Hard-working individuals devote a percentage of their professional time guiding and implementing our program. People step in and out of various roles depending on the availability of funding for initiatives and the seasonal nature of the work.
Together, we strive to connect schools to farms and farmers to schools.
Jiff Martin
Sustainable Food Systems Educator
Phone: (860) 870-6932
Jiff.martin@uconn.edu
Jiff brings a background of coalition building and collaborating across sectors to build sustainable food systems in the state of Connecticut and across the Northeast.
Contact Jiff Martin, the Extension Educator and backbone of the Put Local on your Tray Program with any questions regarding UConn Extension Collaboration. She can help you understand where to go to get the resources you need within the UConn Extension network across Connecticut.
Shannon Raider-Ginsburg
Special Projects Coordinator/Farmer Liaison
shannon.raider@uconn.edu
Shannon brings a background in farming, teaching, and bringing people together around local food.
Contact Shannon Raider-Ginsburg for help locating farmers, to be added to the Put Local on your Tray Farm Directory, or to join CTFarmtoSchoolMarketplace-Listserv: a place for school food service directors and growers to connect. Shannon can help Food Service Directors better understand the needs of growers, and she is available to help connect farmers to schools and schools to farmers.
Abby DuBois
Farm to School Technical Assistant
abigail.dubois@uconn.edu
AnaAlicia Cruz
AnaAlicia Cruz
South Central Region
AnaAlicia.Cruz@uconn.edu
AnaAlicia Cruz will be assisting districts with their Farm to School activities in the South Central region. In addition to her role as a Regional Farm to School Coordinator, AnaAlicia is the Founder and Executive Director of Nourish My Soul, a nonprofit that serves as a model for youth leadership & equitable food systems. AnaAlicia uses her education in both Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture to empower and excite young people to grow, prepare, and share healthy foods.
Becky Fahey
Becky Fahey
Southeast Region
Rebecca.Fahey@uconn.edu
Becky Fahey will be assisting districts with their Farm to School activities in the Southeast region. Becky (she/her) is a certified early childhood teacher with an MA in Education and 20 years of environmental and agricultural education experience. She has worked as a farmer, farm education coordinator, farm-to-table culinary instructor, and educational coach. Passionate about local food and food access, she is eager to support professionals in connecting children with sustainable food systems.
George Janssen
George Janssen
Southwest Region
George.Janssen@uconn.edu
Hi everyone! My name is George Janssen and I will be assisting with Farm to School in the Southwest region of the state. Previously, I worked as an Agriculture and Nutrition educator in public schools throughout Philadelphia. I grew up in Vernon, attended UConn, and was introduced to Connecticut's strong local agriculture network by working with Susan Mitchell at Cloverleigh Farm. My first experience with Farm to School was harvesting peppers at Cloverleigh that were sent to my childhood middle school for a tasting. I’m excited to connect and help bring in some good food to the students and support our local farmers!
Kaylee Carlisle
Kaylee Carlisle
Northeast Region
Kaylee.Carlisle@uconn.edu
Kaylee Carlisle will be assisting districts with their Farm to School activities in the Northeast region. Kaylee holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied and Resource Economics from the University of Connecticut and is currently completing her Master's in Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State. She brings experience in agriculture, along with program coordination within food, nutrition and natural resource education outreach. Recently she has worked as a district-based coordinator for Farm to School in Vernon, CT. Kaylee is passionate about promoting sustainable practices, social equity, and resiliency in food systems.
Raena Davis
Raena Davis
North Central Region
Raena.Davis@uconn.edu
Raena Davis will be assisting districts with their Farm to School activities in the North Central region. Raena brings a background in biology and Spanish, and she has completed studies in nutrition and dietetics. Raena served with FoodCorps AmeriCorps, where she connected students in East Hartford, CT with nourishing food in schools, and supported families' nutrition education journeys. Raena values the opportunity to experience different sides of local food systems to be a better advocate for the communities she works with.
Kimberly Hughes
Kimberly Hughes
Northwest Region
Kimberly.Hughes@uconn.edu
Kim Hughes will be assisting districts with their Farm to School activities in the Northwest region. As an environmental educator for over 10 years, I have worked to ensure every child in my community has access to meaningful and inclusive outdoor learning experiences. Understanding our food and where it comes from has always been a great place to start as it reminds us of our deep connection to each other, the land and the world around us. It is a privilege to do this work of bringing Farm to School programs to every school and every student in Connecticut.