Lucy Lafave (Marston) Email & Phone Number

Troy, New York, United States

Old Chatham, New York, United States

• Spearheaded all customer-facing operations for a 350+ member collaborative, year-round Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, ensuring seamless interactions and high member satisfaction.• Managed and resolved a wide spectrum of member issues, including delivery scheduling, product concerns, delivery logistics, and payment processing, ensuring swift resolution and customer contentment.• Cultivated strategic partnerships with new producers, expanding product offerings and enhancing the diversity and quality of offerings available to CSA members, thus amplifying customer satisfaction and engagement.• Developed and managed the CRM's functionalities to calculate the impact of member issues on the business, providing valuable insights into cost analysis and areas for improvement.• Played a pivotal role in enhancing the CSA program's member retention rates through proactive engagement, personalized support, and continual improvement initiatives.

Ghent, Ny

• Co-founded and steered a visionary multi-property agritourism business, crafting immersive accommodations and bespoke experiences centered around local agriculture.• Designed and executed diversified vegetable and livestock enterprises, implementing sustainable practices that reflected the region’s agricultural diversity and ethos.• Curated and led immersive farm and culinary experiences for guests, providing a hands-on understanding of agricultural processes while highlighting the Hudson Valley’s rich agricultural heritage.• Orchestrated a grand-scale 150-person ‘Tomato Dinner’, a collaborative event showcasing local farms and producers, celebrating the region’s agricultural bounty, and fostering community engagement.• Developed comprehensive budgets and innovative pricing structures for farm stay offerings, ensuring profitability while delivering exceptional guest experiences.• Cultivated strong relationships with local farms and producers, fostering collaborations and promoting regional agriculture through experiential initiatives, bolstering the business’s community presence and impact.

- Completed a food access landscape analysis to assess what is currently being done by both farms and organizations within the Hudson Valley to address the issue of food access.- Authored a 60+ page report outlining research findings and recommendations for farms and food organizations to increase regional food access.

Ghent, New York, United States

• Directed all aspects of farm operations on a 900-acre biodynamic farm, overseeing the production of vegetables, dairy, meat, hay, and grain, contributing to approximately $1 million in annual sales across diverse distribution channels.• Led the farm's segment of the organization-wide strategic plan, streamlining operations and achieving significant cost savings. Consolidated a redundant vegetable enterprise, resulting in a minimum of $100,000 in annual expense reductions while maintaining or improving productivity and quality standards.• Orchestrated the alignment of farm operations with the larger organizational strategic plan, fostering synergy and coherence across departments.• Chaired and facilitated weekly management team meetings, fostering a culture of open dialogue and collaboration to address challenges and drive initiatives forward.• Pioneered strategic partnerships with local producers, resulting in an expanded product portfolio, elevating customer engagement, and diversifying revenue streams.

Ghent, New York, United States

- Orchestrated the end-to-end operations of a 14-acre organic vegetable production, overseeing cultivation, harvesting, and distribution to diverse outlets.- Directed distribution strategies across 4 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) locations, 7 weekly farmers markets, an on-site retail store, and wholesale clients, ensuring consistent and quality produce supply to meet customer needs.- Successfully launched and managed a highly profitable microgreens enterprise, generating an additional $50,000 in annual gross sales through strategic market positioning and quality product offerings.- Pioneered a winter CSA program, tapping into a previously untapped market segment and securing consistent revenue streams during the off-season, bolstering the organization's financial sustainability.- Mentored and managed a proficient team of 8 apprentices and hourly employees, cultivating a collaborative work environment and fostering skill development within the team.

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, Sustainable Leadership & Food Systems, 4.0

Activities and Societies: Thesis: Literature Review of the Organic Commercial Seed Industry and Feasibility Study of a 5-Acre Seed.

Bachelor'S Degree, Art History