Katherine Sims, Founder and Executive Director
Katherine Sims founded Green Mountain Farm-to-School in 2008 to improve childhood nutrition and support Vermont farms by connecting schools and farms through food and education. As Executive Director, Katherine is responsible for overseeing the organization, developing GMFTS’ long-range strategic plans, raising funds, publicizing its activities, managing its staff and board. Katherine has a B.A. in history from Yale University where she worked with students to develop the Yale Farm and establish school gardens at local elementary schools. Prior to joining GMFTS, Katherine apprenticed at several farms in northern Vermont. Katherine loves to ski and enjoys raising sheep, chickens and vegetables in Westfield.
See Small Farmer’s Journal article.
Amy Crank, Education Director
Amy Crank joined GMFTS in 2010. As the Education Coordinator, Amy's primary responsibilities are to develop, grow, present, and evaluate GMFTS' educational programming. Amy graduated from Miami University with a B.A. in Education and received a M.S. in Environmental Education from Antioch University. Prior to joining GMFTS, Amy was the Waterville Elementary School After-School Coordinator and an intern for the Clinton Foundation. Amy enjoys gardening, preserving the harvest and making homemade meals with her husband. She looks forward to sharing the joys of local food with youth in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Bennet Rock, Assistant Education Director
Bennett Joined GMFTS in 2011. As the Assistant Education Director, Bennett develops, delivers and supervises the day to day operations of the GMFTS educational programming. In 2004, Bennett obtained a B.S. degree in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He most recently completed a graduate fellowship program through the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where obtained an M.S. in Environmental Education. Bennett enjoys spending his free time connecting with his natural surroundings through outdoor recreation. He is proud to help develop the awareness and attitudes related to healthy food and healthy living in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Lani Meyer, Nutrition and Agriculture Educator, AmeriCorps
Lani joined GMFTS staff in 2011. As a Nutrition and Agriculture Educator, Lani will be teaching after-school programs as well as expanding and evaluating curriculum. Lani developed a passion for sustainable agriculture and horticulture therapy while completing her B.S. in horticulture science from Kansas State University. She helped create the KSU Willow Lake Student Farm and worked on Project PLANTS, an after-school gardening research project. For the last three years, Lani taught environmental education at Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center in northern Georgia. Much of her spare time is spent hiking and playing fetch with her little doggie, Lili, but she also loves music, cooking, and crafts. Lani is excited to learn more about local food education in such a gorgeous environment and loving community.
Caitlin Lorenc, Nutrition and Agriculture Educator, AmeriCorps
Caitlin Lorenc joined Green Mountain Farm-to-School in 2011. As Nutrition and Agriculture Educator, Caitlin will be responsible for growing, presenting, and evaluating GMFTS educational programs. Caitlin graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. While at MSU, Caitlin served as Garden Manager at the Michigan 4H Children’s Garden where she cultivated her love of educating children about the importance of the environment, especially plants. She has taught adult refugees English and American culture at the Refugee Development Center in Lansing, Michigan. Most recently, Caitlin served with Intermountain AmeriCorps as a Washington Reading Corps tutor where she encouraged elementary students in their love for reading. Caitlin is very excited to be serving in the Northeast Kingdom and looks forward to working with students in the garden and promoting the importance of nutrition and local foods!
Christopher Venegas, Farm-to-School Program Director
Chris joined GMFTS in August of 2011 to manage the Farm Direct program, reach out to prospective partners, and build relations with existing Farm-to-School partners. Chris has a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.S. in Philosophy from Central Michigan University where he developed the student-ran community garden “Campus Grow.” Chris had been working with various organic farms and a food cooperative during the last 6 years spent in Michigan. After graduation, he moved to Vermont in May of 2011. Impressed by the natural beauty of Vermont, Chris spends his weekends hiking, cycling, and snowboarding whenever possible.
Leah Gable, Farm-to-School Coordinator, AmeriCorps
Leah Gable joined GMFTS in 2011. As a Farm-to-School Coordinator Leah works with schools to develop, implement, and evaluate Farm-to-School activities. In 2010 Leah graduated from Dickinson College with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor Women and Gender Studies. Prior to joining GMFTS Leah worked at Gould Farm’s Boston Area Program as a residential advisor. She has also volunteered for her college farm, the Food Project in Lincoln, MA, and for a summer camp at the City Schoolyard Garden at Buford Middle School. Leah loves to travel and discover new recipe ideas, cooking with local food, and social justice. She’s so excited to be living and working with the community in the Northeast Kingdom.
Will Carmines, Farm-to-School Coordinator, Americorps
Will Carmines joined Green Mountain Farm-to-School in 2011. As a Farm-to-School Coordinator, his job is to coordinate the purchasing of local organic food for schools, support GMFTS workshops and field trips, and develop strong partnerships between local farms and schools. Will graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2011 with a B.A. in English. During his senior year there he completed an oral history project focused on the foodscape of a local neighborhood for their first reunion. Starting in October 2011 he worked as an intern with Nine Acre Farm in Oakdale, CA while serving with Americorps as an afterschool programs tutor in Waterford, CA, where he established a school garden. Will is thrilled to be living in such a food conscious area and looks forward to learning about Vermont’s local food and farms while enjoying all the outdoor recreation the Northeast Kingdom has to offer.