• Managed outdoor vegetable production on a 6-acre organic farm with over 400 annual members and a variety of wholesale accounts. Major responsibilities included preparing soil for planting, cultivating, transplanting, direct seeding, spraying, cover cropping, and equipment maintenance.• Planned and executed all tractor tasks while accomplishing goals of reduced soil tillage and improved soil fertility.• Jointly prepared a seasonal crop plan showcasing a wide selection of diverse, high-quality vegetables grown year-round. • Assisted in daily agenda setting and crew management to efficiently accomplish farm tasks.• Achieved 200% increase in vegetable sales over 2 years

• Performed all tractor work on a 30-acre certified organic vegetable farm serving 700+ member CSA and food pantries in the Hudson Valley and New York City.• Oversaw tillage, cultivation, fertilization, and planting. • Managed wash barn space and all aspects of post-harvest vegetable handling including washing, sorting, bagging, maintaining inventory, and distributing vegetables• Maintained high quality control and sanitization standards in wash/pack facility• Led a weekly harvest team in safe and efficient practices of picking vegetables.

• Assisted with all aspects of 3.5-acre market garden-style organic vegetable farm. • Learned fundamentals of plant propagation, transplanting, succession planting, hand-scale cultivation, drip irrigation set-up, harvesting, washing and packaging produce, managing storage area, taking soil samples, managing pests, and selling products at farmers’ markets.

• Produced an economic feasibility study that used budgeting to assess the commercialization potential of a predatory mite that serves as an organic alternative for pest management in strawberries.• Reviewed research studies on biological control for vegetable/fruit pests and diseases to assist in the development of university research priorities.• Conducted field visits with farmers to gain a better understanding of impediments to adopting organic pest control technologies.• Lead a workshop for university faculty and students on survey research, methods of sampling, and designing questionnaires. Assisted some junior researchers in their survey research methodology.• Presented university seminars on economic impact evaluation and data visualization.

• Analyzed the economic feasibility of starting a biological control cottage industry in Niger to address a major pest problem for millet farmers as part of a USAID-funded Feed the Future initiative in collaboration with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). • Utilized econometric analysis and enterprise budgeting • Designed a questionnaire and facilitated data collection for a survey of 400 farmer households• Authored a graduate thesis paper titled “Economic Feasibility of an Augmentative Biological Control in Niger” which was subsequently published in the academic journal Crop Protection.

• Researched the feasibility of a non-profit providing consumer lending opportunities as an alternative to payday loans. • Designed a proposal for an affordable loan program for low-income individuals.• Assisted in writing grant proposals to secure funds for non-profit consumer lending fund.• Engaged low-income groups in community dialogue related to financial security issues through surveys, interviews, and informational meetings.• Recruited trainers and organized curriculum for community financial literacy workshop series.