Meet the Connecticut Farm to School Steering Committee
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Abby DuBois
CoChair, She/Her
Abby DuBois is the Campaign Coordinator for UConn Extension's Put Local On Your Tray program. In this role, Abby connects CT School Food Service Directors with CT farms to increase procurement of local foods for schools.
Abby leads a Cohort of Food Service Directors as they work to incorporate Farm to School programming into their school districts. As a FoodCorps CT and UConn College of Agriculture Alum, Abby brings a background in teaching, curriculum development, taste testing and cafeteria engagement.
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Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley
CoChair, She/Her
Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley,RDN is a formally trained Chef and Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist. Throughout her career she has held a variety of roles in the fields of public health nutrition, food justice and food service management. Her professional experience includes building farm to table partnerships, systems improvement, program development and leading workshops. She is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Culinary Nutrition, and completed her Dietetic Internship with the University of Connecticut.
Currently, Maraiah leads the Food Services program for Mansfield Public Schools and Region 19/ E.O. Smith High School, where their motto is "no sad lunches". The program's focus is on increasing the variety and quantity of local foods offered to students and integrating scratch menu items, with a focus on diverse cuisines. Maraiah works to increase access and participation in school meals and provide opportunities for children to learn about food in a fun, inclusive environment.
Amanda Aldred
She/Her
Amanda Aldred, RD, SNS manages school nutrition programs at New England Dairy, a nonprofit nutrition education and promotion organization founded, funded, and led by New England dairy farmers. In this role, she develops and implements programs that support dairy education and improve access in New England schools, with an emphasis on Connecticut. Amanda has worked in and with school nutrition programs since graduating from the University of Connecticut in 1999.
Lesley Barewin
She/Her
Lesley has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors developing and implementing community-based programs across workforce development, community health, food security, and zero waste efforts. She is also a Farm to School Coach with the Connecticut Farm to School Collaborative, where she supports school-based teams in building and sustaining Farm to School programming.
Her connection to food systems is both professional and personal. She has worked on food access initiatives, reviewed agricultural grants for the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and the University of Vermont, and coordinated food rescue efforts with local partners to increase access to fresh, locally grown food. She is an active member of the Redding Grange #15, helping organize community events and agricultural programming.
Lesley is also an avid gardener who grows vegetables and flowers in her community garden.
Christine Caruso
She/Her
Christine C. Caruso, PhD, MPH (she/her) is a public health and environmental psychologist and community-based researcher, with expertise in food systems, institutional food, participatory process, urban environments, and health equity. She is currently Assistant Professor of the Practice in Food Security and Environmental Justice at the College of the Environment, at Wesleyan University.​​
She began focusing on institutional food in 2016, while serving as Research Fellow for School Food Focus/FoodCorps, where she was co-investigator for a study exploring values-based procurement practices in school food programs across the US. Christine has published widely and presented nationally and internationally on school food and institutional procurement practices.
Dawn Crayco
She/Her
Dawn Crayco is the Northeast Regional Director for FoodCorps and former Connecticut Program Director. Her background is in community nutrition, public health, community organizing, and public policy. As an original member of the Collaborative leadership, Dawn brings experience working on food issues and strengthening programs and policies that increase access to nutritious foods and food security for children in Connecticut. She currently co-leads the Resources & Funding Action Team with Joey Listro from New Britain ROOTS.
Daniel Duesing
He/Him
Daniel Duesing teaches science in Hartford and runs The 4 Five Farm in Bloomfield. He has spent his 20+ years in education working to connect students with their food and the environment.
Emma Fetridge
She/Her
Emma Fetridge is the Farm to School Coordinator for East Hartford Public Schools. In this role, Emma connects students to locally grown food and knowledge about where food comes from through cafeteria taste tests, classroom cooking lessons, farm field trips, and garden education/programming. Emma strives to create a fun, safe environment for students to try new foods and learn new cooking/gardening skills through hands-on lessons and community programming. As a former FoodCorps Member and University of Vermont graduate, Emma brings a background in classroom instruction, nutrition education, school gardens, family engagement events, local sourcing, and community outreach. She believes connecting with others through the joy of food is a meaningful way of building stronger, healthier communities.
Desmone Gambrell-Claxton
She/Her
New Haven, Connecticut native Desmone Gambrell-Claxton is an educator, entrepreneur, farmer, community advocate, and activist. Holding a Master of Business Administration from Monroe University, Desmone has gained corporate, nonprofit, and freelance experience in marketing, advertising, public relations, business development, branding, and photography.
Deeply passionate about youth development and educational equity, Desmone was accepted into the 2026 Yale Teaching Fellowship and will pursue a Master’s degree in Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University. As a certified farmer through Venture Farming Institute, she is committed to strengthening farm-to-school initiatives and increasing access to healthy, locally sourced food for children across Connecticut.
Desmone has also been a vocal advocate within the Connecticut General Assembly, supporting legislation for universal free school meals and continued funding for the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program. Through her work in education, agriculture, and community advocacy, she remains dedicated to creating sustainable and equitable opportunities for future generations.
Vetiveah Immanuel
She/Her
Vetiveah is a food justice advocate, urban farmer, and consultant working to build equitable, community-led food systems.
With over a decade of experience across urban agriculture, food entrepreneurship, and community health, her work focuses on strengthening local food economies, increasing land and resource access for farmers, and addressing food insecurity as a public health issue. She currently serves as the Founder and Executive Director of Radiance Gardens, a community garden and education initiative that distributes fresh produce, mobilizes volunteers, and provides programming on growing food, nutrition, and food sovereignty.
Her professional background includes leading food entrepreneurship incubator and accelerator programs, managing community food hubs and gardens, and supporting farmers and food business owners with business development, market access, and policy navigation. She has worked closely with local governments, nonprofits, and coalitions to advance food access, support BIPOC farmers, and develop community-driven food system strategies.
Ella Kennen
She/Her/Ella
Estela (Ella) Kennen is the Coordinator of the New Connecticut Farmers Alliance, where she supports a network of over 700 new and small-sale farmers across the state. Her work focuses on connecting farmers with each other, developing farmer-led programming, and translating on-the-ground needs into efforts that improve land access, market opportunities, and long-term farm viability.
Among other commitments, Ella serves on the Farm to Institution New England Advisory Committee and the Food and Nutrition Standing Working Group for the Connecticut General Assembly Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity. Originally from Puerto Rico, she brings a systems-oriented perspective, with a focus on strengthening regional food systems and expanding equitable access to growing and accessing locally grown food.
Lisa Lenskold
She/Her
Lisa Lenskold is the Project Director for the CT Farm to School Institute, bringing expertise in educator training and curriculum development and building farm to school programs from the ground up. Her background spans school gardens, farm to school consulting, and educator engagement. Lisa is the Co-Founder of Norwalk Grows, a School Garden Partnership with Norwalk Public Schools, and a member of the VTFEED Farm to School Institute's Community of Practice, which supports the development of a nationwide Farm to School Institute model. She also runs Simply Grown, a garden coaching and kitchen garden design business based in Fairfield County.
Nadine Nelson
She/Her
Nadine Nelson, owner of Global Local Gourmet and founder of Master Cooks Corps, is a passionate chef, educator, and social practice artist. Her work transforms kitchens into classrooms and dining tables into forums for change.
For over two decades, Nadine has crafted interactive culinary experiences that nourish both body and community. Her innovative programs blend disease prevention, community care, economic development and cultural celebration, inviting participants to learn from one another while savoring the joys of shared meals from seed to waste.
Nadine's expertise spans farm-to-table and pantry to plate curricula development, culinary tourism, and food policy advocacy. A Soul Fire Farm BIPOC FIRE alum and Speakers Collective member, she brings a unique perspective shaped by studies at the Ritz Escoffier in Paris and a teaching certificate from Tufts University.
Recognized by the James Beard Foundation and serving formerly on the New Haven Food Policy Council as education chair, Nadine continues to champion equitable food systems. Through her business and artistic endeavors, she weaves together diverse communities, cultivating a more just and delicious world one dish at a time where food is a blessing.
Monica Pacheco
She/Her
Monica has 27 years of experience in food service operations, 20 years in healthcare and 7 years as school food service director. Most recently, she has been with the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) for over 9 years working with School Nutrition Programs. She is the Farm to School Representative for the CSDE, is on the CT Farm to School Collaborative Steering Committee, the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Advisory Council, and the CT Food Policy Council. In addition, she works on Procurement Reviews and is one of the coordinators for the Food Distribution Program for schools. Monica is a Registered Dietitian and a graduate of the University of Connecticut.
Meet our Admin Assistant
Melanie Desch
She/Her
Melanie comes to the collaborative with a background in sustainable agriculture and nonprofit project management and coordination. She's been farming in Connecticut for over 4 years, and is passionate about local food systems and addressing food insecurity in our CT communities. She is excited to join the team and become more involved in the incredible Farm to School initiatives the Collaborative is working on!​
In addition to her Collaborative role, Melanie also owns a small flower farm in Mansfield Center, manages the Willimantic Farmers Market, and is a Program Coordinator for the UConn Extension Solid Ground Program, running workshops for new and beginning farmers, just like herself!