Had Leah spent her teenage years in Vermont, she would have found her way to VYCC earlier in life.  Growing up in New Mexico, Leah explored and made peace with adolescence among the ridges and canyons of the Rockies.  She moved to Vermont to attend Middlebury College and fell equally in love with Vermont.  It’s Leah’s belief that young people seek a sense of belonging to place and community and are eager to contribute and build skills. With this in mind, Leah co-founded Vermont Commons School, where she learned along with students in the classroom, on the trail, and in the community.  Leah’s love of the natural world as habitat and classroom led her to a master’s degree in Ecological Planning at UVM. Each morning, Leah cracks the shades and begins dreaming about the days’ adventures.  Joining VYCC and its mission feels like both coming home and looking at each day’s possibilities.

Pronouns: she/her

Breck joined the VYCC team in 2008 and became Executive Director in 2016. Helping every young person learn from the beauty, mystery, and challenges of the natural world drives Breck in his work. He finds inspiration in the creativity, resolve, and corps spirit that young people bring to VYCC. That VYCC focuses on enrolling traditionally underserved populations is especially compelling. Prior to VYCC Breck was an outdoor educator and Director at Keewaydin Camp, a classroom teacher and Dean of Students at a small prep school, and a development professional in higher education. He also spent three fun years adventuring out west and traveling the globe before returning to his east coast roots. Breck holds degrees from Lawrence University and Saint Michael’s College. Outside of work, he lives in the hills of Huntington, where he and his wife Margaret try to keep up with two daughters. Hockey, running, apple trees, good books, and fresh powder are all areas of keen interest.

Pronouns: he/him

Hapy joined VYCC in 2015 with over 20 years of finance and operations experience managing Small Dog Electronics, an Apple Computer sales and service company he founded with his father. Hapy has degrees from Northwestern University in Philosophy and Economics. He lives with many rescued dogs in Fayston. Hapy is a USA Hockey Ice Hockey referee and competes as a professional “heavy” athlete in the Scottish Games. Any spare time outside of that, he is honing his craft as an artisan blacksmith at his shop in Fayston.

Pronouns: he/him

Patrick believes in the power of possibility.  A common thread throughout Patrick’s career is the quest for possibility – whether in the mountains of Arizona managing forest restoration operations, launching multicultural community programs, or reimagining “waste” through research and entrepreneurship.  At all scales, from scrappy start-ups to multi-billion-dollar organizations, in private businesses and non-profits, and from abstract theory to manual labor, Patrick has worked to find alternatives to impossibility.  Patrick gleaned this outlook during his first season with a Corps in the Southwest, observing how perseverance, teamwork, and creative thinking could overcome obstacles.  It was inspiring to see members rise to these challenges and gain their own new perspectives and pathways.  Patrick creates these same types of experiences for youth through growing the program, building partnerships, and supporting a fantastic team to run the program each season.  Patrick enjoys exploring Vermont by ski and bicycle, and operates a small farm with his partner while restoring a 200+ year old farmhouse. 

Pronouns: He/him

Christine believes in the transformative power of food and farming to connect communities and create positive lasting change. From working with farmers in New York State and Oregon, to leading food security programs in India and Africa, to working with Indigenous youth entrepreneurs in the Arctic, Christine led a variety of youth development and agricultural training programs before her path led her to VYCC. In her role as Director of the Food & Farm Program, she is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to hone their skills while engaging in meaningful service work. She believes the best learning often happens when in the field or kitchen through the alchemy of working with the land and with one another towards a common goal. In her free time, Christine loves adventuring outdoors with her family, learning new languages, and teaching herself to play her ever-growing collection of musical instruments.

Pronouns: she/her

Christopher is driven by a passion for connecting people through good food and stewardship of the land. Christopher grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated from Clark University with a degree in Environmental Studies. They worked on multiple organic vegetable production farms around New England before joining the Regional Environmental Council in Worcester, where they managed a large urban community garden program and worked to increase food access for members of underserved communities. More recently, Christopher worked for Burlington’s Parks and Recreation department as the Conservation Project Manager, where they supported community gardeners and conservation site volunteers. Christopher believes that when we choose to invest in our relationship with the natural world, everyone benefits, and they are dedicated to increasing opportunities for people to grow and share food. Christopher enjoys practicing martial arts, cross-country skiing, herbalism, and gardening. They live in central Vermont with their wife and their dog, Darwin.

Pronouns: they/them

Marley loves all things growing food and feeding others. She began farming on a small student farm in Connecticut and has since learned on an organic co-op in Quebec and as an Americorps Production Leader at VYCC in 2024. Marley holds a degree in social work from the University of Connecticut, where she developed her passion for growing food in a socially just and equitable manner. When she isn’t observing seed magic at the farm, Marley enjoys lounging by the river and playing board games with her friends.

Pronouns: she/her

Jake believes that to be interested in food but not in food production is clearly absurd. Luckily, he gets to work with aspiring young farmers to explore that interest and produce delicious food for the Health Care Share. It’s his hope that these young farmers will go on to build a food system that is sustainable, just, and equitable. Jake spent the 2016 growing season with VYCC as a crew leader and was blown away by the dedication of the corps members and their development into an efficient, knowledgeable farm crew. In the few years since Jake has been learning more about growing good food and building good soil on farms all across the Country. After the work day, Jake spends his time volunteering as an EMT in Richmond and trying to get his dog to behave.

Pronouns: he/him

Claire loves finding joy in a day and so far, farming is where she has found the most! She loves the way the work brings people closer to themselves and each other. Farming has been her passion since high school in Connecticut, where she was lucky to participate in her school’s agriscience program. This led her to completing a degree in Environmental Science at Saint Michael’s College. She has worked on several farms of different systems and scales, from fruit farming in Hawaii, market gardening in Maine and rotating herds of cattle and sheep in Vermont. Claire was a crew leader at VYCC in the 2023 season and is so excited to continue to build soil and community here. Away from the farm she loves bird watching, dancing in her kitchen, watering her plants and playing with her cats Raccoon and Possum.

Pronouns: she/her

Grace has been working on organic farms since 2020. She loves the fulfillment that comes from providing sustainably grown food to her community. She believes that improving access to fresh, local produce is one of the best ways we can improve both our personal health as well as the health of our planet. As a lifelong athlete, she also finds immense joy from a day spent outside working the land and getting dirty. She studied math at Middlebury College, and after several years working in Boston, as well as a season picking strawberries in New Zealand, she found her way back to Vermont in September 2024. Grace is tremendously excited about combining her love of data with her passion for agriculture in the Food and Farm Program. When she isn’t farming or crunching numbers, you can expect to find Grace running, hiking, and exploring Vermont’s many trails!

Pronouns: she/her

Bill is passionate about stewarding healthy and resilient forests while assisting corps members in developing skills that will enable them to become future conservation leaders. He brings with him experience from a diverse array of outdoor fields including wildland fire, search and rescue, land stewardship, and guiding. In his free time Bill can be found snowboarding, rock climbing, and exploring the backcountry.

Pronouns: he/him

Originally a Midwesterner, Parker moved to Vermont in 2023 and served as a Conservation Crew Leader for 2 field seasons, where they found their true passion at the intersection of human connection and the natural environment. Parker is all about making people laugh, building community, and using our bodies to do work that has a real impact on the world around us. From their time as a special educator, Parker learned and truly believes that we all have capacity, given proper support, to do anything we set our minds to. They’re devoted to the protection of our Earth and the inclusion of all people in work they are passionate about. Parker is non-binary, has massive pride in their identity, and encourages everyone they meet to have confidence in who they are. When not building trails and connections, Parker can be found rock climbing, lifting weights, or dancing to Lady Gaga.

Pronouns: they/them

Tommy joins VYCC with a background in regenerative agriculture, conservation, and outdoor education. In this role, he is excited to work to connect people to their environment, build resilient communities, and steward our natural lands. He grew up in the Adirondacks, and after attending the University of Vermont, has lived and worked in Northern California, New Mexico and New York City. His experiences have cultivated a strong belief in the value of building a sense of place within your community and the natural world. Currently, he lives in Burlington, VT and enjoys spending time outside, throughout all the seasons, as well as tinkering on his long list of projects.

Pronouns: he/him

Anna is excited to be a part of VYCC and join a team of passionate and knowledgeable individuals. She believes that providing opportunities for people to engage in the natural world, whether that be through corpsmember service, outdoor recreation or more, will build a deeper sense of environmental appreciation within communities. Anna has worked in conservation projects across the lake in the Adirondacks as well as out west in Wyoming, developing skills in trail building, habitat restoration, and leadership that she is excited to share.  She hopes to build meaningful partnerships and create positive corpsmember experiences.  Now living in Burlington, in her free time Anna enjoys skiing and baking in the winter. In the summer she is likely hiking or swimming and soaking up the sun!

Pronouns: she/they

Leona is thrilled to join VYCC and to be back in the Northeast. She is passionate about workforce development, leadership development, and conservation. Leona brings with her an extensive leadership background, graduating from the United States Military Academy with a degree in Environmental Geography and serving for seven years as an Army Engineer Officer during a challenging and complex time in our military’s history. Most recently, she has spent time raising her three boys, exploring alternative education models with her kids, and leading volunteer efforts in her community. She is excited to rejoin the workforce and hopes to use her work and life experiences to help grow the Parks Restoration Crew (PRC) program while supporting the missions of both VYCC and Forest Parks and Recreation (FPR). Leona enjoys hiking, running, family time, and good coffee. She is looking forward to cross country ski adventures with family and friends this winter.

Pronouns: she/her

August Tallmadge has a long history with VYCC, first coming to the Richmond barn when he was five years old and his older brother was joining a Youth Camping Crew. Since then, August has had various roles from Crew Member, to Crew Leader, to Field Supervisor. Now, as Conservation Program Coordinator, August brings a diverse skillset and life experiences to the Conservation team. In addition to his work with VYCC, August has a degree in Economics with a minor in Arabic, has lived in Jordan, and runs marathons.  His passion for the outdoors shows through his love of hiking, fungi and gardening. In his free time August also loves to read, paint, and of course run. He is excited to bring his love of cooking and knowledge of trail work to Conservation crews and VYCC Staff.

Pronouns: he/him

Keith grew up an hour west of Philadelphia (Go Birds!) in a rural, farming community. He studied geology and environmental science in college. During college summers, Keith worked at several environmental education camps. After college, Keith joined the Student Conservation Association Adirondacks Corps. Working there, he discovered an awesome opportunity to work and live outside in a professional setting. After the Adirondacks, Keith went west to work on trails in Arizona and California for a few seasons. Keith first came to VYCC in the summer of 2017 working as a crew leader. Keith especially enjoyed the community building aspect of VYCC. After the season, Keith moved south to Louisiana where he helped open the Louisiana Conservation Corps. While the fishing and seafood were phenomenal, Keith missed cold weather and was excited to move back to Vermont in 2019. In his free time, Keith enjoys paddling, gardening, watching sports, cooking, and hiking with his dog, Oscar!

Pronouns: he/him

Conservation work is Andy’s passion. Being a steward of public lands is something that they strive to do every day. Andy hopes to help guide people into trail work and nurture a relationship with the environment and all it has to offer. Andy’s masonry, grip hoist, cross-cut, and backcountry trail experience has built them into a seasoned trail worker. 

Pronouns: they/them

 Anika is excited to join VYCC as a Year Round Crew Leader. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BS in Environmental Science. While at UNC she got the opportunity to study landscape ecology in Montana. Here she got to hike, camp, and study in and around Glacier NP and loved every second of it. Additionally, she worked as the Natural Areas Conservation Intern at the NC Botanical Gardens and as a Botany seasonal with ACE/BLM on the coast of Oregon. She loved getting to work with endangered species and working to restore native habitats. Anika enjoys being outside, hanging with friends, and UNC basketball. She can’t wait to have an amazing season and continue doing what she loves! Go Heels!!  

Pronouns: she/her

From a small age, Gray has always had a passion for nature and conservation work. She grew up in sunny California, where many afternoons were spent outside hiking, biking, and catching critters. From there, she moved to Colorado to study wildlife and fisheries, where her interest in the preserving the natural world truly took root. Afterwards, she worked for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which further cemented her desire in getting the public involved in conservation. She’s excited to bring her skills to the team at VYCC for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. 

Pronouns: she/her

Joseph is making their debut as a Year Round Crew Leader coming from Southern California. They worked in the Shasta Trinity Alps with the Backcountry Trails Program and the California Conservation Corps. Legend goes that the first tree they felled was a fifty foot Doug Fir with a crosscut. When Joseph isn’t doing conservation work, they’re traveling on their bicycle, seeking out the next best vegan ice cream. “My intention today is that of yesterday, to be a better person than I was the day before.” 

Pronouns: he/them

Devon joins the VYCC community with more than 10 years of nonprofit experience with a focus on development and community engagement. As a Senior Corps Member with City Year Boston and then on staff at Boston Cares, Devon planned and led large scale service projects across the city, mobilizing thousands of corporate volunteers and building to a career centered around civic engagement. Devon honed her fundraising skills as the Director of Institutional Giving at a Boston Harbor Islands based Outward Bound chapter and then moved north to Burlington in 2023 to become the Director of Development with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Born and raised in southern Vermont (“the Brattleboro area”, as she says), Devon has been excited to once again call the Green Mountain State her home, and to leverage her drive and experience to support an organization that invests in the skill development and education of other passionate people.

Pronouns: she/her

Katelynn is a strong believer that experiences where young people get to work together in service of others and the natural environment will have a positive impact on their futures. After college Katelynn spent a year in California and Idaho serving with AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) which cemented her belief in the power of service-learning experiences. Before joining VYCC, she spent three years in Colorado working for a food bank with an emphasis on providing nutritious food and nutrition education. In her free time, she loves hiking, playing soccer, reading, and volunteering.

Pronouns: she/her

Jens comes to VYCC with a background in environmental policy and corporate climate and environmental action. Focused on creating regenerative impact through his work, he is passionate about advancing climate resilience and environmental stewardship across various areas of society. Jens believes it is now more important than ever to bridge and strengthen local communities and their ecosystems while supporting and growing the leaders of the future – the core reason he was drawn to VYCC. Originally from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Jens fell in love with the outdoors from a young age, taking a deep interest in primitive living skills, ecological conservation, and outdoor recreation. After moving to Vermont in 2014 to study at Green Mountain College, Jens worked as an analyst and consultant in the energy industry, focused on climate technologies and strategies for clean energy deployment. He brings to VYCC a depth of experience in project management and stakeholder relations, and is excited to support the organization’s fundraising and development activities. Outside the barn, Jens is a musician, art lover, and culinary enthusiast.

Pronouns: he/him

Bo is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to learn and grow. He first joined VYCC as a Crew Member when he was sixteen. After four weeks building bridges on the Catamount XC Trail, he was a changed person. He knew he had to come back. Bo returned the following year for a season of trail-building, invasive species management and organic farming. Those two summers were a formative experience that have guided his path ever since. For seven years, he taught in public, private and therapeutic schools. He’s now back at VYCC where he builds partnerships that connect young people with the land and their community. Other interests include: reading, running, and performing in rock bands around Burlington.

Pronouns: he/him

William seeks to use his 20+ years of business and book retail management experience to support VYCC’s mission and operations. After 17 years away, including working as the Business Manager at Linden Waldorf School in Nashville TN, he returned to Vermont – where his heart has always called home. William is passionate about outdoor recreation, books, americana music, maps, microbreweries, and is a longtime shareholder at Mad River Glen. Ask him about it!

Pronouns: he/him

Kristen arrives at VYCC with a background in nonprofit leadership and business administration work in the world of outdoor education. She arrived in Vermont from upstate New York in 2012 and attended UVM for graduate school for Nonprofit Leadership. Before coming to VYCC, Kristen worked as the Director of a summer camp in the Adirondacks for the past 14 years. She is a coach and climbing guide at Petra Cliffs Mountaineering Center and has worked in land conservation for the past 9 years serving on the board of CRAG-VT, Vermont’s Climbing Resource Access Group. She is so excited to be one of the people welcoming new staff to their time at VYCC! In her personal life she is an avid rock and ice climber, musician, a community organizer, and dog mom.

Pronouns: she/her

Believing in the magic of nature and the strength found in community, Jon’s path serendipitously led him to the role of Facilities Coordinator at VYCC. A lifelong love of growing food and flowers guided Jon to graduate from the Pennsylvania State University in 2005 with a degree in Agricultural Science and a minor in Horticulture. Since then, Jon has found himself working in various construction or farm-related industries on both coasts of the country, where he has accumulated a wide range of skills that make him a versatile member of the VYCC team. Growing as an individual and as a community member has always been a primary focus throughout Jon’s life and professional career. “The earth being our home and the youth being its future” is a sentiment that drives Jon to foster healthy and strong relationships with anyone whose path intersects with his. Jon deeply loves hiking mountains, dipping in streams, and hanging out around a fire especially when his three daughters are there as well.

Pronouns: he/him

Lane began his conservation journey in 2018 right across Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Corps. Since then he hasn’t taken a season off from the corps! Lane has done everything from leading youth crews in the southwest, coordinating historic preservation projects in the Hudson Valley to teaching technical skills like chainsaw and wilderness medicine in Colorado. Lane is passionate about building community and increasing access and equity within the outdoors, as well as sharing his experience and knowledge with anyone that will listen. When he isn’t working, you’ll find Lane screaming on scary parts of the mountain bike trail, battling white water in his canoe or selling his most recent car. He’s excited to work and learn among a team of passionate experienced professionals.

Pronouns: he/him

Dylan is joining VYCC this season as a Production Leader. They spent 2 seasons farming at Spring Valley Student Farm in Connecticut, where they developed a deep reverence for soil ecosystems. They are excited to spend lots of time in the field making beautiful compost this season! Before coming to VYCC, Dylan researched invasive insects at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. When they’re not on the job, you can find them in the middle of the woods, in a local body of water, or crafting in their room.

Pronouns: Any Pronouns

Morgan Doersch is beginning her first season at VYCC after spending multiple seasons falling in love with farming in both Vermont and Michigan, where she grew up. She recently graduated from the University of Vermont, where she studied Environmental Science with a concentration in Global Environment and Climate Change and a minor in Art. She finds herself drawn to experiences where she is able to connect with and support youth and believes this is a critical aspect in building resilient communities. Morgan hopes to do work that promotes social and environmental justice through food sovereignty. She enjoys movement of all sorts, printmaking, and spending as much time as possible finding joy with her friends. She is absolutely delighted to spend a Vermont summer farming and meeting new people!

Pronouns: she/her

Aliya began gardening in 2022, rooted in a love for nutrition and environmental science. She has 4 plus years of experience working on small teams, coordinating volunteers, and training team members. She believes success is rooted in communication. Her mission with VYCC is to foster a team that is happy to share suggestions, brave enough to ask questions, and have a good time while doing it!

Pronouns: she/her

Mel is excited for her role as community health leader as she believes that communities are stronger when they are connected to the land, their food, and each other. She graduated from UVM with degrees in Health and Society and Psychology in 2023 and has spent her time since traveling and working in restaurants, where she has gotten the chance to explore many beautiful places as well as learn how food connects people and communities. Mel looks forward to returning to Vermont this year and to learning more about sustainable agriculture and local food systems. In her free time, she loves to hike, ski, cook, read, spend time by the water, do crafts, and go camping. She looks forward to sharing her love of food and the outdoors with everyone on the farm and in the surrounding community.

Pronouns: she/her

MK Kirksey returns to VYCC as a Production Leader after loving and feeling moved by her previous position as a production crew member in the Summer 2025 season. She will oversee the propagation house, with direct involvement in getting all the plants started on the farm and helping manage VYCC’s farmstand, where fresh produce is sold directly from the farm. Having recently received her degree in communications, MK has realized she wants to work with non-profits while also working outside and with the land. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, running, reading, and practicing yoga. She hopes to one day use her Segal Education Award to earn a yoga teaching certification.

Pronouns: she/her

Born and raised in Vermont Shane Skiff loves bluets, breakfast and feels pretty great about joining the VYCC farm for the 2026 season. A Montana State University graduate with a B.A. in environmental history, Shane harvested his first golden beet in 2022 while working on a small farm in Bozeman and has spent every year since reveling in the extensive pleasures of farms, food, and food production. Shane is a firm believer in the restorative power of attention and can’t wait to spend time with the VYCC crew noticing the many ways we sustain and are sustained by each other and the world around us. A runner, climber, and cool creek soaker Shane spends most of his free time exploring the numerous nooks and crannies of the Northeast and feels unbelievably lucky to be able to spend so much time interacting with these marvelous landscapes.

Pronouns: he/him

Growing up in rural Vermont, Violet developed a deep connection to the land that she is excited to continue to explore at VYCC. She first started farming at Bard College Farm while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and found the work to be incredibly rewarding. Violet feels strongly that being connected to our means of production, especially when it comes to food, is key to living a balanced and fulfilled life. Outside of farming, Violet loves to hike, rock climb, play music, and swim in rivers. She is so excited to be a part of the team at VYCC this summer!

Pronouns: she/they

As someone who has long been passionate about both food systems and the environment, Maggie Wagner discovered her passion for sustainable agriculture during her time in college where she worked multiple seasons on local farms and held a job managing a community college. Since graduating from North Carolina’s Appalachian State University in 2024 with a degree in Sustainable Development, she has served as a hurricane relief volunteer, backpacked across Latin America, and, most recently, worked in the horticulture program of a community college. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors, making art, and exploring new places, and is excited to continue her passion for agroecology while exploring Vermont this season at VYCC!

Pronouns: she/her

EJ was born and raised in Indiana but quickly fell in love with Vermont’s mountain ranges and local food systems. Over the past two summers, while studying at the University of Vermont, they interned at K–12 garden education programs on both the East and West coasts, as well as an organic vegetable farm here in Vermont. These experiences deepened EJ’s passion for sustainable farming and nutrition education, and they’re excited to share that enthusiasm—and plenty of good food—with the VYCC community! Outside the farm, EJ loves listening to music and hosts a show on UVM’s 90.1 alternative radio station. They’re looking forward to bringing some great tunes to the farm as well.

Pronouns: they/them