Our Team

Kate joined the Wolfe’s Neck Center team in 2023 with a background in nonprofit management and philanthropy. Most recently Kate served as Vice President of Investor Relations and Board Governance at Upstream USA, a national nonprofit working to increase access to contraceptive care. In that role, Kate worked closely with the CEO to build and lead a strategic development function to support Upstream’s continued growth and impact nationally. Prior to joining Upstream, Kate held senior leadership roles at Liminality Partners, a philanthropic advising firm and the GreenLight Fund, a national venture philanthropy funding nonprofit organizations with a particular focus on sustainability, evidence of impact and innovation.

Kate studied Political Science and History at both the London School of Economics and the National University of Ireland in Galway. She received a BA in History from Colorado College and an MBA in nonprofit management from Brandeis University.

In her free time, Kate enjoys exploring all of Maine’s natural attractions with her husband Henry and their two children.

After 20 years in the land conservation realm and being an integral part of a growing organization supporting operations to do this amazing work along the coast of Maine, I had the opportunity to step away and explore new personal challenges.  I found the new position as the Finance & Administration Manager at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in 2016 an ideal opportunity for me to bring my experience and passion for effective organizational development to the growth and transformation currently happening here.  It is a joy to come to work every day to a beautiful location and work with a great group of people who are honoring the past and looking innovatively to the future in all diverse areas of operations here at Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment.

I have oversight of the financial management of organizational operations and seek opportunities to support all staff in creating systems to work most effectively in support of a growing and dynamic organization.

When I am not working, I spend as much time as I can outdoors enjoying Maine with my family and friends.

In addition to his work at Wolfe’s Neck Center, Dorn is a farmer working his 250-acre certified organic family farm in New Hampshire. As a founder of the FarmOS software platform and the Farm Hack community, he is passionate about sharing open-source agricultural tools, software, and data to accelerate innovation and quantify environmental services from regenerative agriculture. He has a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire in Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science.

I grew up on a farm in Nebraska and have always had a passion for sustainable agriculture with my first enterprise being pastured chickens and sweet corn sales. My interest in scaling soil health practices nationally and internationally through systemic changes has brought me to WNC.

I coordinate the global community for the Open Technology Ecosystem for Agriculture Management (OpenTEAM) initiative, bringing together stakeholders across the agricultural value chain to facilitate a community and technological platform to support farmers in improving soil health.  This open, collaborative community will help facilitate points of connection for farmers to better access agricultural data insights, ecosystem markets, and other conservation incentives, regardless of geography, production system or farm scale.

In my free time, I enjoy being active outside and bringing people together through a home cooked meal.

Paddy Fallon is a longtime New Englander with ancestral ties to the Freeport-Brunswick area. Born in Pittsburgh, Paddy has lived in Massachusetts for 40 years and started spending time in Maine in the last few years. Paddy spent a large portion of his career at the intersection of printing, publishing, and technology before following his passion for organic foods and healthy living at Trader Joes in customer service and management. He and his wife Kate enjoy camping and the adventures they can go on with their RV, which is how they found Wolfe’s Neck Center. Paddy supports the Center in many ways; weekend campground staff support, maintenance team member, off-season campground reservations and administration manager, and pizza night oven-tender, as well as special project lead. Paddy and his co-pilot Jenny are often and about on campus – make sure to say hello when you see them!

I was born and raised on a ranch in the Sandhills of southwest Holt County, Nebraska, where we raised beef cattle, dairy cattle and bison. I obtained an MFA in poetry, which enabled me to publish a full-length collection of poems and work as a college professor for several years teaching writing and literature before returning to agriculture full-time.

In addition to owning and managing several organic dairy, micro-dairy and creamery businesses, I have previously worked in ag policy, grassroots environmental organizing, and local food cooperative distribution. Along with my wife Tammy and our daughter Charlotte, we also operate Holt Creek Jerseys, a grass-fed dairy cattle and genetics business that I began when I was 10 years old.

Life-long learning is important to me and I look forward to helping others make the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program at Wolfe’s Neck the best it can be.  I believe that by working with nature, utilizing research, and enabling innovation, members of the dairy team here can become leaders in the exciting future of regenerative food production.

Alex joined Wolfe’s Neck Center as the Farms Networks Coordinator with a background in agricultural research, farm community outreach, and education. She will manage the farmer networks that WNC supports (Maine Soil Health Network & New England Grazing Network), lead our on-site ecosystem monitoring and our integration with OpenTEAM as a hub farm, and serve as a mentor to research interns and openTEAM fellows. An ecologist by training, Alex views agriculture from a systems and community-centered perspective and loves building connections between food production principles, farmer wellbeing and livelihood, and food system resilience.

Prior to coming to WNC she completed her M.S. in Ecology from the University of California, Davis, where she built expertise in on-farm and farmer-driven research, soil health principles, and climate resilience. While at UC Davis, she served as a mentor and educator and taught numerous classes on sustainable agriculture, agroecology, and food systems. Alex is also passionate about community organizing and food justice. In 2021 she helped start an urban farm and community garden with the non-profit NorCal Resist, which currently serves as a key source of fresh and accessible produce for NorCal Resist’s mutual aid network in Sacramento, CA.

Originally from Massachusetts, Alex is excited for the opportunity to reconnect with the New England farming community and to work and live in Maine! In her free time, she can be found exploring either on cross country skis, hiking trails, or camping, as well as cooking with friends, and working on pottery projects at the ceramic studio.

Hayes is a native of the New Gloucester area and comes to Wolfe’s Neck Center with a passion for agriculture. He grew up with an extensive garden and chickens, which taught him from an early age the importance of sustainably grown food. He has held a myriad of roles, from landscaping to construction to facilities management, and is excited to be making a difference in the area where he grew up.

When not mastering all things grounds and facilities at Wolfe’s Neck Center, you can find him at home or exploring with his family.

I was immediately captivated by the beauty of this place, and its potential to play a more meaningful role in creating a sustainable and regenerative future for farming, food, and the planet. The opportunity to lead the organization towards a renewed focus and vision was one that really excited me when I became Executive Director in 2012 and even more so today.

I strive to bring my best self to work every day so that I can provide the leadership and vision necessary to move the organization forward.

When I’m not at work, I like to spend as much time as possible outdoors with my wife and two daughters traveling and exploring.

Dwight moved to Maine in 2015 to start a Maine Organic Famers and Gardeners Association Apprenticeship at Morning Dew Farm in Newcastle and Damariscotta. After 5 seasons with Morning Dew, Dwight helped manage the vegetable production at Sheepscot General Store and Farm in Whitefield for two seasons before joining Wolfe’s Neck Center in April 2022. 

Before moving to Maine, Dwight grew up in Northern California’s Bay Area and studied Diplomacy and World Affairs, and Urban and Environmental Policy at Occidental College in Los Angeles. While serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA, Dwight realized that he needed experience getting his hands dirty if he wanted to help make our food systems more just, democratic and equitable. It took about a week of apprenticing on a small farm in the northern Sierra Nevada to realize growing food was what he wanted to do. Dwight is grateful for the mentorship and friendship of the farmers he’s worked for in California, Vermont and Maine, and he hopes to help create the same learning opportunities for young and future farmers at Wolfe’s Neck Center – while also growing some great food!

 In his free time he likes to stare at trees and fungi, watch soccer, talk about democracy, and slowly make his way through my ever-filling bookshelf.

Nat joins us as OpenTEAM’s Tech Support Lead. In this new role, Nat will serve as a liaison between tech developers and on-farm tech users to help further OpenTEAM’s vision of a farm-ready, open source and interoperable tech ecosystem.

Having grown up in New Hampshire, Nat is thrilled to return to northern New England. While he spent a lot of his childhood outdoors, Nat’s interests in both regenerative agriculture and open source technology developed in college, where Nat studied sustainable food and agriculture systems at Yale University. Throughout his undergraduate career, Nat worked with a number of OpenTEAM technology developers in project management and tech support roles. He also conducted interview-based thesis research with farmers in New Hampshire and Vermont. Nat is thrilled to join OpenTEAM to interface with developers and farmers in order to help facilitate a collaborative and equitable shift toward sustainable agricultural methods.

When he is not working, you can find Nat hiking with his dog, skiing, cooking with friends, or absorbed in a science fiction novel.

Melody first came to Wolfe’s Neck Center in 2019 as a Farm Camp Counselor and has found it hard to wander too far ever since. After graduating from Colby College in 2020 with a major in Environmental Policy, she was an educator for our inaugural Farm Discovery School that fall. In order to become a better agricultural educator, she took an opportunity to be a Farm Intern at North Country School/Camp Treetops in the Adirondacks of New York for a year and a half. During this time she helped care for sheep, horses, goats, pigs, and various poultry, as well as five acres of fruit and vegetable production, all in addition to co-teaching Edible Schoolyard classes! She returned to Wolfe’s Neck in 2022 as the Farm Camp Assistant Director and is excited to follow that position as the Farm Camp & School Programs Coordinator.

Growing up as a 4-Her and with a large backyard garden, her career goal is to share her passion for agriculture and the environment with others. When she is not digging in the dirt or hanging with the animals in the barn, she loves to nordic ski, contra dance, play with her dog, Pip, and bake yummy treats.

Andrew joined Wolfe’s Neck Center in 2018 after moving back to New England from Seattle. During his time here, you will have seen him everywhere from Farm to Table events, moving picnic tables, hunting for salamanders with kids, or doing goat chores in the Education Barn. Andrew’s current focus is ensuring our visitors have incredible experiences, whether it’s at a program, farm camp, or convening in the new Smith Center. When he is not on-site, he enjoys spending time outside, running in the woods, or pretending to be a chef.

Originally from Massachusetts and a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Breton’s educational background is in Environmental Studies and Studio Art. From her experience as a Communications Manager at Living Observatory in Plymouth, MA, she found  purpose in serving environmental organizations from “behind the scenes.” She has done everything from art curation in museums to NRCS soil testing, and wants to use her wide range of skills to aid non-profits with important missions. Wolfe’s Neck Center is an almost unbelievably wonderful place to bring that purpose. Not to mention, she feels lucky to drive alongside the Atlantic to work every day.

In Breton’s free time you can find her printmaking and painting, spotting sea birds on the beach, or making dinner with her best friends in Portland.

Joining us as our OpenTEAM Program Coordinator (Technology & Equity), Anna brings an array of knowledge in technology, design, and equity to OpenTEAM and Wolfe’s Neck Center. Her interest in agriculture is driven by its unique potential to improve soil health, mitigate climate change, and address social equity issues. Her previous experience includes conducting a life cycle analysis for a sustainable greenhouse company, creating data visualizations communicating agricultural topics, and collaborating on OpenTEAM’s Equity in Regenerative Agriculture Collabathon, which included the development of an equity resource guide. Anna brings additional experience from her studies in Creative Technology & Design and Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is excited to continue working with OpenTEAM and Wolfe’s Neck Center, contributing to the success of their community-driven approach while moving towards more equitable outcomes.

I grew up on an island in Maine digging in clam flats, climbing rocks, and exploring the coastal woods around my house so Wolfe’s Neck feels a lot like home to me. I was educated in Maine for the most part, leaving briefly for graduate school and happily returning to live and work in our beautiful state. Most of my professional life has centered around politics and public policy where I focused on issues of conservation, environmental health, and early childcare and education. Connecting people to agriculture and Maine’s coastal environment through festivals, farm-to-table dinners and celebrations at the farm is a wonderful way to highlight this amazing resource. My family and I are fortunate to be neighbors of the farm and live in this incredible area, and I am so happy to be part of the Wolfe’s Neck Center team.

I had a somewhat indoorsy childhood in the near-Chicago suburbs; my first camping trip was a weeklong backpacking trip as a part of my college orientation. I’ve been trying to get back outside ever since, whether it has been for class, work, or play. I graduated from Calvin College in Michigan, double majoring in Environmental Studies and Philosophy, and have been moving from place to place ever since. I have taught basic mountain ecology to the public as a naturalist in Colorado, patrolled campsites as a Recreation Ranger for the Bureau of Land management in eastern Oregon, introduced middle schoolers to the outdoors as a 4H instructor in Bryant Pond, and taught toddlers how to ski at Sunday River before coming to Wolfe’s Neck in Spring of 2019 as a Community and Visitor Programs educator. Now my itinerant days are behind me as I look forward to hunkering down and taking root as the Education Programs Assistant here at Wolfe’s Neck.

When I’m not at Wolfe’s Neck, you can find me birdwatching, climbing fake rocks at the climbing gym, hiking, skiing, or complaining about Chicago sports teams.

Madison joined the Wolfe’s Neck Center staff in 2022 with a background in marketing, communications, and event management. Originally from Massachusetts, Madison attended the University of Vermont where her passion for sustainable food systems flourished as a community organizer with Oxfam America focused on global food justice. After college, Madison spent a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Boston repurposing food waste into 250+ meals per week.  

While living in Boston, Madison found herself in Maine almost every weekend exploring all that it had to offer on foot, on skis or in a kayak. She moved to Maine in 2016 to work in a nonprofit membership and communications capacity, and immediately felt a connection with Wolfe’s Neck Center’s mission and landscape. She is deeply honored to be sharing Wolfe’s Neck Center’s story with all of you.  

In her free time, Madison continues to explore and recreate all over Maine with her partner Cody and their dog Barrett.  

To get in touch, email marketing[at]wolfesneck.org.

Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., Maddy is more than just a chicken wing buff and devoted Bill’s fan. In 2018, she attended University of Plattsburgh in upstate New York where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on nutrition and farming. During those years, she spent time playing rugby and working on a farm producing goat milk. Her experiences and mentors throughout college solidified her career goal of promoting an environmentally and equitably sustainable food system.

Maddy joined Wolfe’s Neck Center as Community Engagement Assistant and couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the team. She views the position as great way to learn even more about thoughtful agriculture and be a part of positive changes.

While not at work you can find her exploring Maine through flea markets, restaurants, camping, and hiking.  Maddy’s companion in all these endeavors is her partner, Shaunessy.

Vanessa joined the Wolfe’s Neck Center team in 2023 with a background in interpretation, wayfinding, and exhibit design. Most recently Vanessa was Interpretation and Exhibits Program Manager at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden (CMBG) where she developed the interpretation program for the Native Butterfly and Moth House, the Learning Apiary, and the Native Bee exhibit. Prior to CMBG, Vanessa worked at the Portland Art Museum designing all the adult programs and developing the interpretation for the Winslow Homer Studio experience.

Vanessa studied art history at Boston University and she has been an exhibiting artist for over 25 years. Her current work focuses on the interrelationship between species and their ecosystems. In her free time, when not in the studio or garden, she likes to sail, ski, and take walks on our local trails.

Cat brings an agriculture and food security background to this role with OpenTEAM. As a student at Colby College, in Waterville, ME, Cat fell in love with Maine and Maine’s agricultural heritage. After graduating, she worked as a Farm and Markets Coordinator with the Somali Bantu Community Association, farming with community members in the harvest seasons, and contributing to fundraising for and the establishment of permanent farmland for Maine’s Somali Bantu community, in the winters. In this role, she gained experience securing grant funding and navigating contracts for agricultural projects. She recently graduated with a masters in Food Security from the University of Edinburgh. While pursuing this degree Cat gained exposure to the complexities of international food systems, and worked with diverse stakeholders to support food security in vulnerable areas of the world. She is eager to be back in her favorite place, and reconnect with local and national food systems in this new role.

Tyra joined our team in February 2022 as Visitor Services Manager, in which she primarily oversees Wolfe’s Neck Oceanfront Campground. She has extensive hands-on experience in directing and leading large-scale operations, including affordable senior housing programs, both federal and state correctional reentry programs, recovery residences, battery intervention programs, permanent and supportive housing for homeless veterans and homeless youth, as well as facility management. She has also directed the largest low-barrier emergency shelters and resource center in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

Before entering the nonprofit sector, Tyra worked in the defense industry as a team leader and marketing manager supporting Navy defense programs. One of the highlights of her career was working directly under retired RADM Wayne E. Meyer.

Tyra graduated with honors from Marymount University with an International Business Degree. She has lived in Maine for over five years and loves the outdoors including hiking, biking, kayaking, and snowshoeing. She is enthusiastic about animals and lives with her small dog Peanut, who has a very large personality.

I was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania and grew up with a fond appreciation of the outdoors, particularly for all things related to the lake and the beach. I lived in Georgia during college and in 2007, moved to Southern California, where I resided until 2020. For 15 years, I worked in various roles within the hospitality/hotel management business, most of them in Finance and Accounting.

In 2020, my husband and I decided to leave Los Angeles. We wanted to adjust the pace of our life, and during COVID realized the need for more space. We chose New England, as it afforded us both of those things, and it would place us closer to family. I am grateful to be able to join Wolfe’s Neck and appreciate its focus on conservation, sustainability and research.

When I am not at the farm, I enjoy travel planning, fishing, cooking, and spending time with my husband and cat; both of whom also enjoy travel adventures with me.

My passion for farming began after spending summers working at Spring Ledge Farm in my hometown of New London, NH. After completing my B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture and Food systems from the University of New Hampshire, I spent time in Latin America immersing myself in food and culture while volunteering for nonprofits and working at research farms. I returned to the Northeast and found a home here at Wolfe’s Neck Center.

I train future organic farmers at Wolfe’s Neck Center, and am passionate about addressing food security, wellbeing, and education in our community.

When not working, I can be found feeding my rabbit Brenda bananas and hiking, camping, or paddling in Maine’s mountains and waterways.

tprohl@wolfesneck.org

Building successful community health programs in DC, NY, and CA, Hannah spent over a decade mobilizing patients, partners, and funders to remove barriers to care. In 2021, she transitioned into regenerative agriculture because of its refreshing cross-sector approach that is poised to achieve human health improvements but also related interests of hers such as just economies and climate resilience.

Today, Hannah rightly finds herself at OpenTEAM as the Director of Network Development for Environmental Markets. She and her team will support the business networks of farms, buyers, governments, NGOs, and others within existing and yet-to-be-developed regenerative markets through deployment of the Tech Ecosystem, strategic funding initiatives, and other tactics.

Rian Wanstreet has spent the last six years researching the ramifications of new technologies on the agricultural sector at the University of Washington. She is a former affiliate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, and a 2020 recipient of the Mozilla Open Science Fellowship, where she worked with global stakeholders to build a collaborative, rights-based agenda around the use of artificial intelligence in farming.

Previously, Rian worked at the NGO Access Now, where she launched a small grants program supporting global digital rights and organized the annual RightsCon Summit Series.  She is also a trained community organizer, and served in both Americorps and the Peace Corps.Rian is currently based in Seattle, Washington.

Born and raised in coastal Maine, Katie attended Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. During her four years, she ran after-school and educational programming for refugee children and families and earned a degree in International Relations. After graduating, Katie lived in Haiti for a year and a half working with students, teachers, agronomists, and entrepreneurs. While there, she saw firsthand the importance of education, food, nutrition, and farming. Returning stateside with an interest in food justice and teaching, Katie has spent the last few years leading experiential, farm, and garden-based education on a handful of farms and summer camps. When not teaching or farming, she enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and painting.

Sienna Zuco joins us in the role of OpenTEAM’s Communications & Engagement Specialist. This new role will help share OpenTEAM’s work and vision to Wolfe’s Neck Center’s audiences and beyond.

Growing up in North Carolina, Sienna felt lucky to be surrounded by local foods, good southern cooking, and such a beautiful environment. She lived just a few hours from both the beach and the mountains; two of the things she has found in Maine thus far, and then some!

Throughout her undergraduate career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and upon graduation, she has worked in various communications
and project management roles. From creating interconnected support systems with refugees to advocating for the local food system, she uses communications and project development as key ways to further sustainability, local food, and community-centered objectives.

As a part of the OpenTEAM initiative, Sienna uses her skills to support the development of a suite of tools that farmers and ranchers can use to measure, monitor, and improve their soil health. All the while, OpenTEAM is building a community that is constantly connecting with and learning from each other.

When she is not working, you can find Sienna sewing and quilting, watching a good movie, or in the kitchen finding new recipes and building community with friends and family.

Cooper graduated from Colby College in 2023 and recently made the move from South Boston to Freeport, Maine.

He has always wanted to start a business that helps others live their best lives. With Wolfe’s Neck Center’s Fruit and Vegetable Apprenticeship Program, he hopes to join the legacy of Organic Farmers in Maine!

In his free time, Cooper loves to fish, cook, and hike.

Nathaniel grew up in southern Maine and first started farming as a student at the College of the Atlantic. After college, he pursued graduate studies in ethnobotany at the University of Kent, including fieldwork in the agroforestry system of the Spanish Dehesa.

He moved to Cambodia in 2016, first working in communications and program support at Save the Children. That was followed by a role with a local conservation agriculture organization working with rice farmers to grow organic rice and protect endangered wildlife habitats.

He moved back to Maine in 2021 with the motivation to engage in hands-on horticultural skills development and has since worked in a plant nursery and greenhouse business. During this time he also completed a permaculture design certificate course. He is very grateful and excited to be working with the Fruit & Vegetable Farm crew this season.

Hannah is a lifelong Mainer and is passionate about our local food systems and the benefits of small organic farms. She studied biology at Roanoke College before graduating and obtaining her M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management with a focus on natural resources management from the University of Denver. She is excited about this opportunity with Wolfe’s Neck Center and is looking forward to soaking up as much knowledge as possible from all of the talented folks around the farm.

When she is not working, Hannah loves spending time backpacking, paddle boarding, skiing, or anything else that gets her outside, especially if it is with her dog Brody.

David Bennell is the North American lead for Food and Nature at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development where he focuses on sustainable agriculture, natural climate solutions, and global food systems reform. Previously, he was Director of Food and Capital Markets for the investor network Ceres.

He’s worked for Microsoft, REI and LL Bean in leadership development, product development and sourcing positions. His career also includes working as a funder focused on sustainable forestry, the co-creation of the for-profit social enterprise company CottonConnect, co-creation of an impact investing fund focused on food and agriculture investments and leading the apparel industry NGO Textile Exchange focused on standards development for responsible sourcing of materials.

David created the world’s most-watched sustainability series Sustainability Strategies hosted on Linked In Learning and previously held a five-year adjunct faculty position at MIT where he taught sustainable design and development.

Physician

How did you first become connected with WNC?  I am a neighbor.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?  I will contribute to WNC’s mission in any way I can.

What is your favorite thing about WNC?  The trails.  They are full of lady slippers in the spring!

Name: Morgan C Cuthbert

Occupation/Title:  Educator, Yarmouth School System

How did you first become connected with WNC?

I grew up in Brunswick and remember my family coming to the farm as a child to see the animals. I now have my own family and have settled in Freeport with my two boys and wife, Christina. We very much enjoy all the farm offers since the transformation that has taken place over the last 30 years. The camps, the dinners, and all the workings of a saltwater farm allow for a connection to nature and a direct link to understanding where our food comes from.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?

I always had a love for science and the workings of the world around us. As a science educator of over 15 years I encourage students to use the inquiry process and become aware citizens. I cannot think of a better location then WNC to be a base for these methods. Place-based learning and authentic science bring community and education together where students end by understanding and not memorizing content. My hope is that I can help to develop more experiences like this at WNC. Further, I hope to share the amazing science that is going on at WNC with other educational professionals and institutions.  

What is your favorite thing about WNC?

My favorite thing about Wolfe’s Neck Center is the part it provides within our community. WNC is an establishment that links our busy lives with nature and allows a center for people to come together to experience growth and life. Whether it is driving out to see the baby lambs, dropping my kids off at a Summer Camp or taking a Sunday evening to see friends and celebrate the local food WNC provides at a Farm Dinner driving down the road to WNC I decompress and I think my blood pressure drops.  

Associate Professor and Program Director – Agriculture Food and Environment

Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston MA

How did you first become connected with WNC? My first university faculty position, starting in 1992 (until 2000) was at the University of Maine.  My expertise includes grazing management, and I visited WNC during my first week of work.  I have been involved, off and on, since that time.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?  My recent and current work focuses on the food system, from production to nutrition and health.  I want to help WNC become a central and important research center that links all of these areas.

What is your favorite thing about WNC?  Two things: just being there.  And that our kids grew up coming to the farm and still talk about it (and visit).

How did you first become connected with WNC?

After knowing about the farm from living in the area in the early 2000’s, I was reacquainted with WNC’s work in 2019.  Dave Herring presented the Center’s programs and how sustainable agriculture could be a tool to fight climate change to a group from my work.  I was instantly sold on the mission, and then became gradually more involved as my kids experienced farm camp and my family began to explore more of the great programming that the Center offers.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?

I’m very committed to finding solutions that address climate change and healthier eating at the same time.  With my background in sustainability of food retail, training in environmental science, and time spent working on land conservation, I’m excited to contribute to the long-term strategic planning for WNC. They are fast becoming established as a research center and testing ground for a healthier food future, and I can’t wait to see that extend in its scope and impact.

What is your favorite thing about WNC?

The diversity of the Center is so rich, from teaching young farmers and kids about raising and eating good food, to actually raising a diverse set of crops and experimenting with how to do it better, to driving creation of innovative tools so farmers can play a role in reversing climate change… That is my favorite thing: the energizing ecosystem WNC has built that connects people, good food, and a better future for the planet.

Vice President, Finance and Real Estate – Hannaford Supermarkets

How did you first become connected with WNC?
After moving to the area in 2017, my family’s first experience with the Center was hiking the beautiful trails.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?
I hope my experience, skills and passion will be of assistance to the Center in furthering their mission of transforming our relationship with farming and food for a healthier planet.

What is your favorite thing about WNC?
I’m interested in learning more about sustainability and food and appreciate the Center’s educational focus on creating a healthier food system. I also love the trails, the camping/glamping, and the various events held by Center.

Woodworker

How did you first become connected with WNC? I’ve been connected my whole life beginning with the summers I spent here as a child when it was still my grandparent’s farm and summer residence.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board? I moved to Maine in 2010 largely because I wanted to be here in order to help the farm in as many ways as possible. I have always been an advocate for environmentally conscious agricultural practices and my youth, enthusiasm, knowledge of the property and its history, and connection to the neighborhood are all beneficial personal qualities for the organization.

What is your favorite thing about WNC? My favorite thing about Wolfe’s Neck Center is the beauty of its coastal farm landscape that has remained relatively unchanged for over two hundred years and continues to be actively farmed.

Raina is Vice President, Customer Satisfaction at L.L.Bean.  She is a graduate of the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia.

Large Animal Rescue (welfare & emergency) & Grant Seeker/Proposal Writer for NGOs- Self employed. Also volunteer with Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue and The American Red Cross. 

How did you first become connected with WNC? I’ve been coming to the Farm since I was a baby.  I’ve spent every summer of my life on the Farm, going with my Grandfather, as a child, to check the cattle or the hay; learning about forage & soil quality, as a teen,  from Charlie DeGrandpre; exploring the woods and learning about native plants & medicinals from my Grandmother.   

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?  Education, conservation, history and alternative farming practices are all in my DNA, and are all areas I have been very involved in while living on our farm in Tennessee as well as during my summers on Wolfe’s Neck.  As my husband and I transition from our lives in Tennessee to Maine, I plan to be even more active in the continued success of my Grandparent’s experiment with organics and other alternative methods on their historic  saltwater farm.

What is your favorite thing about WNC?  That it not only continues to be relevant, but is now becoming a leader in education and research into alternative agricultural methods and how those methods better our environment- locally, regionally, nationally and globally.  AND… that it does all this while still honoring the legacy of Wolfe’s Neck Farm as it was and as it grew to become Wolfe’s Neck Center. 

Executive Director, Meridian Stories

How did you first become connected with WNC? I moved into the neighborhood and my kids both went to camp there. My son eventually became a junior and then a full counselor, in addition to other positions that broadly shaped his interests, character and values.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board? My passion and expertise lie in progressive educational development. My background is in media program development around educational goals, as well as in classroom teaching. At WNC, there are many utterly unique opportunities for both formal and informal learning and I hope to be a part of the shaping of those opportunities, to make WNC an exciting and extraordinary educational environment.

What is your favorite thing about WNC? The beauty. The trails. The peace of the cows. The stray cat. The estuary. The vista. And again, the trails.

Retired from a career in law and business. 

How did you first become connected with WNC?  After retirement, we moved to Freeport, near Wolfe’s Neck Center.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?  We are supporting WNC financially and by way of my legal and business skills.

What is your favorite thing about WNC?  The regenerative farming initiative is very exciting and promises to put WNC among the leaders of this potentially global endeavor. Plus, WNC is a gorgeous, wholesome and altogether inviting place for our local Maine community.

Sam is a journalist and author of four books

How did you first become connected with WNC?  As a youth when my parents started the farm. Was driving a tractor and a six-wheel Army surplus truck when I was a young teen

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?  Experience, ideas, enthusiasm

What is your favorite thing about WNC?  Being so involved with nature with such a wonderful operation and a great staff

How did you first become connected with WNC? 

I first became acquainted with Wolfe’s Neck Center (WNC) in 2009. Wolfe’s Neck Center was a hidden gem just around the corner from our family home. Since then, WNC has been a place where I could shake off the rush of our busy lives, fall into line with nature’s rhythms, and have a space for my family to connect with the greater natural world. I have watched WNC evolve its programming over the years to increasingly provide accessibility to all ages, which gets at its core mission –  to provide experiential education about agriculture and sustainability.

How do you hope to best contribute to WNC’s development through your tenure on the Board?  

I hope to contribute to continued community outreach and education at WNC. I appreciate WNC’s willingness to pivot and change when needed to meet the demands of the community and at the same time consistently providing an inclusive space where all can engage in farm life, appreciate nature in various seasons, and feel connected to a common good. 

What is your favorite thing about WNC?  

While I’m typically a warm weather person, I love the trails and freedom to explore the Farm in all seasons, and the peacefulness of the trails on a wintry day can be as magical as a gorgeous summer one.