Director – Kate Collier

Kate grewup on a farm in Fauquier County and brings extensive food industryexperience to the project. At the young age of 11, she began rollingout shortbread dough in her mother’s hilltop bakery. Kate is along-term supporter of the local food movement and an advocate forsmall farms and local food producers in Central Virginia. Herinnovative perspective on the food industry, life-long experience inmarketing, food sales, and distribution has helped bring success andprofitability to her business, Feast!. Her strong relationships withlocal farmers, a keen business sense and an understanding of the issuesfacing small-scale food producers helps inform our vision and mission.

Farmer Services and Development – Marisa Vrooman

Thedaughter of a large animal veterinarian, Marisa is no stranger to thefarm. She worked with her father for many years and spentmuch of her childhood visiting small, struggling farms in upstate NewYork. She has witnessed the decline of the family farm on a verypersonal scale, seeing her family members struggle to hold on to theirland. She is convinced that in order to revive our rural economies, wemust begin to revive our agricultural heritage. Her family currentlyhas a small farm in Amherst, Virginia where they raise Maremma guarddogs, sheep and grow wine grapes.

Purchasing and Operations – Alan Moore

Bornand raised in tidewater Virginia, Alan and his young family have deeproots in Central Virginia. After graduating from UVA, he served as theDirector of Operations for Jefferson Vineyards. After graduate schoolin Charleston, he helped found and served as the Program Director forLowcountry Local First a non-profit organization working to revitalizethe agricultural economy, environment, and community in the Lowcountryof South Carolina. He has an understanding of the many pressures facedby our local growers. His experience in developing entrepreneurialprograms that promote economic development, preserve our agriculturalheritage, and better connect our farms to our tables is an invaluableasset to the Local Food Hub.

Events Coordinator– Allison Thomas Rodriguez

Allisonhas been grounded in the soil from a young age. Growing up on a smallfarm in rural Missouri, Allison’s family raised their own beef andpoultry and grew vegetables for consumption and canning.  Herprofessional food industry experience began behind the scenes in therestaurants her family owned, where the culinary offerings wereinfluenced by her mother’s international travel and the entire clan’sshared love of cooking and eating.  As a college student Allison workedthe front of the house, waiting tables at a favorite Richmond spot andgaining extensive knowledge of Virginia wine as well as the importanceof educating consumers about the origins of their food and its ties tothe local economy.  Many adventures in food followed, including aten-year stint in the book publishing world, communicating and sellingthe work of esteemed chefs like Charlie Trotter and Mollie Katzen.  Nowa mother of three, Allison shares with her children a passion fororganic gardening, teaching the values and the culture of Slow Food,and every Christmas is an opportunity for the extended family tocollaborate on an elaborate feast based entirely on local offerings. As part-time Events Coordinator for the Local Food Hub, Allison isexcited by the chance to connect to other like-minded folks in theregion who share an abiding interest in celebrating and fostering thelocal food shed.

Legal Counsel and Research – Gregg Finkell

Greggis originally from upstate New York and has had a passion for localfood since he was old enough to lift a hose to help water hisgrandfather's garden.  Joining us through the Simpson Thacher &Bartlett Public Service Fellowship program, he brings his experience asa corporate lawyer to the Local Food Hub.  Gregg's knowledge of thestructural and operational challenges faced by organizations will helpguide the Local Food Hub toward executing its mission and serving ourcommunity of local growers and consumers.

Contact Us

(434) 244-FARM (3276)

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Nathan Vrooman, Warehouse:  nathan[at]localfoodhub.org

Emily Manley, Community Outreach Coordinator:  emily[at]localfoodhub.org 

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