Staff and Board of Directors

Bob and Kathy work with LFG office support staff, consultants and organizational partners to assist clients and implement projects throughout New England.

Co-director and LFG founder Bob Bernstein assists individuals, families and organizations with finance, project development, and strategic planning. Bob brings 30 years experience as general contractor, executive director and organization consultant along with a Master's degree in community economic development. Bob farms part-time with his family in southern New Hampshire.  

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  Co-director Kathy Ruhf is a nationally recognized leader in farm entry, succession and tenure. She has co-authored guidebooks, managed projects, led workshops and worked closely with farm families on these topics. Kathy also coordinates a regional sustainable agriculture network and works on farm and food policy. Kathy was director of the New England Small Farm Institute and has Master's degrees in administration and natural resource management.

LFG’s Board of Directors

David Ames

John Bliss, Broadturn Farm, ME

Clem Clay, Trust for Public Land, MA

Erica Fearn, farmer, CT

Susan Hay, Haywood Search LLC, NH

Billy Horton, LFG founder, Dublin School, NH

Annette Lorraine, attorney, VT

Susan Malan, consultant, ME and CT

Andrew Marshall, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Assoc., ME

Elisabeth Moore, Connecticut Farmland Trust, CT

Michael Smolak, Smolak Farms, MA

Paul Wood, Shelterworks, Ltd., board president, NH

Associates

LFG co-founder Craig Oshkello is a senior associate with LFG. Craig is a land use planning professional with a Master's degree in landscape architecture. He has served on NH planning boards for eight years and runs a private design build company. Craig and his family live and farm on a NH community land trust.

  

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  Kerri Sands (Maine) has worked in sustainable agriculture and local food systems for 10 years. She directed Maine’s Farms for the Future program, where she provided team-based business planning assistance and marketing workshops to farmers. Kerri has a BA in Human Ecology and intends to pursue a Masters in Business Administration. She lives in Portland, Maine, and serves on boards of several state and regional sustainable agriculture organizations.

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Mike Ghia (Vermont) was a beginner farmer and land seeker from 1997-2007. Now he farms part-time while working as farm consultant through University of Vermont Extension and the Women's Ag Network.  Mike also works through the VT Farm Viability Program as a Farm Business Planner. He coaches beginner farmers on farm and tenure issues and financial planning and assists families with intergenerational transfers.  His expertise includes grazing planning and soils.    



News and Updates:

We have redesigned our website. Take a look around at some of our new features and come back and visit us soon.

Kerri Sands (Maine) and Mike Ghia (Vermont) new associates
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Monadnock Region Farm Project Underway read more »