Meet The Team

Lenah is a Senior Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent serving Culpeper, Fauquier, and Rappahannock Counties.  Her work focuses on food safety, food entrepreneurship, and nutrition. 

From 2008 – 2022, Lenah served as a 4-H Extension agent in Fairfax and Fauquier Counties. 

Prior to her work with Virginia Cooperative Extension, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru and worked as a farm hand on vegetable farms across the United States.  She got her undergraduate degree from William and Mary and her Masters from Virginia Tech. 

Growing up on a small family farm in Greene, Gretchen first learned about the food industry through her father's restaurant. She moved to Asheville, NC in 2010, where she was the chief operating officer at a small business with over 90 employees. She oversaw the expansion of the business into four retail locations, a large production facility, and a new business venture over the course of a dozen years. During this time, she also earned her degree in communication from UNC Asheville, and worked in community radio.

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Having recently moved back to the area, Gretchen is excited to apply her skills to a venture she is deeply passionate about- helping local folks thrive, creating more sustainable food sources, and deepening community connections.

Patty Johnson has thirty years of engineering experience, coupled with 25 years of profit-oriented small-scale beef production. 

While she and her husband raised their six children, she direct-marketed grass-fed beef through farmers' markets, online sales, on-farm sales, and through local food hubs. 

She has a strong understanding of regional farming practices and a solid working knowledge of government agriculture and conservation programs. Patty is a past president of the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council and was a member of a working group determining the feasibility of building a processing facility in central Virginia. 

An occasional writer, she maintains a blog for beginning farmers. When not working on endless home improvement projects, she can be found running the trails in Orange and Fredericksburg.

Becky Gartner served as the team leader for establishing the Carver Food Enterprise Center (CFEC). She now serves as an advisor to CFEC and works in Rockingham County as an Extension Agent, Family, and Consumer Sciences, for Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Her work experiences have allowed her to focus on her specialties of food safety, nutrition, and food preservation. Her manufacturing experience includes working as a quality assurance manager in juice/beverage processing, flour milling, frozen dough products, and retail /wholesale seafood processing. Becky moved to the regulatory field by working for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation as an Environmental Health Officer in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. Responsibilities included the enforcement of state and federal food regulations for seafood processing facilities and vessels, restaurants, and retail food establishments.

Becky also designed the Stone Soup Job Skills Training Program for the Carver Food Enterprise Center. She earned a BS – Housing, Interior Design and Resource Management, Home Economics Education/ Extension, and an MS – Human Nutrition and Foods from Virginia Tech.

David M. Jones, Managing Partner and Auditing & Accounting Partner, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Bridgewater College in 1985. David began his career in a staff accounting position with Young, Nicholas, Mills & Co. of Culpeper, Virginia, now known as The Jones Group.

David has over 30 years of accounting experience. Throughout his career he has provided accounting and financial services to individuals, commercial, non-profits, and government organizations. David is an active volunteer in the Culpeper community.

Dennis grew up on a diversified farm in northwestern Ohio that included dairy, hogs, poultry (chickens and ducks), sheep, tomatoes, corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, alfalfa and, in the early 1950s, sugar beets.

He is a graduate of the University of Dayton, the University of Pennsylvania and the Ohio State University with degrees in French, Middle Eastern Studies, Arabic and international relations. Among many other endeavors, he was an English teacher in Tunisian public schools as a member of the US Peace Corps. This was a life-changing event in so many ways. After his return to the US, in addition to continuing his education, he taught school in New Jersey, worked a a Senate aide, analyzed and developed international policy in several Washington, DC organizations and owned his own construction business.

In 1995, he began an organic vegetable operation in Culpeper County and marketed his produce at farmers’ markets in Charlottesville, Culpeper and the Washington, DC area. In retirement, his travels have taken him to Germany, Italy, China, South Korea, India, Morocco and Iran among other countries.

John Clark is the owner/operator of Harvest of Hope Farm in Culpeper, Virginia, where he and his wife grow produce in large quantities for donations to local food
banks. His love for agriculture began early in life on the family dairy farm in northern New York so after retiring from a 42-year career that spanned the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, John decided to return to his agrarian roots and began farming in
beautiful Culpeper County, Virginia.
 

John’s career experience included 30 years in the public sector working for the United States Marshals Service, where he retired as the Director, the first career employee in the agency’s history to be appointed to that rank. John’s private sector
experience included 5 years working for the nation’s largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin, where he oversaw corporate security operations. John concluded his career in the nonprofit sector, serving for 7 years as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an organization dedicated to finding and protecting children worldwide.
 

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Syracuse University. He and his wife dedicate their time, talent, and treasure to supporting those in need within the local community.

Hope Lawrence is the founder of the Hudson Henry Baking Company, a granola business she started in 2012 and named after her two sons, Hudson and Henry. What began at the Charlottesville City Market grew to a coveted brand that was sold across the country. Her “Hudson Henry Granola” has won 6 sofi awards, which are like the Oscars of the packaged food industry, and was featured on The Today Show as one of Kathie Lee and Hoda’s favorite things.

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In 2022, Hope sold the business and moved her family from Palmyra to Keswick in order to be closer to all things Charlottesville.  She continues to be passionate re; all things food/beverage.  She loves to help cpg founders grow and organize their businesses and thrive as entrepreneurs.
 

A graduate of James Madison University, she is a member of Women For Madison and a member of the Amethyst Circle. Before “the granola years”, she was a Product Manager for Standard & Poor’s in NYC and Fitch Ratings in London. She was also a finance committee member of the Specialty Food Association. 

She is currently on the CIC Board and works as a Program Manager with Venture Central, a non-profit in Charlottesville.

Hope’s hobbies include reading, traveling with her family, and playing video games with her teen sons (if you can’t beat them, join them). Her ideal day is hanging out with the boys, baking cookies, and reading a good book…ideally on a snowy day.

Miriam Boateng is a dynamic Agricultural Economist and Business Development and Management Specialist, currently serving as the Promotion and Marketing Coordinator for the Agricultural Development Department in Fauquier County. Miriam blends academic expertise with practical experience to drive sustainable agricultural practices and rural development. 

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Her diverse background encompasses a range of specializations, including rural development, agribusiness, agritourism, marketing for small businesses, and policy advocacy dedicated to driving growth and sustainability in the agricultural sector. Her commitment to promoting sustainable practices is evident in her role as the Promotion and Marketing Coordinator, where she spearheads initiatives to enhance the local agricultural ecosystem. 

Miriam's wealth of experience is evident in her significant contributions to community education and engagement, proficiency in research and grant management and assistance, and projects advancing agricultural practices. 

Miriam's passion for agribusiness development and her advocacy for policy frameworks that support local farmers align seamlessly with her academic background. Her passion for fostering agribusiness development has led to the successful implementation of strategic initiatives to enhance the financial viability of farms and businesses within the agricultural supply chain. She has a solid foundation in market dynamics, economic trends, and risk management strategies. 

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Miriam's commitment to sustainable agriculture shines through in her strategic vision for creating thriving communities. As the Promotion and Marketing Coordinator, she endeavors to bridge the gap between local farmers and consumers, fostering a resilient and prosperous agricultural sector. 

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Miriam Boateng's multifaceted career reflects her dedication to advancing agricultural economics, business development, and the overall well-being of rural communities. 

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Joe is a relative newcomer to the area (2021) and brings a deep background in corporate finance and wealth management. Joe is currently a Managing Director at Westbourne Investment Advisors – a Registered Investment Advisory (Wealth Management) firm.  Before joining Westbourne, Joe spent over 25 years in corporate finance roles, including as the head of investor relations at several prominent public companies including CSX Corporation, Nextel Communications, XM Satellite Radio, Iridium, Deltek, and Millennial Media.  In these roles, Joe was the main liaison between Wall Street investors, analysts, and company management.  In 2017 he moved into the Investment Advisory arena with the purchase of Westbourne Investment Advisory.

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Joe earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an M.B.A. from the Sellinger School of Management at Loyola University Maryland.  Joe and his wife, Jennifer, have 7 grown children and live on a farm in the Hebron Valley of Madison County, Virginia raising Katahdin sheep, Devon cattle, chickens, and rabbits

Raised in the rolling countryside of Fauquier County, Kimberly developed a deep appreciation for community, hard work, and the value of locally grown food. Today, Kim proudly calls Culpeper County home, where she continues to build on over 30 years of experience in the restaurant and catering industry.

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As a dedicated parent to three wonderful daughters, she understands the importance of creating meaningful connections, both around the table and within the community. Kim's passion for food goes beyond the kitchen; she has always believed in the power of supporting local farms and small businesses. That belief has guided much of her career and continues to inspire her efforts.

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With decades of hands-on experience in food and hospitality, Kim is now focused on giving back to the community that helped shape her. She is especially excited to mentor and support new entrepreneurs as they navigate the evolving food and beverage scene, whether it's offering guidance, collaborating on local events, or simply sharing what she has learned over the years, her goal is to help others thrive, and to keep our local food culture vibrant and strong.

Stacey Brown has worked her entire career in the food service industry from server to management and various positions for nearly forty years. She is an instructor/proctor for ServSafe® food protection training, holds a teaching license in the Commonwealth of Virginia for Food Occupations, and has been a registered apprenticeship coordinator for cooks and bakers with the Dept. of Labor and Industry. Stacey taught Culinary Arts I &II to incarcerated youth for seventeen years.

Working in that position she found her passion for helping others using her skills in food service. Having a student being released to the area she sought out a program that could assist that individual in pursuing their interest in food preparation. This led her to the Carver Food Enterprise Center and volunteering to assist with seeing it come to fruition. 

Michelle Edwards is the Environmental Programs Manager for the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission, where she has worked for the past 12 years.  She initiated the Commission’s efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, including the development of the region's food system plan, which is now being implemented.  She also launched the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Food Policy Council (chairing it the first year) and the region’s Purely Piedmont locally-grown food marketing program.

Michelle previously worked as an Environmental Planner with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Local Leadership Workgroup.