About Us

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Susanna serves as our Executive Director. As the founding Director she brought a skill set needed to build out an integrated farm operation that can serve as a training ground for new farmers, a satellite site for local food hub operations, and a space that is healthful and convenient for the local community.

Susanna@newrootscommunityfarm.com

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Valerie manages and curates our new on-site Farm Market. She is incredibly curious about food. Valerie has participated in West Virginia's local food system in many capacities over the past ten years: farmer, gardener, server, student, researcher, and guest at the dinner table. She believes that everyone deserves to eat good food.

Valerie@newrootscommunityfarm.com

PROGRAM MANAGER

With a deep-rooted passion for creating inclusive spaces, Kristi brings a wealth of experience in community engagement and program development to the team. In her capacity, Kristi spearheads the implementation, coordination, and development of various community programs, notably our farm-to-school initiatives, educational events and workshops, and food access initiatives.

Kristi is passionate about cultivating a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive community where all participants feel welcomed, comfortable, and supported in their learning journeys. This passion is at the heart of their work at New Roots, where they strive to empower individuals through education and access to nutritious food.

Outside of her work at the farm, you can find Kristi hiking with her dogs, slinging espresso at Rangefinder coffee, or rock climbing with friends.

Kristi@newrootscommunityfarm.com

FARM MARKET MANAGER

Amy manages and curates our on-site farm market. She is passionate about local farming and food systems. She believes in encouraging, enabling, and protecting growers and producers of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels towards the common ends of feeding and (economically) supporting themselves and their community. She has worked in food and farming in the area in different ways for 15 years. Food is her love language and she wants everyone to have access to healthy and delicious food that they enjoy.

Amy@newrootscommunityfarm.com

FARM MANAGER

Stephen is a North Carolina native that moved to West Virginia two years ago to pursue a more meaningful existence with people and the outdoors. He loves serving coffee and growing vegetables for the community which he is a part of. He also enjoys rock climbing and chess during his free time.

ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER

Brian is originally from Huntington, WV, and has returned to his home state after eight years of traveling the country and building hydroponic farms in Florida for Brick Street Farms.

FARM APPRENTICE

Elena is our newest Farm Apprentice. She will assist the farm team in sustainable production of specialty crops here on the farm. Climbing and guiding brought her and her husband to the New River Gorge region in 2017, where we fell in love with the rocks, rivers, and mountains of West Virginia. Eleana enjoys rock climbing, fiddle playing, and traveling. She also is a fiber artist here in the New River Gorge region. Check out her art here https://www.elenafouchfiberart.com/

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Kelsey Abad serves as the Secretary of The Advisory Board for New Roots Community Farm. She has over ten years of experience working in local food development up and down the value chain. She owns and operates Rooted Community Consulting, a local food systems development consulting business whose mission is to empower and collaborate with equity, sustainability, and resiliency minded organizations to uplift farmers. She is deeply passionate and motivated to see local food thrive in West Virginia (and beyond). She is an adventurous cook and enjoys sharing meals with folks with a hefty side of vegetable puns and bad dad jokes.

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Autumn Long serves as Chair of the Advisory Board for New Roots Community Farm. Autumn’s professional career, academic background, and personal interests center around sustainable development in Central Appalachia. She works as a nonprofit program manager specializing in solar energy project development, policy advocacy, and public education. Autumn has been an entrepreneur, community organizer, researcher, writer, editor, landscape designer, gardener, and homesteader. She holds an M.A. in Geography from WVU and a B.Phil. in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh.

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Joy Marr serves as Treasurer of The Advisory Board for New Roots Community Farm. Joy is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to organizational constructs for non profits. As a founding member of the Fayette County Farmers Market as well as Plateau Action Network, helping to establish and grow non profits is in her bally wick! As a Business Coach for the Value Chain Cluster Initiative (VC2), she has had a hand in bringing viability and sustainability to business start-ups across West Virginia. Her interest in the environment and the resiliency of the region is supported by her position on the County Farmland Protection Board. Joy is a serial entrepreneur-- working with in the community as a retail/wholesale grower, a consultant offering process engineering for culinary or business programming, event production, a published writer, Pilates instructor and more.

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Govindan serves on the board for the New Roots Community Farm, and is an interdisciplinary food system practitioner who has received numerous awards at the national and state level related to leadership, nutrition, dietetics, food system development and public health. Govindan is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who holds a doctorate in human & community development, a master’s degree in public health (MPH) with concentration in social & behavioral sciences, a master’s in animal & nutritional sciences, a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition & foods from West Virginia University. She is the Primary Investigator and Project Director for the USDA Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Project - Working Lands of Central Appalachia.