Staff

Brian Snyder
Executive Director
brian@pasafarming.org

Brian Snyder has been executive director of PASA since 2001. He is originally from the state of Indiana where both of his grandfathers had been dairy farmers, and his family operated a purebred hog operation on a small farm. Brian holds two masters degrees, from Harvard University (Theological Studies) and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass/Amherst (Business Administration). In addition to writing and speaking in a number of venues on the subject of sustainable agriculture, he also serves on related boards, including the Pennsylvania State Council of Farm Organizations (vice president) and the FoodRoutes Network, where he currently holds the position of board chair. He also serves in an advisory capacity for the Pennsylvania Dairy Task Force and the School of Hospitality at the Penn College of Technology in Williamsport, PA. In his "spare" time, Brian greatly enjoys managing a very large garden and a small flock of heritage breed sheep in Centre Hall, where his lives with his wife Paula and daughters Kerry and Kayla.

Lauren Smith
Director of Development
lauren@pasafarming.org

Lauren has been with PASA for over 15 years and seen unbelievable organizational growth, and an amazing increase in small farms selling real food. "When I first moved to Millheim in 1996 to begin working for PASA, Tim Bowser and I would order pastured chickens monthly from a farm 110 miles away. Nowadays I have numerous pastured poultry producers in my own community to buy from -- I am really excited about how much our movement has flourished!" Lauren is currently the Director of Development and is zealous about connecting people, their passion, and the PASA mission. Her projects this year include the re-design of the Summer FARM START program, and the increasingly popular Ways to Give program. Lauren enjoys cooking, crafting, laughing and jigsaw puzzles.

Michele Gauger
Membership Director
michele@pasafarming.org

Michele Gauger joined the PASA staff in 2003 on a part-time basis as membership & on-farm research assistant and newsletter editor. She currently is Membership Director overseeing PASA member recruitment & retention, as well as communications via the website and newsletter. She is also part of the staff team working to bring Food Alliance certification to the mid-Atlantic region. Michele grew up in Central Pennsylvania attending Lycoming College (BS Biology) and Slippery Rock University (MS Sustainable Systems Science) - and is an avid hiker, camper, gardener, painter and baker!

Kristin Hoy
Conference Manager/
Buy Fresh Buy Local Centre Co. Chapter Coordinator
kristin@pasafarming.org

Kristin Hoy joined the PASA staff in 2007 as a seasonal conference employee. She is currently the Conference Manager, overseeing the planning of PASA's annual Farming for the Future conference. She also coordinates the Centre County Farm Tour for the local Buy Fresh Buy Local ® chapter. Kristin grew up in Central Pennsylvania, just down the road from PASA headquarters. She has a BA in Political Science and Economics with a concentration in Environmental Studies from Swarthmore College. In her spare time, Kristin loves to garden, hike, travel, knit and read.

Rebecca Robertson
Farm-Based Education Coordinator
rebecca@pasafarming.org

Rebecca received her MA in Natural Resources and Peace Studies from the United Nations mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica and her BS in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her work and volunteer experience includes working as an Education Coordinator for the Serve Alaska Youth Corps, helping to promote Juneau, Alaska's first farmers' market, teaching English in Costa Rica, serving as a crew leader for the Student Conservation Association, working with The Progress Fund on the Trail Town Program in southwestern PA and coaching gymnastics. Rebecca likes to spend time outdoors in the garden, hiking, camping, traveling and tending her new flock of chickens!

Lisa Diefenbach
Human Resources Manager
lisa@pasafarming.org

When Lisa moved to Central Pennsylvania in 1999, she took time away from her Physical Therapy career to focus on restoring the land associated with her family's "new" 1863 farmhouse. Her passion for farming took off when she found PASA . She became a farmers' market vendor (and eventually a manager,) established a farm stand, developed a clientele of restaurants and began a CSA. Lisa volunteered with PASA for several years and in 2006, was hired to oversee merchandise sales at the conference. In 2008, she joined the PASA staff to help with personnel issues and is now the Human Resources Manager.

Jean Najjar
Auction Associate
jean@pasafarming.org

Jean joined PASA's seasonal conference team to organize the Benefit Auction at the 2010 Conference. Last fall she launched PASA's new GreenGoods Online Auction project and once again organized the Conference Auction. She has a BS from Penn State and a MLA from the University of Colorado. After working as a community garden organizer in Trenton New Jersey and finishing graduate school, she returned to State College 17 years ago and started a family. She is the mother of three very smart, funny, and beautiful girls: 10,13 and 16. Jean is on the Board of the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society and passionate about eating locally. She is grateful to have the opportunity to work for PASA and the cause of sustainable agriculture.

Cassie Marsh-Caldwell
Development Associate
cassie@pasafarming.org

Cassie grew up on a small, first generation poultry and sheep farm in Clarion County, PA where her parents were members of PASA and farmers market vendors. She has fond memories of traveling to State College each winter to attend the PASA conferences where her parents met and learned from great friends. She later attended Saint Francis University and received her bachelors degree in Political Science/International Studies with a minor in Social Responsibility. Following college, Cassie worked as a political consultant and learned she had the skills and passion for fundraising. Cassie recently joined PASA to add her fundraising experiences, energy and drive to the organization and looks forward to making an impact.

Ted Palada
Member Communications Assistant
ted@pasafarming.org

Ted Palada joined PASA in October 2010 to assist with membership activities and manage the website, social media and email communications. His previous work experience includes work as an independent website designer and an educator, volunteer manager, webmaster and mentor for 4-H Youth Development in Florida. Ted also spent 15 months in Taiwan at The World Vegetable Center planning workshops, developing web pages and handling data analysis. His hometown is Allentown, PA and he enjoys returning to the beautiful Pennsylvania scenery after living in Florida.

Susan Beal, DVM
Ag Science Advisor
susan@pasafarming.org

Dr. Susan Beal comes from a long background of holistic veterinary practice, ranging from mixed practice through emergency medicine, equine, and companion animal practices. Susan is particularly interested in whole farm/whole system pasture based ecology, and offers common sense advice and counsel with the goal of health from the ground up - thriving individuals and ecosystems. She has studied acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS), and Animal Chiropractic thorough the American Veterinarians and Chiropractors Association (AVCA). She has studied Craniosacral Therapy through the Upledger Institute and is pursuing her Diplomate in Craniosacral Therapy. Susan lives in Jefferson County - on land recaptured from the wilds - where she raises a small group of Jacob sheep and a small herd of Devon cattle.

Hannah Smith
Community Outreach Coordinator
hannah@pasafarming.org

Plain and simple, Hannah is passionate about connecting people to healthy, locally grown food. A fan of Howard Thurman's "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and then go do that," Hannah considers her work in Community Outreach as an important way to fulfill her calling. Born and raised in Pennsylvania's Northern Tier, Hannah has resided in the Commonwealth's South Central region for most of the last 20 years. Hannah comes to PASA with 15 years of non-profit leadership experience, most recently in soil and water conservation education. In addition to being a "front yard" vegetable grower and a certified Permaculturalist® trainee, Hannah has been involved in raw milk advocacy efforts and spends as much time as she can on her family's farms in Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

Megan Epler
Business Outreach Coordinator
megan@pasafarming.org

Megan, PASA's Business Outreach Coordinator, is responsible for enrolling new business members, working with existing business members and coordinating the statewide Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters on behalf of FoodRoutes Network. Megan has over three years of experience working in the field of conservation & sustainability, and has worked with agricultural, educational, local government, non-profit, manufacturing and small business clients. Megan has provided technical assistance to regional and statewide organizations, bringing over eight years of experience in partnership development and project management to PASA. Megan grew up on a dairy farm in Lewisburg, PA and received a B.A. from Bucknell University in 2000.

Dan Zettle
Bookkeeping Associate
dan@pasafarming.org

Dan began working in PASA's bookkeeping department in 2010. In addition to his accounting skills, Dan brings experience in database and application programming. While attending Lycoming College, Dan studied Physics and Mathematics and was involved in the band and Chamber Choir. He traveled Europe with the chorus and performed with other groups in Poland, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. From 1991-2005, he lived in San Francisco and worked for the Sony game development company of 989 Studios, continued his involvement in local choruses, and traveled to his favorite place, Yosemite National Park, as often as he could. In 2005, he relocated to Central Pennsylvania to be close to family.

Amy Taylor
Office Assistant
amy@pasafarming.org

Amy joined PASA in the summer of 2010. For the last 20 years, she has worked for non-profits; a private academic school and a local farmer's cooperative. She holds a BA in Anthropology from Penn State. Amy lives in Penns Valley on a 17 acre farm where she raises heritage poultry and enjoys playing in the dirt.

Marilyn Anthony
Eastern Regional Director
marilyn@pasafarming.org

Marilyn holds advanced degrees in English literature and education, so naturally she became a professional chef. Her commitment to locally grown and humanely raised foods matured during the time she spent as CEO of the White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia an with Summerhouse Grill (www.summerhousegrill.com), a seasonal restaurant in Montrose, PA (Susquehanna County) showcasing local products. She joined PASA as the eastern regional director in November 2007. Her position at PASA combines all aspects of her food passions: supporting farmers, assisting chefs, and helping link consumers to sources for local, wholesome and humanely raised foods. Marilyn is currently developing a web-based program to help beginning farmers connect with land for lease.

Billy Templeton
Member Services Assistant
billy@pasafarming.org

Billy Templeton holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Syracuse University and has been involved in the field of education for the past five years. He has worked on a variety of sustainable farms in northeastern PA and is currently working the soil on his homestead in Bethany.

Ann McGinnis
Eastern Region Program Assistant
ann@pasafarming.org

Ann joined PASA's Eastern Regional Office in September 2011. She assists with member services and programming, as well as coordinating the Southeast Buy Fresh Buy Local chapter. Ann received a B.A. in English from Tufts University and specialized in the public relations needs of environmental nonprofit organizations while a graduate student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her professional background includes marketing, public relations and development work for various educational organizations. Ann lives in Downingtown where she enjoys cycling the rolling hills of Chester County and spending as much time in her garden as possible.

Leah Smith
Member Services Manager
leah@pasafarming.org

Leah Smith completed her M.S. in Rural Sociology from Ohio State University, before joining the PASA staff in July 2009. Leah has found an intersection to her interests in community, culture, and the environment in the fields of sustainable agriculture and local food system development. She served as a Peace Corps agriculture extension volunteer in a small village in Niger, West Africa, interned and apprenticed on organic CSA farms in Ohio and Connecticut, and worked as Program Director for the Poughkeepsie Farm Project in New York. Now, Leah enjoys managing PASA programs in Western Pennsylvania, and is inspired daily by the innovative and dedicated members in the region.

Alissa Mathews
Western Program Assistant
alissa@pasafarming.org

Alissa Matthews joined the PASA staff as a Program Assistant and the Coordinator of the Western PA Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapter in the early fall of 2010.  Alissa grew up working on her family's produce farm in Eighty Four, PA and became familiar with PASA at an early age.  After completing a degree focused on community development at the University of Vermont, Alissa obtained a graduate degree in Geography and Urban Studies from Temple University.  While in Philadelphia, Alissa continued her interest in community development by assisting the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission with its Greater Philadelphia Food System Study.  Alissa is thrilled to be working alongside Leah in PASA's Western Office and is eager to help promote and grow the wonderful sustainable agriculture community in the region.