STAFF & BOARD
Founder and CEO, Orange Square
Kristine Merz
“As a board member, 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.”
Rebecca C. Seggel
Rebecca grew up in Providence and graduated with a BA in Classical Studies from Brandeis University. She supported years of exploring new places and local flavors out west, working as a communications consultant and writer/editor for clients like Apple, HP, and Thomson Reuters. After decades serving the corporate world, Rebecca longed for a greater sense of shared mission and values in her work. She was drawn back to family in Rhode Island and the state’s vibrant agriculture and food scene, and found like-minded community at Farm Fresh RI. Now she leverages her experience and love of local food to share Farm Fresh RI’s message, help our farmers and producers thrive, and grow the local food economy.
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.”
Sheri Griffin
After establishing a farm stand and mail order citrus business with her parents and grandparents after high school, Sheri attended the University of Rhode Island, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and biology. After graduation, she entered the nonprofit world, beginning as Director of Development and Publicity at AS220, a nonprofit arts center in Providence. Since then, Sheri has worked at a range of nonprofits of various sizes and has become active in her neighborhood, working with other volunteers to keep a library branch open and starting a community garden.
Molly Ellis
Molly started volunteering at Farm Fresh RI’s Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market in December 2008 on a whim and just kept showing up. Working for Farm Fresh RI opened her eyes to the local food movement and the larger environmental movement, causing her to change her concentration at Brown University from English to Environmental Studies. After a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA, Molly started full-time at Farm Fresh RI in June 2013. She assists the Farmers Market Program Manager and the Finance Director with behind-the-scenes data and numbers work, as well as working on the ground managing the Bonus Bucks Nutrition Incentives program and assisting at farmers markets.
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 different capacities. The overall Farm Fresh motto of connecting local food to local people aligns with Onne’s personal outlook on encouraging positive change.
Jessica Minker
Jessy is passionate about creating and eating flavorful food, championing environmental sustainability, and building community. She is so excited to tie these interests together by joining the team at Farm Fresh RI and serving the local community as an AmeriCorps direct service member, working with Community Education, Harvest Kitchen, and Farmers Market teams. For the year, Jessy is taking a leave of absence from Brown University, where she studies Geology-Biology. In her free time, Jessy can be found petting her cat, painting and collaging, knitting, cooking, or frolicking around outside.
Farmer, Four Town Farm
Chris Clegg
“For years, Farm Fresh RI has helped my farm make valuable connections — from individuals and small businesses nearby in Rhode Island to large restaurant groups up in Boston. As a result, the farm has a wider reach and a broader palette of customers. When the opportunity came up to join the Board of Directors at Farm Fresh, I was more than happy to contribute my time and guidance to this great organization — bringing my perspective as not only a community member and supporter, but also as a Farm Fresh partner and customer.”
Market Mobile
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!
Stephanie Bush
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 in New Hampshire, and has always focused her efforts on community nutrition and especially food insecurity. Stephanie’s career and personal paths have led her to work, volunteer, and educate in many community-based settings such as the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America, Head Start, public schools, senior centers, and WIC. She believes in the power of food to create lasting change and strives to support communities in these endeavors.
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.
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.
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.”
Cara Mitchell
A native Rhode Islander, Cara strives to build a food system with equitable access to food, land, and power. Her passion for food began while a student at Connecticut College where she co-chaired the student-run garden for three years. She went on to work on food access programs in New Haven as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator with CitySeed, helping to develop their first mobile farmers market. Cara graduated with a joint master’s degree in Public Health and Environmental Science from the School of Public Health and the School of the Environment at Yale, focusing on food systems and health. She is committed to supporting community-oriented food access programming that will positively impact Rhode Island.
Staff Attorney, RI Legal Services
Michael Zabelin
“One of the things I like most about Farm Fresh RI is that it strives to provide everyone, regardless of economic status, with access to good, local food. Too often, fresh and local produce is seen as an elitist privilege rather than a basic need and right. I love that Farm Fresh both provides access to good food and uses food as a means of economic development.”
AmeriCorps VISTA
Blake Chazan
Blake is excited to join the Farm Fresh RI team as the Farm To School AmeriCorps VISTA member. Blake was born and raised in Providence and is very happy to be back home. He has earned a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Denison University. After college, Blake moved to New Orleans where he spent three years working in schools and camps throughout the city. In his free time he like to play games, watch sports and movies with his family, and spend time outdoors. He is excited to be a part of Farm Fresh RI and learn more about how food systems operate and the inequities within those systems.
Grace Feisthamel
Grace is a Rhode Island native and a graduate of Providence College. She recently graduated with a B.A. in Global Studies, and also studied Public Administration and Italian. She became passionate about sustainable and local food systems through her studies both in the classroom and abroad in Malawi, India, and Italy. Through experiences in markets, on farms, and with various NGOs she got her hands dirty and came to love growing, cooking, and eating good food.
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.
Jesse Rye
Jesse is from Algoma, Wisconsin, a small town near Lake Michigan surrounded by farms and fishing boats. His family tree is populated with cheesemakers, barbers and general store owners—needless to say, entrepreneurship, and supporting local businesses are in his blood. Growing up, many of the core industries in Jesse’s small community locked their doors and family farms were replaced by factory farms. These dramatic changes inspired Jesse to understand how communities could revitalize themselves economically while preserving their unique sense of place, cultural traditions, and environmental integrity. Since earning a Masters Degree from the Heinz School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University, he has worked locally as a nonprofit manager, nationally as a researcher and advocate, and statewide as program director and communications specialist. At Farm Fresh, Jesse oversees all social enterprise programs, strategic financial management, communications, technology development and human resources. In the past 5 years, he has worked with the board and leadership staff to double the organization’s operating budget and staff, while maintaining a balanced budget. Jesse devotes much of his time to the development of the new RI Food Hub and serves on the RI Food Policy Council as a member of the steering committee and the Food Solutions New England Chair. Jesse is an avid pickler and a fledgling potter who dreams of making his own fermenting crocks.
Maureen Lund
“Farm Fresh Rhode Island is doing an amazing job nurturing innovative, creative ideas to help Rhode Island’s community of farmers and eaters flourish. From education and outreach to youth development and public policy, Farm Fresh’s network of programs and services tie all aspects of our food system together. Their work enriches our local economy and encourages more nutritious food choices by consumers. I’ve long had a passion for healthy eating and supporting youth in our community, and am happy to be part of an organization that is as helping young people try, choose, and enjoy more fresh, local fruits and vegetables — one key avenue in the fight against childhood obesity. I’m proud that Farm Fresh RI serves as an example to the nation that making nutritious foods available to everyone can drive a healthier community and more prosperous future for the state.”
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.
Market Mobile
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 Farm Fresh RI and the Food System Enterprise team full-time as the Market Mobile Associate. Since being at Farm Fresh RI, 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. When she would communicate with volunteers — and now when she communicates with farmers, producers, and customers — she hopes to build and maintain positive relationships with those who contribute to strengthening our local food system.
Market Mobile
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. However, after taking on what she thought was to be a part-time job with the Flatbread Company, Nikki switched gears. She fell in love with working with farmers and introducing new ways to support local agriculture through the restaurant industry. Now with over eight years of restaurant management experience under her belt, Nikki cannot wait to use her skills to help connect even more eaters to locally grown food via Market Mobile. When not working, Nikki enjoys spending time with her spunky daughter Luna.
Assistant Dean, College of Food Innovation and Technology, Johnson & Wales University
TJ DelleDonne
“Farm Fresh Rhode Island has been a part of my life both personally and professionally since its beginning. From filling my home pantry at the markets to making FFRI part of our curriculum here at JWU…the community that it’s built over the past decade and a half is just remarkable. Supporting community, helping others ‘grow,’ helping farms, farmers and artisans connect with the top chefs, students and Rhode Islanders has been and will continue to be part of their mission…and that makes me feel honored to support them and be part of this board. Farm Fresh Rhode Island has been a leader, a trailblazer, and a great example for so many around the region and the country…we’re proud to have them here with us.”
Data & Reporting Specialist
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.
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.”
Assistant Head of School, Gordon School, East Providence, RI
Lynn Bowman
“The community-based mission of Farm Fresh RI and the variety of programming from education to outreach and empowerment resonates with me. As an educator and life-long learner, I believe in the power of shared vision to bring people together, learn from each other and build a better world for us all. With the completion of the new space on Sims Ave, continued programming, and outreach to diverse communities, Farm Fresh is a vital and integral part of the northeast food system. I am honored to join the Board of Directors and work in collaboration with its members and the team to further the mission and impact of Farm Fresh RI.”
Mackenzie Lewia
Mackenzie, or Kenz, is a recent graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in History of Art, and two minors in Visual Arts and Biology. She grew up in Kennebunk, Maine, with her parents and older sister. She moved to Providence this past summer, a place where she has been dreaming of living since she was young. She enjoys creating art, making and eating delicious food, and spending as much time as possible outside. She is excited to learn as much as she can from everyone at Farm Fresh by serving as an AmeriCorps member, and working with Community Education, Harvest Kitchen, and Farmers Market teams.
Shonan Jackson
Originally from New York, Shonan grew up around all different backgrounds and kinds of food — ranging from dollar pizza slices to unaffordable 5-star restaurants, and the overall struggles of living in a “food desert.” After moving to Providence, Shonan was able to be educated on the topic of veganism and healthy eating. As a lover of all foods and animals, veganism immediately became part of Shonan’s identity. With previous and continuous experience in nonprofits where he helped LGBTQ+ youth get the support they need for emotional and financial struggles, Shonan found himself studying nonprofits and sociology at CCRI and RIC. Providing accessible fresh food to his city while supporting local farmers has always been a huge interest, so finding Farm Fresh RI was a dream come true for Shonan. As a lover of his community, and a firm believer in lifting as he climbs, Shonan is so excited to be given the opportunity to work with Farm Fresh!
Leigh Vincola
Leigh has been working toward food system sustainability in New England for a couple decades. Over the years she’s come at this work from a variety of angles including as an urban gardener, writer, marketing and PR specialist, event planner, and most recently, restaurant owner. After five years in Providence, she feels deeply rooted to the Ocean State’s food community and committed to making fresh food accessible to all.
Leigh is the recipient of the 2018 Eddy Award for Best Social Issues Feature for her story on immigrant farm labor in New England in Edible Rhody. She is also one of the co-owners of Troop, a lively restaurant in Olneyville, and a member of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council.
Leigh holds a bachelor’s degree in sustainable agriculture from Sterling College, and a master’s degree in English from Simmons College. She gardens at a community plot on the West Side of Providence.
Chef Instructor, Johnson & Wales University; 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.”
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.
Retired, Former Department Chair, College of Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University
Maureen Pothier
“From its pioneering beginnings in 2004, Farm Fresh Rhode Island has steadfastly grown into a thriving, living being that continues to progressively shape, foster, and cultivate the Rhode Island and New England food system. Through its many programs that support: farmers; community and foodservice access to fresh, local foods; education; healthy eating; and small business, Farm Fresh RI is a leader and model for food hubs across the country. For me, volunteering my time to support the mission and vision of Farm Fresh RI is so easy and obvious! As a chef, culinary educator and former restaurateur, fresh food and the local food system is, and always has been, my passion. I grew up in RI on lots of fresh Rhode Island seafood. In the restaurant, we shaped our menu daily depending on what was fresh from local farms and RI waters. And as an educator, I work to weave fresh, local, and sustainable practices into our curriculum and university. I am thankful for the small part I am able to contribute to this vibrant, trailblazing organization and excited for the future of the local food system because of Farm Fresh RI.”
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.”
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!
