Jess Gerrior

Jess's venture into food systems leadership was sparked by a convergence of climate, economic, and family crises in 2009, but her sense of wonder and appreciation of food can be traced back to tending a tomato plant as a young child in her grandparents' tiny, brick-lined garden. Jess is a graduate of the Master's program in Environmental Education and a Doctoral Candidate at Antioch University New England, where her research explores community gardening and social identity. She is currently a Program Specialist at Cornucopia Project, whose vision is planting the seeds for a lifetime of healthy eating. She also teaches in the Food Studies Program at University of Southern Maine, has taught at Keene State College and several community colleges, and has led food and sustainability projects at Franklin Pierce University, Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition, and Community Garden Connections. Jess raises vegetables, berries, and free-range hens at a homestead in Hancock, NH, where she also enjoys hiking, writing, photography, and scratch cooking.