If you know which specialist you would like to reach, their contact information is provided below. If, however, you are unsure whom to contact, please use the inquiry form to the right and the appropriate team member will respond to your request.

Sam Anderson

Urban Agriculture Specialist

55 Hanson Place, Suite 350
Brooklyn, NY 11217

cell 781-366-5939
email Sam

Kristy Apostolides

Farm to School Coordinator, Lower Hudson Valley

phone 845-429-7085 x106
email Kristy

Cheryl Bilinski

Local Food Systems Specialist, Farm to School Lead

phone 607-592-9507
email Cheryl

Amy Bly

Farm to School Coordinator, Long Island

CCE office
Long Island, NY

phone 631-827-1015
email Amy

Lizzy Cooper

Farm to School Coordinator, Central NY

Central NY
phone 315-630-0405
email Lizzy

Meghan Dohman

Farm to School Coordinator, North Country

CCE Essex County
cell 518-791-1888
email Meghan

Makela Elvy

Urban Garden Leadership Curriculum Specialist

cell 347-804-5820
email Makela

Yolanda Gonzalez

Urban Agriculture Specialist

55 Hanson Place, Suite 350
Brooklyn, NY 11217

cell 516-305-0358
email Yolanda

Karen Guzman

Urban Gardens Specialist

cell 929-468-5179
email Karen

Mallory Hohl

Urban Gardens Specialist

cell 716-880-0275
email Mallory

Kwesi Joseph

Urban Gardens Specialist

cell 718-809-2781
email Kwesi

Kyle Karnuta

Urban Ag Curriculum Development Specialist

cell 310-739-8735
email Kyle

Lori Koenick

Extension Support Specialist

cell 585-469-5798
email Lori

Bridget O'Brien Wood

Buffalo Farm Shares Coordinator

cell 716-536-3887
email Bridget

Becky O'Connor

Farm to School Coordinator, WNY & Finger Lakes

CCE Erie County
cell 845-706-0293
email Becky

Kitty O'Neil

Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist

cell 315-854-1218
email Kitty

Lindsey Pashow

Ag Business Development & Marketing Specialist

CCE Clinton County
6064 NY-22 #5
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

cell 518-569-3073
email Lindsey

Kate Preston

Farm to School Education Specialist
email Kate

Judson Reid

Extension Vegetable Specialist, Team Leader

CCE Yates County
417 Liberty Street
Penn Yan, NY 14527

phone 315-536-5123
cell 585-313-8912
fax 315-536-5117
email Judson

Katie Sheehan-Lopez

Farm to School Coordinator, Upper Hudson Valley

phone 845-340-3990 x334
email Katie

Savanna Shelnutt

Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist

cell 518-651-9617
email Savanna

Anya Stansell

WNY Small Fruit Specialist

cell 607-752-2793
email Anya

Daniela Vergara

Emerging Crops Specialist

Cornell AgriTech
Geneva, NY

cell 812-219-0172
email Daniela

Sara Jean (SJ) Whelan

Farm to School Coordinator, New York City

NYC Dept of Education office
Long Island City, NY

cell 929-895-2257
email Sara Jean (SJ)

Community Garden Leadership Program Information Session - June 4

June 4, 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

The Community Garden Leadership Program is an online program that prepares individuals to enhance their leadership skills to strengthen community gardens throughout New York State. You will learn management best practices and operational skills. It is a year-long program requiring participants to meet as a cohort each month and connect with experienced professional, subject matter experts, and faculty to foster a supportive distance learning experience.

To learn more about the program, we are offering virtual informational sessions in June!

Intercropping with Mushrooms

June 8, 2025
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Bronx, NY

Join us for an afternoon of hands-on learning at Morning Glory! This free community workshop, led by Urban Agriculture Specialists Karen Guzman and Yolanda Gonzalez from Cornell Cooperative Extension, is perfect for anyone looking to diversify their garden harvest by interplanting with mushrooms. Learn how to maximize your garden space with small-scale techniques to increase productivity. You'll get guidance on growing three different types of mushrooms, from site selection to harvest. A food demo from a local chef will also explore the versatility of cooking with mushrooms! 

Community Garden Leadership Program Information Session - June 12

June 12, 2025
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

The Community Garden Leadership Program is an online program that prepares individuals to enhance their leadership skills to strengthen community gardens throughout New York State. You will learn management best practices and operational skills. It is a year-long program requiring participants to meet as a cohort each month and connect with experienced professional, subject matter experts, and faculty to foster a supportive distance learning experience.

To learn more about the program, we are offering virtual informational sessions in June!

Community Gardens Soil Testing Program Accepting Applications

Soil testing supports the growth and expansion of community gardens by protecting the health and safety of the food produced in these gardens. CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (AGM) and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.

The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be provided by the CCE Harvest New York team. Learn more about the 2025 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program.

New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series

Cornell Cooperative Extension has partnered with dozens of urban farms across New York State to demonstrate and evaluate sustainable pest management strategies. Together with farmers, we found success using control methods that prevent or reduce crop losses through exclusion strategies, crop timing, host resistance, the introduction of beneficial organisms, and more. Regardless of management strategy used, common requirements for success include a knowledge of the pest and disease complex, preventative deployment and commitment to the process. The New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series includes case studies highlighting pest management techniques that New York urban farms have found valuable.