H2H).

Mia Park is an Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM) Specialist at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. She provides support for field staff and partners to implement systems-based, agricultural practices that reduce risk of pesticides to bees and other beneficial invertebrates. Mia has over a decade of research experience, studying impacts of land management on bees and aquatic invertebrates. She received her M.S. on effects of invasive wetland plants on macroinvertebrates and Ph.D. on pesticide and land use effects on wild orchard bees at Cornell University. Prior to working with Xerces, Mia investigated human impacts on wild and managed bees as a postdoctoral fellow, professor, and consultant. Her appreciation for insects began in her childhood backyard, where they were easy to catch and observe.

Robert Maddox is the owner of Sun One Organic Farm in Bethlehem, CT. The farm operates 4 airbnb’s as well as an event space, and provides produce to the local wholesale market. Rob is an international renewable energy consultant advising large corporations on strategies to procure renewable energy.

Christian Duborg is the Food & Nutrition Policy Analyst at the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity. Joining the Commission in January 2024, Christian is the first person to hold this position, and is tasked with gathering data on food insecurity in Connecticut, presenting reports and recommendations to reduce food insecurity, producing public facing resources, and facilitating coordination and collaboration in the food system. Before joining the CWCSEO, Christian worked as an educator in southern Louisiana, first at Upper Pointe Coupee Elementary School and then at the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, covering every grade level between 4th and 11th at some point in those two positions. Christian holds a BA in Political Science and Arab Crossroads Studies from NYU Abu Dhabi and an MPA from Louisiana State University. Christian lives in Middletown and enjoys sports, board games, and going for hikes with his wife Killian and their dog Bernie.

Aaron McCool is the Director of Operations and Sales for Steadfast Farms, Connecticut’s only USDA-inspected, AGW Humane Slaughter Certified, and USDA Certified Organic poultry slaughter and processing facility. He oversees daily operations, production efficiency, customer relations, and the growth of a vertically integrated system serving more than 130 farms across the Northeast. Known for systems thinking, process innovation, and hands-on leadership, he has helped scale the business through technology integration, regenerative practices, value-added product development, and workforce training. Aaron’s work strengthens regional food security, supports small farms, and advances humane, sustainable poultry production while driving Steadfast’s continued operational expansion and community partnerships.

Jared McCool is the owner and operator of Steadfast Farms. A first-generation farmer and Marine Corps veteran, he grew Steadfast from a small start-up into a vertically integrated regional operation supporting more than 130 farms across the Northeast. Jared is known for advancing humane production standards, regenerative land practices, and innovative farm technology. His leadership has expanded processing capacity, value-added product development, and support services for small farms. Awarded Connecticut’s 2024 Outstanding Young Farmer and a national nominee, Jared continues to champion resilient local food systems, small-farm empowerment, and the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Jules Davis is an entomologist and postdoctoral researcher in the Biology Department at UMass Amherst who works with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to inspire action towards insect conservation. Their research focuses on how flowering cover crops and landscape composition affect bee nutrition and bee-pathogen dynamics in agricultural ecosystems.

Colin is a tireless advocate for the natural world, blending his experience as a master naturalist with his role as a dedicated forest manager. With a profound love for nature and the outdoors, Colin has devoted his adult life to helping others and is most passionate about protecting and preserving our environment. His deep commitment to environmental stewardship drives his work, as he strives to ensure the health and sustainability of ecosystems while fostering a greater appreciation for nature among others.

Colin is the founder and owner of Swamp Yankee Earthcare, providing invasive species management services that ensure that harmful plants are minimized using safe, mechanical methods, preserving the health of the land. Following removal, their ecosystem restoration service helps select and plant beneficial native species, fostering biodiversity and supporting local wildlife, including vital pollinators.

Baylee Drown is a queer farmer, educator, and community builder. Baylee believes in good food for all people. This starts with caring for soil and extends into seeking justice in our food system. Sliding scale CSA, working with meal centers, and acknowledging land history (our land is the home of Nehantic people) are all parts working towards an equitable food system. Baylee earned a BS in Animal Science from MSU in 2009. Baylee worked at Green Mountain College’s diversified farm from 2009-2013. During Baylee’s time at Green Mountain they qualified the farm as Animal Welfare Approval and were a board member for the Stone Valley Food Coop. Baylee earned their MS in Sustainable Food Systems from GMC in 2014, as they were starting to tend the soil in Old Lyme. Baylee completed courses on Uprooting Racism in the Food System, Holistic Management, Soil Health and Climate Change and Compost Facility Management. Baylee enjoys teaching all ages from peer learning (Climate Smart Course), to apprentices, WWOOFers and Lyme Consolidated Elementary Students. Baylee loves bringing people together through farmers’ markets hosted at the Long Table Farm, and volunteering with CFT and CCA.

Ryan Quinn, known as “Quinn,” graduated from Lyme-Old Lyme High School in 2003 then earned his BS in Biology and MA in Education from the University of Connecticut. He is Baylee’s partner in farming and in life. He has a rich and diverse background as a chemistry teacher, farmer, outdoor educator, carpenter, handyman and even as Chief Steward aboard the Kalmar Nyckel, a tall ship sailing out of Wilmington, DE.

At the farm Quinn loves finding the most efficient way to do everything. He is constantly innovating and driving the farm forward. He is responsible for maintenance and infrastructure development. The farmers appreciate his sense of humor and commitment to community camaraderie. Quinn teaches Long Table Farm apprentices how to fix and maintain equipment and develop farm infrastructure.

Quinn volunteers as a Board Member for the Lyme Land Trust. He serves on the stewardship and education committees. He specializes in leading “Night Hikes” through Lyme’s preserved land. You can find Quinn every Saturday at the Lyme Farmers Market at Tiffany Farms from June to October. He proudly sells Long Table Farm produce and brews fierce Ashlawn Coffee.

Tracy Lerman (she/her) has worked in the sustainable farm and food systems movement since 2003, as an organizer, researcher, and all around advocate of equitable, just, resilient, and vibrant food systems. Most recently, she was the Assistant Director for Regional Agriculture at GrowNYC, overseeing the Farmer Assistance Program, which provided training and technical assistance to GrowNYC’s Greenmarket and wholesale farmers and aspiring farm business owners in the greater New York City region. Prior to that, she was the Executive Director of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG) for five years. Earlier in her career, Tracy worked in federal and state policy organizing focused on environmental issues, higher education funding, and sustainable agriculture. She holds an M.S. in Community Development from the University of California Davis. She lives in Kingston, NY, with her family.

Hannah Tremblay (they/them) lives in Providence, RI, and is Farm Aid’s Policy and Advocacy Manager, where they manage Farm Aid’s advocacy program and engage a broad coalition in support for policies that strengthen family farmers and family farm agriculture. Hannah has worked as an agricultural technical specialist and a farmer throughout the Northeast and MidAtlantic since 2014. They hold a bachelor’s degree in biology and ecology from Carleton College and an M.S. from Tufts University in Agricultural Science and Food Policy.

Bonnie Blue Farms is our family owned and operated farm in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, just 20 minutes from New Hope, PA, and Lambertville, NJ. Our founder and farmer, Ross Duffield, has years of agricultural experience from growing up on a family dairy farm, managing the farm at the Rodale Institute and the Glasbern Inn, and teaching agricultural classes at Delaware Valley University. Ross continues to do crop consulting in addition to running this regenerative farm specializing in Grass-fed Sheep. All of the farming techniques focus on regenerating and preserving the land while producing high quality crops and livestock. The Duffield family operates in two locations, Wyalusing and Pipersville, Pennsylvania.

Jayne Merner has a passion for enlivening soil. She was raised between the fertile mountains of compost on her family’s Earth Care Farm in Charlestown, RI. Jayne operates Earth Care Farm, which was started by her father, Michael Merner, in 1977. With the help of 3 generations of Merners and a small, dedicated staff, the farm grows produce regeneratively and is most well known for its OMRI certified, high quality Merner’s Gold Compost. Jayne has traveled the world teaching about composting, helping to set up compost facilities and sharing her love of the natural world through her podcast, The Composter, and videos on YouTube.

Robert operates Echo Farm in Woodstock, CT, where he grows vegetables and cut flowers. He is a founding member of the New CT Farmer Alliance and a co-director for UConn Extension’s Solid Ground beginning farmer training program. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve the beginning farmer community in Connecticut as the New Farmer Business Navigator at UConn Extension.

Sarah is a native New Yorker who moved to Connecticut, and over time has realized that there is so much more to life than the city. Her appreciation for the natural world is ever growing, and has led her to take part in canvassing on behalf of environmental movements, cleaning up hiking trails, and educating herself on how to live in harmony with her local ecosystem. When she’s not outside, she is on tour mixing live music, deploying PA systems, and noodling on her instruments. The act of land stewardship has given her more meaning and purpose in life, and she honors the opportunity to express gratitude through action to our planet for being a conduit for her connection to the divine.