STAFF & BOARD
Alyssa Leonard
Alyssa is a Rhode Island native that recently graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelors of Nutrition Science. During her time at URI, Alyssa enjoyed volunteering with the URI free farmers market. Alyssa is passionate about supporting local food systems and is looking forward to spending time in the community! Cooking, exercising, and spending time in the great outdoors are some of her favorite things to do in her free time.
Sean Kontos
Sean is a native of Dover, NH, who has been working in the food service industry for 13 years. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in culinary arts in 2011, he went on to cook around Nantucket and the seacoast of New Hampshire, focusing on local and sustainable cooking particularly tied to whole animal butchery. After backpacking through Europe, he and his now wife, moved to Providence where he worked at Local 121, eventually becoming head chef. Most recently, he helped open Farm & Coast Market in South Dartmouth, MA, as a butcher and chef. Sean started out as a volunteer with our RI Farm to School program until moving on to work with Harvest Kitchen.
Vincent Rivera
Vincent is from Massachusetts with roots in both Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. He has been a part of the greater Providence community for most of his life; having had family members who were born and raised here. His passion for food began while working at various cafes and restaurants in Boston. That passion has led him closer and closer to the land. As a Gleaning Associate he is excited to bring hunger relief to people in need.
Founder and CEO, Orange Square
Kristine Merz
“As board chair, I get to live my values that locally grown food is not only nutritious and delicious, but creates important economic opportunities, provides health benefits and community engagement, and reduces environmental impact. I am grateful for the opportunity to support leadership and staff in any way so that together we can achieve the mission and vision of this very important organization.”
Aoife Lee Bird
Aoife Bird loves the woods, the plants, and all things food. Born and raised in New England, wild foraging in the woods and waters alongside her mom, she spent the last many years communing with the plants and wilds of the Pacific Northwest. Over the years she has been a caterer, a bookseller, a baker, an archivist, a (very) small-scale farmer, and a healer. Aoife earned her culinary degree from the New England Culinary Institute a million years ago and has since gone on to earn a degree in archaeology from the University of Oregon focusing on people’s use of plants, foods, and ritual. She continued on to gain a Master’s degree in East Asian Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine as well as another in Nutrition from the National University of Natural Medicine. In addition, she has graduate certificates in Ecopsychology and in Sustainable Food Systems. She has extensive training in Western herbalism from the Arctos School of Botanical Medicine in Portland, OR, and loves to make medicine. She earned her Permaculture Design Certificate from the Permaculture Women’s Guild and is a member of the American Herbalist Guild, The American Anthropology Association, the American Nutrition Association, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
Aoife recently returned to her home state of Rhode Island and brought with her a teenager daughter, a Newfoundland named Jeff, a Chihuahua named Sunny, a black kitty named Bitsie, and a baby kitten named Kiki. She loves to walk in the woods, talk to the plants, and explore all the grocery stores everywhere.
Retired Certified Public Accountant
Jane Sabatini
“The mission of Farm Fresh RI is powerful to me — bringing local food to all communities and making fresh, local, healthy food affordable. I’m also impressed with its emphasis on nutrition education for all age groups from children to seniors; I believe this outreach is vital if we are to address the growing obesity and related health issues in our society. I hope to be able to help in advancing these objectives.”
Molly Ellis
Molly is a lifelong Rhode Islander. She started out as a volunteer for Farm Fresh RI at the Wintertime Farmers Market in Pawtucket in 2008, and continued through various work study programs and AmeriCorps VISTA terms before becoming a full-time staff member in 2013. Since then, she has managed at least six different farmers markets, become an expert in tent repair, and helped to administer our federal FINI grant that provides funding for the Bonus Bucks program. In her free time, Molly enjoys folk music and dance as well as gardening.
Natasha Brotherns
Natasha was born and raised in Providence, RI. She explains, “Growing up my family always kept a small farm and that’s where we ate most of our vegetables and fruit from as well. My interest in food and how it’s grown and distributed comes from my deep roots. My great grandmother being 100% Filipino, fresh produce has always been a part of our dinner table — grown and picked right in our backyard. Having spent most of my working years in the food industry, it’s opened my eyes to such varieties of food and also different cultures. I’d love to continue getting educated on our food system and how we can make it better, safer, and healthier!”
Caroline Grand
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Caroline was raised with a love for both the culinary arts and local ecosystems. She grew up duck hunting, fishing, beekeeping, raising chickens, and tending to her family garden, where she developed a deep appreciation for both cultivated crops and wild flora. After graduating with a Master of Arts in English Literature from Northeastern University, Caroline honed her skills in both writing and pedagogy to develop marketing initiatives for an alternative educational retreat in New York City. As an adoptive New Englander, she is thrilled to marry her professional skills and personal passions at Farm Fresh Rhode Island for the betterment of the community she lives in and loves. In her free time, Caroline enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, plant foraging, and printmaking.
Mabel Schlenker
Mabel is serving a year with Farm Fresh RI through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, focusing on community connections and infrastructure to enhance the Rhode Island Farm 2 School Network. She is a recent graduate from Johnson & Wales University where she studied Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship and Culinary Sustainability. Mabel is eager to collaborate with the producers and consumers of the local Rhode Island food system to increase food literacy, nutrition security, and sustainability education across the state.
Bernard Miller
Bernard is originally from Queens, NY, but after visiting Rhode Island often to visit family members living here, he ended up moving to New England himself in 2010. In 2012, after living here for a couple of years, Bernard decided to pursue his passion for culinary arts, and attended Johnson & Wales University. After graduating in 2014, he went on to work for Sodexo at Salve Regina University and served as a Supervisor from 2015 to 2019. In May 2019, he joined our Harvest Kitchen team as Chef Educator and is committed to making a positive contribution to the community!
Natalie Faragon
Natalie (she/her/hers) is from Long Island, New York. From a young age, she helped tend her family’s vegetable garden and learned to cook with whole, fresh produce. Her passion for food and service inspired her to move to Providence in 2015 to attend Johnson & Wales University, where she earned a degree in Restaurant, Food, and Beverage Management. Natalie is a part time yoga instructor at two local studios and enjoys connecting with her students by teaching mindfulness and movement practices. She lives in Providence with her partner, and in her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, eating ramen, and playing video games.
Natalie Varrallo
Natalie is a food scientist, advocate, and educator focused on improving sustainability and food security, primarily within marginalized communities. She has a Bachelor of Science in Botany and Sustainable Agriculture, a Sustainable MBA, a Master of Science in Food Justice, and a Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems. Natalie has spent her career working in many different facets of the food system. Her approach to work seeks to combine social justice and education while simultaneously increasing nutrition and food security within communities. Food is a foundational human right, and Natalie believes food can be used as a bridge to emphasize a compassionate and continual progression toward a more sustainable world.
Hurricayne Cabral
Hurricayne has lived in the Providence area his whole life, graduating from Shea High School in Pawtucket. He started working at Farm Fresh RI in 2018, and since then has grown a strong appreciation for local farmers — in particular, for all the hard work they do every day. Cayne loves working at Farm Fresh and getting products from those local farmers and producers out into the community in many different ways — from delivery to some of the top restaurants in Rhode Island to bringing fresh food right to someone’s front door. When he’s not working hard at Farm Fresh, Cayne enjoys spending quality time with family and friends. He also loves to travel, having visited several different countries and states… and counting!
Former Chef/Owner of New Rivers American Bistro
Bruce Tillinghast
“As a former restaurateur, I welcomed the vision of Farm Fresh RI and their mission to connect the farmer to local food consumers — be they individuals, businesses, or chefs. In 2009, Farm Fresh began its Market Mobile wholesale distribution service, allowing me and other chefs to buy directly from a variety of local farmers AND have Farm Fresh deliver those goods in a single order to the restaurant. Over the years, I have watched the growth and expanding vision of Farm Fresh RI and seen their success in connecting the farming and food-consuming communities in Rhode Island — from operating lively farmers markets to offering nutrition incentives for SNAP shoppers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, to food service training for young adults from the RI Training School who turn overstock produce from local farms into value-added products. When I retired and left my business after 22 years, I was ready to be a volunteer in a community project. My admiration of their work made it easy for me to commit my time to Farm Fresh RI.”
Linc Oliver-O’Neil
Linc (they/them) grew up on occupied Narragansett and Pokanoket land, and is proud to be back in so-called Rhode Island after 10+ years away. They fondly recall gawking at Farm Fresh RI markets in high school, gaining a fascination with beautiful ingredients that carried them through work as a line cook, farm hand, and culinary arts camp counselor. Nowadays, they can be found following the abundance of RI’s landscapes, drawing zines, and mending pants that continue to sprout holes.
Stephanie Pike
Stephanie was born and raised in Rhode Island and loves to be surrounded by good food and good people. She is a Registered Dietitian who received her training from URI and Keene State College, and has always focused her efforts on community nutrition and food insecurity. Stephanie’s career and personal paths have led her to work, volunteer, and educate in many community-based settings with a variety of groups. She believes in the power of food to create lasting change and strives to support communities in meaningful food and food systems exploration and learning.
Addy Kerwin
Addy grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and became passionate about growing veggies in high school. She moved to Providence to attend Brown University and majored in Science, Technology, and Society with a focus in food equity and agricultural science. While at Brown, she worked as the Ethical Food Sourcing Associate for Brown Dining Services. She also spent two seasons at Gather Farm (in Johnston, RI), where she served as their Community Engagement Director and worked as a member of their 3-person production team. In her free time, Addy plays frisbee and paints chickens!
Charreese Braxton
Charreese was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She moved to Providence to attend Johnson & Wales University in 2016. She graduated with a B.S. in Food Service Management with a focus in Food Sustainability in 2020. Since moving to Providence she has worked in various restaurants, getting her feet wet in the industry, which got her involved in working with local products from farms in the New England area.
Skylar Botelho
Skylar grew up in Rehoboth, MA and recently graduated from Syracuse University with BA
degrees in Policy Studies and Environment, Sustainability, and Policy. After working and
interning for various nonprofits and governmental agencies, she is excited to begin her career in the local nonprofit sector. Through her minor in Child and Family Policy, she learned the significance of food systems and hopes to use her experiences for future policy change. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, tennis, and spending time with animals.
Retired, Former Director of Programs, Grow Smart RI
Sheila Brush
“Farm Fresh Rhode Island does two things that I care deeply about — supporting and strengthening our local farms and working to ensure that all Rhode Islanders, regardless of income, can enjoy the benefits of healthy local food. I have long admired the way Farm Fresh uses resources creatively, effectively, and efficiently to achieve its mission. As Farm Fresh launches new and exciting initiatives, I welcome the opportunity to help advance its work.”
Rachel Van Scyoc
Rachel moved to Rhode Island in 2017 to serve as Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s inaugural Volunteer Coordinator AmeriCorps VISTA member. As an Ohio native, she was excited to move to the east coast after graduating from Capital University with a degree in Public Relations and Communication Studies. In May 2019, she joined the Farm Fresh RI team full-time as a Market Mobile Associate and became the Data & Systems Manager for Market Mobile in February 2020. Since being at Farm Fresh, she has learned so much about food systems, the inequities structured within our food system, and how food impacts us in ways from our health to our environmental impact. She now acts as Market Mobile’s Operations Director collaborating with the Market Mobile team to connect RI eaters with the bounty of food grown and processed in the New England region. Our local food system is a resilient one and Rachel is happy to contribute to keeping it connected.
Shannon Hickey
Shannon joined Hope’s Harvest with intentions to learn as much as possible about local food systems and food equity. She received her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Psychology from Bryant University, and went on to further her project management and marketing skills while working with an electrical engineering company. Eager for change and fulfillment, Shannon is excited to repurpose her skillset to make a meaningful impact on the community alongside her Hope’s Harvest coworkers. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends, diving into DIY projects, and spending lots of time by the ocean.
Lily Harding
Lily grew up in California, but she got attached to Providence while getting her Biology degree from Brown University. She believes that food is central to community, just and sustainable food systems are essential, and education should be accessible, relevant, and fun. Lily has loved working with kids at summer camps, and is so excited to engage youth in understanding food systems as part of the Community Education team at Farm Fresh RI! Outside of work, you’ll find Lily running, cooking, and doing crossword puzzles.
Andrea Epstein
Andrea Epstein (she/her) became a master gardener in 2022. This opened many new avenues, including an interest in increasing her support for local food systems and decreasing food waste. She is excited to be a part of Farm Fresh’s farmers market associates team and looks forward to seeing you at the market!
Martin Fernandez
Martin is a Rhode Island native who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from URI. He is enthusiastic about maintaining an active lifestyle and spending time outdoors, participating in activities such as cycling, hiking, yoga, and dancing. Martin’s desire to join the Farm Fresh team is driven by his passion for home gardening and growing his own microgreens. He is eager to contribute and connect with the local food community in Rhode Island. In the words of Hippocrates, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Julie Rondot
Originally from France, Julie Rondot moved to Rhode Island and joined Farm Fresh RI motivated by her desire to make healthy, local food accessible to everyone. With a degree in Communication and Human Resources, she previously worked as a communications manager and events coordinator in France. Eager to make a real impact and passionate about nature, she pivoted her career to the environmental sector where she campaigns for equitable access to local food. Outside of her professional pursuits, she finds pleasure in hiking, camping, and exploring nature. She hopes to help others rediscover and reconnect to nature’s natural beauty and bounty!
Delite Primus
Delite grew up in Steamboat Rock, Iowa, on her family’s corn, soybean, and dairy farm, learning early on the importance of food origin, food security, and the hard work and dedication needed to grow a passion from seed. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Wartburg College (Waverly, IA) she began her career in Development with United Way of Central Iowa where she gained a strong foundation in donor relations and fundraising. After stops at Habitat for Humanity in Minnesota and Heifer International in California, she landed in Moab, Utah, at a food-based nonprofit called the Youth Garden Project (YGP). As Associate Director and later Executive Director of YGP, Delite led the organization and staff team, while having a specific focus on fundraising efforts — increasing individual donors, corporate partnerships, and grant awards during her tenure. Her 10 years at the organization nurtured her interest in being connected to community food systems and increasing healthy food access. Most recently, Delite served as a Proposal Development Specialist with Utah State University, working directly with faculty as well as state and federal agencies to secure funding for Agriculture and Natural Resource programs. Delite and her partner relocated to Rhode Island in 2019 to be closer to family. She was thrilled to find an organization like Farm Fresh RI that is the perfect merger of her personal passions and professional experience. Away from work, Delite enjoys working in her own garden, riding her bike, hiking a trail, traveling, and any day that involves more hours outside than less. And of course, she enjoys relaxing at one of South County’s amazing beaches.
Allyson Jennings
Ally is a Rhode Island native with a passion for environmental sustainability and community engagement. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in 2018 with degrees in Business Administration and Event Management, she served a year with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). Following her NCCC term, Ally joined Farm Fresh as the Farm to Food Pantry AmeriCorps VISTA. Now serving as the Assistant Director of Hunger Relief, Ally is excited to continue working with growers/producers, hunger relief agencies, and state agencies to help support the local food system. In her spare time, Ally enjoys hiking, camping, dancing, and baking.
Susan Clausen
After graduating from the University of Illinois and spending a year giving back to the community as a CETA worker for a grassroots recycling program (before everybody recycled!), Susan worked as a studio assistant for several glass artists. For well over a decade, she continued working in the jewelry industry, living in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Rhode Island. In 1985, she was a founding member of the unjuried, uncensored arts organization in Providence called AS220, and spent countless hours volunteering and eventually being employed by AS220 as Property Manager — a role she held for 16 years. Her commitment to building community and working in the nonprofit sector then led her to Farm Fresh RI, where she hit the ground running to help complete and launch our brand-new facility Providence (during a pandemic!). All throughout her career, Susan has maintained an art studio where she continues to produce mixed media artworks and dabbles in music. She sees cooking as another creative practice, and has found great pleasure cooking healthy foods from local farms.
Managing Partner, The Granny Squibb Company
Kelley McShane
“It is an honor to work with people who are passionate about the Rhode Island food and beverage industry, supporting local business and farmers, and making sure that healthy food is accessible to all Rhode Islanders. Their work is more important now than ever. I am thrilled to be a part of Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s Board of Directors.”
Breanne Penkala
Breanne is a RI native with a passion for fresh, local, and affordable food. After working on organic farms for the last 7 years in Upstate New York, Breanne is happy to finally return to the Ocean State. Breanne is excited to join the Hope’s Harvest team, building connections with local farmers and other food related organizations, while recovering produce from local farms and improving food security. In her free time, Breanne enjoys gardening, trying out all of the local ice cream shops, spending time by the ocean, and hiking with her dog.
Onelissa Martinez
As an Environmental Studies major focused on Religion/Philosophy, Onne learned early on the significance of cultivating good habits within communities in order to make sustainable change. Onne has experience working with Farm Fresh RI on both Community Access and Food System Enterprise efforts. She first came on board as a summer AmeriCorps VISTA member for the Healthy Foods, Healthy Families nutrition education program, and has since been at Farm Fresh RI in varying capacities. The overall Farm Fresh motto of connecting local food to local people aligns with Onne’s personal outlook on encouraging positive change.
Alex Seemar
Alex (they/them) grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, but has grown to call Providence home since studying Community Arts, Health, and Wellbeing at Brown University. Alex has worked with people of all ages leading backpacking trips, coordinating intergenerational community dance classes, and most recently, working with kids to try local produce at farmers markets on Aquidneck Island. They believe local food systems are integral for forming sustainable, happy, and healthy communities and are excited to contribute to this work at farmers markets as part of the Food Access team. When not at work, you’ll find Alex reading too many books at once, biking, finding good trees to sit under, and dreaming up new crafting or baking projects.
Martha DiMeo
A native Rhode Islander, Martha joined Farm Fresh for the 2024 summer farmers market season. By day, Martha runs the photo retouching business, ChromaQueen.com. She’s delighted to have the opportunity to get out from behind the computer to spend Saturday mornings at the Hope Street market engaging with the public to sell the delicious Harvest Kitchen products.
When not working or taking photographs, you’ll find Martha community organizing (She’s leading the charge to solve a serious problem in the Meshanticut neighborhood of Cranston), on the West Bay bike path, at the beach, or tending to her perennial flower garden.
Mikayla Anthes
Turon Williams
Turon moved to Providence at a very early age. He has attended the community college of RI. Turon also has been dealing in produce since 2005, when he was a manager for multiple wholesale companies. He firmly believes that building a successful team starts with great leadership and communication. In Turon’s spare time, he officiates basketball games for the kids across the east coast. Turon is very excited to join the Farm Fresh RI team, and believes that he can teach and learn from his coworkers, as well as associates.
Laura Deascentis
Laura grew up in Rhode Island and has had the opportunity to work in several places around the world. A Former Wildlife Biologist, she worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service concentrating on endangered species and their habitats. She has always had a passion for animals and the environment and obtained her M.S. degree in Environmental Science at the University of Rhode Island. Laura loves reading, hiking, photography, cooking, and traveling. She would like to become a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator for the State of Rhode Island and is very happy to be part of the Farm Fresh team.
Retired, Former Senior Technical Director and Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt, AT&T
Nancy Reiter
I came to Farm Fresh RI as a volunteer gleaner with Hope’s Harvest. The concept of eliminating food waste at the source and making fresh, local produce available to all Rhode Island residents became my passion. Understanding the larger picture, I am proud to devote my time, hands, knowledge, and skills to Farm Fresh to further the vision of a robust local food chain accessible to all.
Managing Director IT projects, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
John Auger
“I believe access to fresh and local food is key to addressing many of the health, economic, and environmental issues we face in our communities and our nation. Farm Fresh RI has been on the leading edge of tackling these challenges for years. The organization’s focus on availability of local and affordable foods, its nutrition education programs, and efforts to improve the impact of food production on our environment are critical steps to achieving a healthy farm to fork community. I’m appreciative of the opportunity to be part of the Farm Fresh RI team, and I look forward to participating in advancing the values and mission they represent.”
Owner, Pizza Marvin
Rob Andreozzi
As a restaurant owner, Farm Fresh makes it possible to connect with local farmers in a meaningful way. Utilizing Market Mobile allows me to focus on growing my restaurant and building my team while still being able to support the best local farms at the same time. While Market Mobile is the program I interact with most frequently, I look forward to contributing my energy and passion into supporting and advocating for the success of each of the initiatives that Farm Fresh has to offer the community.
Donna Segeren
Donna was born in The Netherlands, but has lived in RI since she was young. She studied Social Work and Non-Profit Studies at Rhode Island College. After five years working as a Trauma Counselor for at-risk youth, she found farming. After a couple seasons in the dirt, growing food on local farms, she found a new love and trajectory. She is excited to work at Farm Fresh RI, supporting local farmers and access to local food for the community!
Cassidee Jones
Native to Alabama, Cassidee grew up spending time outside with family, from fishing to gardening to demolishing a watermelon daily (or so it seemed). Everything about life in rural AL was centered around agriculture and poverty, resulting in a food desert. Cassidee decided that there had to be more, so she went in search of an answer at Auburn University, receiving a degree in history as well as political science focusing on African history and food politics, with a minor in sustainability. Her studies combined with five years in the service industry led her to pursue a Masters in Food Security and International Development from the University of Sussex in England. She began working with international organizations to support access to products to treat malnutrition, but involvement in her community garden and a desire to tackle root causes of food injustice led her to Farm Fresh RI. Now she pursues her passion by day and her million hobbies by night, including pottery, tufting, home renovation, cycling, swimming, and more.
Danielle Demers
Danielle, Dani for short, was born and raised in Attleboro, MA, and now is a native of Warwick, RI. Before joining the Farm Fresh RI team, she worked for Sodexo food services for six years as a rounds chef and caterer. Danielle loves cooking with a passion. She also loves the outdoors, her houseplants. and her three dogs! Danielle looks forward to helping out the community and working with the Farm Fresh family at Harvest Kitchen.
Adolman “AJ” Dilone, Jr.
Adolman (Aj) has been living in Rhode Island for over 20 years. New York City born, Aj grew up in the city and on his family farm throughout his life. He studied the arts and media in college, which led him to his passion for nutrition and wellness. As a passionate nature lover, volunteer and experienced health educator, he believes in creating a positive and inclusive environment that supports learning and social-emotional growth. In his spare time, he spends it with his nieces, nephews, and family going to the beach, playing sports, learning arts, making healthy meals and playing board games. Aj is extremely excited to be part of the Farm Fresh RI Team and is looking forward to the experience.
Rob Glover
Rob’s introduction to agriculture came about through working on small farms in the WWOOF program, where they discovered their love for the field. Their eventual goal is to run their own farm to help provide wholesome food for their community and help foster a love of farming in others. They have worked throughout many different levels of the production chain in local food enterprises, building skills to help them realize this dream. Rob is excited to bring those skills to Farm Fresh RI, where they strive to support local farmers and help strengthen a sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system in Rhode Island.
Genevieve Primeau
Genevieve’s interest in food systems began while working in the local culinary scene in Providence. It was a formative experience to see first-hand all the moving parts in restaurant operation, while being surrounded by food-oriented people! Then there was a great moment of reckoning during the lockdown of 2020, when she was left to reflect on both the interconnectedness and the vulnerabilities of those systems. Nowadays, she is drawn to the agricultural tech space and particularly moved by the issue of food waste. She is pleased to have found marvelous company working on the Market Mobile team. As for her free time, she’s still searching for a “creative” hobby — suggestions are welcome!
Andrea Aguilar
Andrea grew up in New York and came to Providence to study culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University. After graduation, she took a gap year and went to work with her mom at her bakery, decorating cakes and then went to work at a bank. Now, Andrea wants to go back to school to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in children’s nutrition. In her free time, she likes to cook and bake for her family, tend to her garden, and have picnics in the park.
Thea Upham
Thea moved to Providence in 2004 to attend Johnson & Wales University and graduated with a degree in Food Service Entrepreneurship. She has spent the past 10 years working with food in different capacities — as a chef, farmers market vendor, and farm hand — and has always been mindful of linking her work to the larger local food system. She firmly believes that the decisions we make about what we eat and where it comes from can have great impacts on the health and welfare of our local community. Thea ties these ideals into her work at Farm Fresh RI every day.
Tara Demyan
Tara grew up in New Jersey, however has been a resident of Providence, RI, since college. She fell in love with the entrepreneurial environment / art scene and walkability of the city, so she stayed. Tara and children were CSA shareholders at Casey Farm when her children were young. They had one of the 50 original gardener’s plots at the Session Street garden. Tara decided to leave their plot for another gardener to enjoy a few years ago. Now she loves visiting area farmers markets.
Caitlyn Hansbury
Originally from Massachusetts, Caitlyn moved to Rhode Island in 2015 to attend Roger Williams University where she graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. She loved Rhode Island so much, she decided to make it her home! While she works full time in field of victim services, Caitlyn wanted to become more involved and engaged in the greater-Providence community. She thought no better way to do that than to join the Farm Fresh Farmer’s Market Team! In her free time, Caitlyn enjoys cooking dinner, trying out new recipes, eating ice cream, and spending time in the sunshine. She is frequently making meals out of the random findings from the pantry and having themed picnics in the park with friends.
Madeleine Pugsley
Madeleine grew up in Los Angeles, cooking, singing, and staging elaborate home theatricals with their little sister. They moved to New Mexico to study philosophy and the history of science at St. John’s College, graduating in 2022. An avid bibliophile, they have worked as a private tutor, a college housing coordinator, and four years as a library assistant. In 2023, Madeleine was caught by the siren song of small-scale sustainable agriculture, moving to Maine to be a farm apprentice with MOFGA. They are thrilled to combine their passion for cooking, community, and mother earth’s gifts at Farm Fresh Rhode Island.
Nikki Ayres
Nikki grew up in coastal New Hampshire and earned a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of New Hampshire. She has always been passionate about animal welfare and worked as a Certified Veterinary Technician for six years — working with both domestic animals and livestock, specializing in emergency and critical care. Nikki’s career in food and agriculture has spanned from working at restaurants and making food to making on-farm calls when animals are sick. Nikki enjoys fast paced and challenging work that centers around doing good.
Lucie G. Searle
Lucie grew up on a small farm in Exeter, where her family raised beef cattle and pigs. Growing up, she and her brothers were very active in 4-H, and showed their cattle at many local and regional fairs. The farm also grew crops for a roadside stand that offered a large variety of fruits and vegetables, with strawberries and sweet corn being the specialties. Lucie has worked in real estate development — both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors — since 1982. She is especially known for her achievements in revitalizing downtown Providence, evidenced through the three award-winning real estate projects she has developed for AS220 and her ongoing efforts through the Providence Preservation Society. Lucie is one of the original Farm Fresh RI board members, serving for nine years. She stepped off the Board to focus on RI Food Hub development in a professional capacity.
Jesse Rye
Jesse Rye is the Executive Director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island. He has been with Farm Fresh RI since 2012, and in that time has helped to scale and support the work of Farm Fresh both in Rhode Island and New England. In the last few years, Jesse helped the organization to navigate the major changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic while moving the organization to a newly constructed food hub facility adjacent to downtown Providence. Jesse has experience on the community level as nonprofit manager; statewide as program director and communications specialist; and nationally as a researcher and advocate. Jesse as a part of Farm Fresh is determined to grow a local food system that values the environment, health, and quality of life of farmers and eaters. In addition to his work at Farm Fresh, Jesse has volunteered his time as a board member for Farm to Institution New England, Food Solutions New England, the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, and Red Tomato.
Kiffen Ratkevich
A native of Newport, RI, Kiffen has long been passionate about food and his community. After cooking professionally for 10 years, he moved on to program and project management. Kiffen is excited to join Farm Fresh RI and be an active member of the sustainable and equitable food movement in Rhode Island. He enjoys cooking for his friends and family and spending time with his wife at the beach.
Paula Gill
Paula is a local urban gardener with a love for growing and eating fresh, organic produce. A trip to Italy sparked a desire to change the way she feeds herself, after being deeply impacted by Italians’ passionate relationship to food and the Slow Food movement there. Since that impactful trip, she has dreamt of farming in Tuscany. By joining the Davis Park Community Gardens, as well as becoming a beekeeper, she has been able to make this dream a reality right here in Providence. Paula brings with her a first-hand knowledge of running a small business, in addition to her knack for numbers. She is excited about all that Farm Fresh RI is accomplishing and being an active member of the sustainable food movement in Rhode Island.
Aparna Nidamanuri
Aparna is originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago and moved to Rhode Island from Minneapolis after graduating from the University of Minnesota, where she majored in Agriculture and Food Business management. While in school she interned both in the public and private sectors and was able to narrow down her interests after being exposed to a variety of food systems. Now she’s heavily interested in regenerative, local, and all things sustainable/community-oriented when it comes to agriculture. In her spare time, she likes, trying new restaurants/cafes, doing amateur photography, and learning about local history through museums and tours.
Taylor Jones
Taylor grew up surrounded by family gardens — her grandparents even housed some chickens in their backyard. Always hearing her mother pine for the first tomatoes of the season, it wasn’t until a trip to Italy a few years ago that Taylor truly got it. On that trip, she spent five months volunteering on farms in Italy, Greece, and Japan. While trying her hand at making goat cheese, caring for emus, and milking cows, she lived the connection between farmers, animals, the land, and the food that we eat. After returning stateside, she began her Farm Fresh RI journey, first serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member, and now acting as our Nutrition Education Associate. In her spare time, she loves illustrating, playing with her pet rats, and learning about cheesemaking.
Jillian Caruso
Jillian was born and raised in Warwick, RI; recently, she moved to Canterbury, CT. She attended and recently graduated the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY with a BPS in Applied Food Studies. She has worked her entire life in kitchen and this is a refreshing new beginning for her. Jillian is passionate about her garden, reading, and her two nieces. Jillian is excited to start her career in nonprofits at Farm Fresh RI.
