Abbie Nelson
Vermont FEED Director
Local Purchasing Programming
Email: abbie@nofavt.org
Abbie Nelson is the Education Coordinator of NOFA Vermont and the Director of Vermont Food Education Every Day (VT FEED), involved in all aspects of local purchasing and professional development of school food service. She has been a teacher for over 20 years in regular and special education, and worked on an organic vegetable and flower farm. As part of NOFA Vermont and a VT FEED partner, she has been working in Vermont schools linking Food, Farm, and Nutrition education for 8 years. Her role has been focused on school food by connecting kitchen managers with local farmers, helping farmers with agricultural education on their farms, training school food service personnel, and teaching school staff how to introduce new foods to students.
Anne Bijur
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Email: abijur@shelburnefarms.org
Anne Bijur is Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Vermont FEED. She comes to us from renewable energy manufacturer AllEarth Renewables where she was Marketing Coordinator for over three years. Previously, Anne served as Shelburne Farms’ Sustainability Coordinator helping the Farm align its operational practices with its commitment to sustainability. She also coordinated Vermont’s Education for Sustainability Project, a multi-stakeholder effort to integrate sustainability into Vermont’s education standards and provide professional development to teachers around sustainability concepts. Anne has a BA in European Studies from Cornell University, an MS in Natural Resource Planning from the University of Vermont, and a certificate in Non-Profit Management.
Danielle Pipher
Farm to School Education and
Professional Development Coordinator
Email: dpipher@shelburnefarms.org
Danielle Pipher works with Vermont FEED on Farm to School education initiatives and community development. She helps schools connect food, farm and nutrition education in the classroom and implement school gardens and garden-based curriculum. She serves as adjunct faculty with Castleton State College offering graduate level professional development courses focused on integrating sustainability and environmental literacy concepts into curriculum.
Danielle has a B.A. in Botany and Women's Studies, a certificate in Non-Profit Management and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Her graduate research focused on the intersection of public health education and Farm to School programs in the US and place-based, experiential education models for the K-6 classroom. Danielle is dedicated to building healthy and enduring relationships between people, land and wellness through connecting Vermont's schools and dynamic communities with sustainable local food systems.
Ross Dorée is Vermont FEED's spring Intern. He works closely with Vermont schools, helping to find fresh ways for students to learn about food, nutrition, and Vermont agriculture. He is excited about seeing these topics engaged in all areas of school curricula.
Ross is a farmer and outdoor educator whose interests include biodynamic farming, butchery, and tanning hides. He believes that every moment is a learning experience, and expanding a child’s experience can bring momentous change. He has a B.A. in English and Political Science from UVM, and he won’t stop there.
Dana Hudson
Northeast Regional Co-Lead for National Farm to School Network
Email: dhudson@shelburnefarms.org
Dana Hudson works for Vermont FEED on special Farm to School projects. She was raised on her family’s farm in Maryland and has over 15 years of experience working on food, farming and education issues. She has a Bachelors in Environmental Analysis and Planning and a Masters in Environmental Studies – focused on Agriculture Education and Nonprofit Administration.
Dana has facilitated farmer to school relations throughout the state of Vermont. She led in the project management of the initial 3 years of Burlington School Food Project, highly successful multi-partner farm to school initiative in Vermont’s largest city. She is an adjunct faculty at Johnson State College and has run graduate level professional development courses on farm to school throughout the state, as well as farm-based multi-day seminars and workshops for farmers from all over the US and Canada. She is a founding and current board member of the Farm Based Education Association.
