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Supervisors/Staff

Supervisors

Christopher Smid, M.F., Chair. Chris is part-owner of the New England Slate Company and a part-time forest resources manager in Middletown Springs. He is formerly a Regeneration Forester with Mead-Westvaco in Ohio.

Edward Lewis. Supervisor/Past Chair. Ed is a retired dairy farmer from Poultney. He serves many leadership positions locally, including Select Board for the town of Poultney, Director on the Co-op Insurance Board, and Chair of the Natural Resources Conservation Council (NRCC).

Philip Ackerman-Leist, M.S., Secretary. Philip is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Director of the Food and Farm Project at Green Mountain College. He and his wife run a small homesteading farm in Pawlet.

Rebecca Purdom, J.D., Treasurer. Rebecca is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Law and Policy; and the Director of the College Honors Program and the Pre-law Advising Program at Green Mountain College. Rebecca is also a trustee for The Nature Conservancy. She consults part-time for nonprofits, specializing in water quality issues.

Fred Stone, Supervisor. Fred is a dairy farmer in Pawlet, and a previous supervisor of the board. He is currently transitioning from active farmer to partial retirment, with a new owner/manager on his farm.

Staff:

Marli Rupe, M.S.E.S., Poultney Mettowee Conservation District Manager.
pmnrcd@sover.net

Marli has a Bachelor of Science degree from UVM in Animal Sciences and a Master's in Environmental Studies. She previously worked as a Dairy Specialist with UVM Extension.

Jennifer Durham Alexander, Educator with the Southern Vermont Nutrient Management Program.
jad0403@comcast.net

Jennifer grew up on a small dairy farm in Hampton NY. She graduated from Castleton State with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Natural Science and a minor in Business. She has 15 years experience in customer service and 8 yrs experience in the horticultural industry. Jennifer has also worked for the Agency of Natural Resources in the Water Quality Department. She has been working with people engaged in agricultural pursuits since 2005 and is working toward raising beef on the family farm with her sister and brother.

Sylvia Harris, M.S., Agricultural Resource Specialist for Bennington, Rutland, Windham, Windsor Counties.
sylvia.harris@vt.nacdnet.net

Sylvia graduated with a Master's of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She was previously employed by the Arizona Game & Fish Department, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Vermont Institute of Natural Science, and Vermont Technical College.

Cindy Watrous, Land Treatment Planner.
cindy.watrous@vt.nacdnet.net

Cindy has an Associate's Degree in Applied Science as a Veterinary Assistant from Becker Junior College in Leicester, MA. She worked for 23 years for DHIA as a milk tester. In addition, she has worked for six years at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Addison County as a GIS Program Technician.