Catherine Cusack (she/her)
Executive Director
Contact Catherine at ccusack@gmfts.org
Catherine joined Green Mountain Farm-to-School in 2013. As Executive Director, Catherine is responsible for overseeing the organization, developing GMFTS long-range strategic plans, raising funds, publicizing its activities, and managing its staff and Board of Directors. Catherine works in partnership with GMFTS program staff in delivering high-quality programming, with an emphasis on improving food access, educating children and community members on the value of Vermont’s rich agricultural landscape, supporting farms, and building relationships to grow the reach of the organization. Since moving to Vermont in 2006, Catherine has advocated for equal access to healthy food and increased opportunities for all Vermonters. While caring for her two young children, she was a freelance health promotion consultant, completing projects focused on obesity prevention. She has a Master of Science degree in health promotion from the University of Montana. Catherine and her family live in Craftsbury, where they love to swim, cross-country ski, and play in the snow.
Rose Lovett (she/her)
Development Manager
Contact Rose at rlovett@gmfts.org
Rose joined the Green Mountain Farm-to-School team in November 2022. As Development Manager, Rose is responsible for fundraising and communications activities. Originally from New Hampshire, Rose attended Keene State College where she graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Environmental Studies in 2017. After college, Rose served as an Americorps VISTA in the City of Boston’s Office of Neighborhood Services. She then spent three years working on the development team of Boston-based nonprofit, Project Place. In 2021, Rose moved to Vermont and worked as a Communications Manager at North Country Animal League before coming to GMFTS. Outside of work, Rose enjoys writing, traveling, and spending time in Nature. Rose is happy to apply her development experience to support the continued growth of GMFTS.
Meggie Patton (she/her)
Food Hub Logistics Manager
Contact Meggie at mpatton@gmfts.org
Meggie joined GMFTS in 2022 as the Food Access & Logistics Coordinator. In her initial role, Meggie helped facilitate the Lunchbox summer meal program and other initiatives aimed at improving food access throughout the Northeast Kingdom. In Spring 2023, Meggie stepped into the role of the Food Hub Logistics Manager. In this position, she supports the operations and communications for Green Mountain Farm Direct. Meggie is also actively involved in the NEK Food Access Network, VT Farm to Plate, and VT Everyone Eats. Meggie graduated from University of South Carolina in 2012 with her master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Following graduation, she served as the Sustainability Coordinator for Brown University until 2016 before pursuing a position as a Wellness Coordinator at Pacific Quest in Hawaii. Having fallen in love with the Northeast Kingdom from prior visits, Meggie finally convinced her fiancé to move to Vermont full-time with their two cats, Betty and Kiko. Meggie brings her background and enthusiasm for sustainability and education with her to the GMFTS team.
Elyse Perambo (she/her)
Farm-to-School Program Manager
Contact Elyse at eperambo@gmfts.org
Elyse Perambo joined GMFTS in December 2021. As the Farm-to-School Manager, Elyse supports the growth of the Farm-to-School program and AmeriCorps team. She graduated from Antioch University New England with a Master’s degree in Environmental Education and received her undergraduate degree from Unity College in Biology. Elyse has been in Vermont since 2013, running a small farm and teaching fiber arts and garden classes to youth. Before moving to Vermont she managed a farm in CA, was the Education Coordinator at Nearby Nature in Eugene, OR and the Youth Education Coordinator at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, CO. In her free time, you can find Elyse in the garden, working with her goats and sheep, or spending time with her family. Elyse is delighted to be connecting youth to their local food systems and the educational opportunities found at the school gardens.
Becca Perrin (she/her)
Food Hub Account Manager
Contact Becca at bperrin@gmfts.org
Becca joined the Green Mountain Farm-to-School team in August 2021. As the Food Hub Account Manager, Becca is responsible for cultivating and maintaining customer relationships for the Green Mountain Farm Direct food hub. Before coming to GMFTS, Becca served two years as a FoodCorps AmeriCorps service member in Chelsea, MA, connecting kids to healthy food in schools. Originally from Connecticut, Becca graduated from University of Oregon where she received a degree in Environmental Studies and Food Studies and also holds a Local Food Leader certificate from Iowa State University. When she’s not working, you can find Becca in the forest, biking, hiking, snowshoeing or at home doing yoga, baking or sewing. She is so excited to be a part of the Vermont food system.
Hilary Rosa (she/her)
Food Access & Logistics Coordinator
Contact Hilary at hrosa@gmfts.org
Hilary joined GMFTS in May 2023. As the Food Access & Logistics Coordinator, she helps to facilitate The Lunchbox summer meal program and works to improve food access throughout the Northeast Kingdom. She has a background in culinary arts, food security, and housing advocacy. While living in Bozeman, MT, Hilary volunteered extensively with the Fork & Spoon Community Kitchen and later interned with Gallatin Valley Food Bank. She graduated from Montana State University with a B.A. in Political Science. Following graduation, Hilary served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the University of Montana Food Pantry in Missoula, MT, where she became involved in the local volunteer Housing Advocate Network. Prior to joining GMFTS, Hilary worked as a Housing Specialist at Northeast Kingdom Community Action. When she’s not working, you can find her on the trails, hiking, biking and cross-country skiing, or at home cooking, reading, and snuggling with her cats. Hilary is very passionate about food access and sustainability, and is SO excited to be involved in the farm-to-table movement in Vermont!
Piper Toth (she/her)
Finance Director
Contact Piper at ptoth@gmfts.org
Piper joined the Green Mountain Farm-to-School team in September 2023. As Finance Director, Piper is responsible for the fiscal oversight of the organization, reviewing the organization financials, providing strategic financial direction, helping to develop and maintain the annual budget and working with GMFTS staff to provide financial reports and information. Piper graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio with a Bachelor of Business Administration and has worked in finance for the past 20+ years serving non-profits, small businesses and universities. Originally from Cleveland, Piper now lives in Athens, Ohio and teaches yoga locally. Outside of work, Piper enjoys hiking, swimming, painting, reading & traveling with her husband & dog. Piper is excited to be a part of the local food to school mission!
AmeriCorps Members
Olivia Anderson (she/her)
AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator
Contact Olivia at oanderson@gmfts.org
Olivia joined GMFTS in August 2024 as an AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator. In school gardens, local farms and after-school programs, Olivia introduces K-8 youth to gardening, cooking and eating healthy food, and other food systems topics to connect students with agriculture and horticulture in their community. Olivia graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2023 with a B.S. in Plant Science. This deepened her understanding of local food systems’ importance for communities everywhere and the joy and connection that comes from growing and eating from the land. Prior to serving with AmeriCorps, Olivia worked at Mill City Farmers Market in Minneapolis educating visitors and implementing their programs. When she’s not pulling weeds, you can find her reading, hiking trails, or swimming in beautiful Lake Memphremagog. As a Minnesota transplant, she’s excited for new adventures in Vermont!
Courtney Fortunato (they/them)
AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator
Contact Courtney at cfortuna@gmfts.org
Courtney joined GMFTS in August 2024, after graduating from Davidson College with a B.A. in Environmental Humanities. As an AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator, Courtney plans and executes programming in school gardens, taste tests in school cafeterias, after-school programs, and farm field trips. Courtney hopes to connect K-8 students in the Northeast Kingdom with where their food comes from through hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. With a passion for the arts and storytelling, Courtney aims to promote both critical and creative conversations about the value of locally sourced food, the magic and science of soil, nutrition and wellness, and how human health is intertwined with that of our natural environment. Overall, they hope to inspire and empower students to build a world abundant with community gardens and vegetable connoisseurs. Outside of the garden, Courtney enjoys crafting, reading and writing speculative fiction, roller blading, and trying their hand at new recipes in the kitchen. This is their first year in Vermont, so they look forward to hiking, learning to ski, and expanding their beanie collection.
Lily Riesett (she/her)
AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator
Contact lily at lriesett@gmfts.org
Lily joined GMFTS in August 2024. As an Americorps Farm-to-School Coordinator, Lily connects with K-8 students about the local food system through programming in school gardens, cafeterias, after-school programs, taste tests, and farm field trips. Lily graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Environmental Studies. Running her campus farm, acting as Student Body President, and rowing for the varsity crew team prepared her for leadership roles in our food systems. Prior to joining GMFTS, Lily apprenticed on an organic farm in Maine. Outside of work, she enjoys backpacking, fly fishing, and playing bluegrass on her mandolin.
Marlow Saucier (they/he)
AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinator
Contact Marlow at msaucier@gmfts.org
Marlow joined GMFTS in August 2024 as an Americorps Farm-to-School Coordinator. Through this position, they build community capacity with K-8 students to connect and engage with the local food system. This goal is worked toward by offering a variety of fun and educational programs, varying from farm field trips and school garden workshops, to cooking in schools and performing taste tests with Vermont's Harvest of the Month. Marlow is a recent graduate of Middlebury college where he majored in Environmental Justice, and wrote a creative thesis about New England agriculture and settler relationship to land and resources. They are also an alumni of the Spring 2023 SIT Food Systems program, where he comparatively studied food systems and completed an anthropological study on barriers to food sovereignty across the varying agricultural and cultural contexts of Ecuador, Malawi, and Barcelona. This will be Marlow’s fifth year living and loving in Vermont and working in the food system; they have formerly held internships at SUSU commUNITY Farm, and at ACORN (Addison County Relocalization Network) working on food justice projects. In their free time, Marlow can be found outdoors, with some tea and a book, or with skis on their feet.