Meet the CEFS Team

For questions about CEFS internships, apprenticeships, and other career pathways opportunities, please contact Dr. Angel Cruz, aecruz@ncsu.edu or 919-513-0954.

For questions about CEFS events, please contact Amber Polk, agpolk@ncsu.edu or 919-513-3924.

For communications and media inquiries, please contact Janie Hynson, janie_hynson@ncsu.edu or 919-213-1390.

For any other questions or general information about CEFS, please contact us at cefs_info@ncsu.edu or 919-513-0954.

You can also view the CEFS staff contacts directory in table format.

Leadership Team | Research Unit Coordinators | Programs and Initiatives | CEFS-Affiliated Faculty | Support and Extension

Leadership Team

Dr. Chyi Lyi (Kathleen) Liang

CEFS Director, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Contact info

Dr. Michelle Schroeder-Moreno

CEFS Director, NC State University

Contact info

missing-person-CEFS
Johnnie Howard

Superintendent

Cherry Research Farm

Contact info

Dara Bloom
Dr. Dara Bloom

Assistant Director of Community Based Food Systems

Contact info

Dr. Chris Reberg-Horton (he/him)

Assistant Director of Collaborative Research

Contact info

Research Unit Coordinators

Melissa Bell (they/them)

CEFS Field Research, Education and Outreach Liaison

Contact info

Dr. Alan Franzluebbers

Agroforestry Research Unit Coordinator

Contact info

Matt Poore
Dr. Matt Poore

Pasture-Based Beef Unit Coordinator

Contact info

Dr. Chris Reberg-Horton (he/him)

Organic Research Unit Coordinator

Contact info

Dr. Stephanie H. Ward

Pasture-Based Dairy Unit Coordinator

Contact info

Dr. Alex Woodley

Farming Systems Research Unit Coordinator

Contact info

Programs and Initiatives

Kirsten Blackburn (she/they)

Outreach Coordinator

Farm to School

Contact info

Sarah Blacklin
Sarah Blacklin

Program Director

NC Choices

Contact info

Tamekia Brandon

Business Associate

Contact info

Shironda Brown (she/her/hers)

Training Project Coordinator

NC Farm to Early Care and Education

Contact info

Lindsey Carver (she/her/hers)

Program Coordinator, Extension Associate

Farm to Senior Services

Contact info

Angel Cruz
Dr. Angel Cruz (she/her)

Academic and Extension Initiatives Manager

Contact info

Dr. Niesha Douglas (She/Her/Hers)

Community-Based Food System Research Scholar

Contact info

Lauren Hill

Administrative Assistant
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems

Contact info

Caroline Hundley (she/her)

Project Director

NC Farm to Early Care and Education

Contact info

Sara Kidd (she/her)

Project Coordinator

Boots on the Ground: NC Veteran Farmer Apprenticeship

Contact info

Gini Knight
Gini Knight (she/her)

Network Director

Community Food Strategies

Contact info

Lee Menius

Technical Program Coordinator

NC Choices

Contact info

Jess Mrugala contact photo of her smiling holding freshly plucked vegetables from the farm
Jess Mrugala (she/her)

Local Foods Coordinator

EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems

Contact info

Abbey Piner
Abbey Piner (she/her)

Program Director

Community Food Strategies

Contact info

Johnny Rogers

Program Coordinator

Amazing Grazing

Contact info

Sara Snyder (they them)

Agroecology Education Farm Manager

Contact info

Ali Stone

Business Associate

Community Food Strategies & NC Local Food Council

Contact info

Robyn Stout
Robyn Stout (she/her)

Statewide Coordinator

NC 10% Campaign

Contact info

Bevelyn Afor Ukah

Director of the Committee on Racial Equity in the Food System (CORE)

Contact info

Kathleen Wood (she/they)

Apprenticeship Coordinator

Contact info

CEFS-Affiliated Faculty and Staff

Dr. Arnab Bhowmik

Assistant Professor in Soil Science
Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Design
N.C. A&T

Contact info

Dara Bloom
Dr. Dara Bloom

Associate Professor and Local Foods Extension Specialist
Youth, Family, and Community Sciences
NC State

Contact info

miguel-castillo-cefs
Dr. Miguel S. Castillo

Assistant Professor
Crop Science
NC State

Contact info

Contact Photo for Mallory Choudoir
Dr. Mallory Choudoir (she/her)

Assistant Professor and Soil Microbiome Extension Specialist
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology
NC State

Contact info

Dr. Biswanath Dari (He/Him/His)

Extension Specialist
Cooperative Extension
N.C. A&T

Contact info

Hannah Dankbar (she/her)

Local Food Program Manager
NC State Extension
NC State

Contact info

Dr. Lauren Davis (she/her)

Professor
Industrial Engineering
N.C. A&T

Contact info

Shuijin Hu
Dr. Shuijin Hu

Professor
Plant Pathology
NC State

Contact info

Kenrett Jefferson-Moore
Dr. Kenrett Jefferson-Moore

Associate Professor
Agribusiness, Applied Economics and Agriscience Education
N.C. A&T

Contact info

Dr. Ramon Leon

Associate Professor
Weed Biology and Ecology
NC State

Contact info

Hannah Moshay
Hannah Moshay (she/her)

Extension Associate
Organic Commodities; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
NC State

Contact info

David B. Orr
Dr. David B. Orr

Associate Professor
Entomology
NC State

Contact info

Dr. Silvana Pietrosemoli (she/her)

Research Associate
Animal Science
NC State

Contact info

Noah Ranells

NC FarmLink Director & Extension Associate
Horticulture
NC State

Contact info

Sanjay Shah
Dr. Sanjay Shah

Professor
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
NC State

Contact info

Dr. David H Suchoff

Assistant Professor of Alternative Crops
Department of Crop & Soil Sciences
NC State

Contact info

Dr. Stephanie H. Ward

Assistant Professor, Dairy Extension
Department of Animal Science
NC State

Contact info

Wes Watson
Dr. Wes Watson

Professor of Entomology
Medical and Veterinary Entomology
NC State

Contact info

Dr. Alex Woodley

Assistant Professor
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
NC State

Contact info

CEFS Support

Marcello Cappellazzi (he/him)

Communications Specialist

Contact info

Stephen Gothard

Business Associate

Contact info

Emma Hirschy (she/her/hers)

Event Associate

Contact info

Janie Hynson (she/her/hers)

Communications Manager

Contact info

Bella Petruccione photo
Bella Petruccione (she/her/hers)

 CEFS Events Assistant

Contact info
Amber Polk

 CEFS Business and Events Manager

Contact info

missing image
Abigail Sherrod (she/her/hers)

 Communications Assistant

Contact info

Tiffany Slade (she/her/hers)

Business Services Coordinator
Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T

Contact info

Carlos Solórzano

Director of Operations and Strategy

NC State University

Contact info

Faculty Emeritus

Nancy Creamer
Dr. Nancy Creamer

Blue Cross and Blue Shield/W.K. Kellogg Distinguished Professor Emerita, Horticulture
NC State
Former NC State Director of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems

Contact info

Dr. Mike Linker

Professor (Retired), Crop Science
NC State
Former State IPM Specialist

Jean-Marie Luginbuhl
Dr. Jean-Marie Luginbuhl

Professor (Retired), Crop Science
NC State

Former Coordinator of CEFS’ Pasture-Based Meat Goat Unit

Dr. Paul Mueller

Professor (Retired), Crop Science
NC State
Former Coordinator of CEFS’ Farming Systems Research Unit

Dr. John O’Sullivan

Professor (Retired), Agricultural Extension
N.C. A&T
Former N.C. A&T CEFS Director

Charles Raczkowski
Dr. Charles Raczkowski

Adjunct Associate Professor
Natural Resources and Environmental Design
N.C. A&T

Contact info

Steve Washburn
Dr. Steve Washburn

Professor (Retired), Animal Science
NC State
Former Coordinator of CEFS’ Pasture-Based Dairy Unit 

Staff Contacts Directory

PositionNameProgram or InitiativeEmailPhone
CEFS DirectorDr. Chyi Lyi (Kathleen) cliang@ncat.edu336-285-4683
CEFS Director Dr. Michelle Schroeder-Morenomichelle_schroeder@ncsu.edu919-513-0085
SuperintendentJohnnie HowardCherry Research Farmjohnnie.howard@ncagr.gov919-609-0720
Assistant Director of Community Based Food SystemsDr. Dara Bloomdara_bloom@ncsu.edu919-515-8475
Assistant Director of Collaborative ResearchDr. Chris Reberg-Horton (he/him)chris_reberg-horton@ncsu.edu919-515-7597
Education, Extension and Field Research LiasionMelissa Bell (they/them)mcbell@ncsu.edu919-271-7557
Outreach CoordinatorKirsten Blackburn (she/they)Farm to Schoolkblackb@ncsu.edu
Program DirectorSarah BlacklinNC Choicesseblackl@ncsu.edu919-928-4771
Business AssociateTamekia BrandonCEFStlbrando@ncsu.edu
Training Project CoordinatorShironda Brown (she/her/hers)Farm to Early Care and Educationsewilli3@ncsu.edu919-413-8843
Communications SpecialistMarcello Cappellazzi (he/him/his)CEFSmcappel@ncsu.edu919-360-6435
Program Coordinator, Extension AssociateLindsey Carver (she/her/hers)Farm to Senior Serviceslindsey_carver@ncsu.edu919-355-6423
Academic and Extension Initiatives ManagerDr. Angel Cruz (she/her)CEFSaecruz@ncsu.edu919-513-0954
Community-Based Food System Research ScholarDr. Niesha Douglas (she/her/hers)CEFSndougla@ncsu.edu
Agroforestry Research Unit CoordinatorDr. Alan FranzluebbersResearch Unitsalan.franzluebbers@ars.usda.gov919-515-1973
Business Associate of Educational ProgramsVacantCEFS919-513-3924
Administrative AssistantLauren Hilllmhill5@ncsu.edu
Event AssociateEmma Hirschy (she/her/hers)CEFSerhirsch@ncsu.edu919-513-3924
Project ManagerCaroline Hundley (she/her)NC Farm to Early Care and Educationcmstover@ncsu.edu336-287-1620
Communications ManagerJanie Hynson (she/her/hers)CEFSjanie_hynson@ncsu.edu919-213-1390
Project CoordinatorSara Kidd (she/her)Boots on the Ground: NC Veteran Farmer Apprenticeshipskkidd@ncsu.edu
Project DirectorLaura Lauffer (she/her/hers)EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systemslwlauffe@ncsu.edu919-444-1478
Technical Program CoordinatorLee MeniusNC Choiceslamenius@ncsu.edu704-202-9348
Events AssistantBella Petruccione (she/her/hers)CEFSibpetruc@ncsu.edu919-513-3924
Program DirectorAbbey Piner (she/her)Community Food Strategiesabbey_piner@ncsu.edu206-295-5275
CEFS Business and Events ManagerAmber PolkCEFSamber_polk@ncsu.edu919-513-3924
Pasture-Based Beef Unit CoordinatorDr. Matt PooreResearch Unitsmatt_poore@ncsu.edu919-515-7798
Program CoordinatorJohnny RogersAmazing Grazingjrroger3@ncsu.edu919-515-4005
Communications AssistantAbigail Sherrod (she/her/hers)CEFSasherro2@ncsu.edu
Business Services CoordinatorTiffany Slade (she/her/hers)Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&Tsladet@ncat.edu336-285-4653
Agroecology Education Farm ManagerSara Snyder (they/them)NC State Agroecology Education Farmsasnyde4@ncsu.edu
Director of Operations and StrategyCarlos SolórzanoCEFScarlos_solorzano@ncsu.edu919-513-0954
Statewide CoordinatorRobyn Stout (she/her)NC 10% Campaignrobyn_stout@ncsu.edu919-515-5362
Business AssociateAli StoneCommunity Food Strategies & NC Local Food Councilalstone3@ncsu.edu919-307-7927
Youth Food Systems CoordinatorBevelyn Afor UkahFood Youth Initiativebevelyn_ukah@ncsu.edu404-735-4377
Apprenticeship CoordinatorDr. Kathleen Wood (she/they)CEFSkwood2@ncsu.edu
Farming Systems Research Unit CoordinatorDr. Alex WoodleyResearch Unitsalwoodle@ncsu.edu919-515-3957