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FCCMP Staff
Valerie comes to FCCMP with over 20 years of management experience, including large scale production facilities, K-12 school food services and culinary vocational training for adults living with disabilities.
Relatively new to Massachusetts, Valerie graduated from University of California – Berkeley with a B.A. in Human Rights and has participated in local food justice causes based around urban gardening while also volunteering with the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
After California, Valerie moved to Hawai’i to manage a pineapple and tropical fruit tree farm on the Big Island. Then making her way to Chicago where she participated in the pilot of a Chef-in-residence program, Culinary Hearts, for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
As Executive Director, Valerie hopes to expand access to our Orange Food Pantry, increase volunteer participation in our community meal site services and build lasting partnerships with local businesses to strengthen neighborly connections.
Valerie is excited to be returning to a position of service to her community that contributes to the local food justice movement and food security for Franklin County families and individuals.
Amy Connelly is a long time staff person who has been with us since the beginning. As a part of the FCCMP family, she was instrumental in establishing FCCMP’s first meal site. Amy is a Turners Falls resident who leverages her many networks and her long standing community relationships, bringing everyone together to take care of each other at the Turners Falls Meal Site. She is well respected and a force to be reckoned with. Stop by the meal site and see her in action!
Board Of Directors
| Fardeen Chowdhury, Board President | Kurt Pearson, Vice-President | Stacey Barnes, Treasurer |
| Pamela Gilmore, Secretary | Sarah Adam, Board Member |
Advisory Board
| Mary Bell, Bernardston | Marian Boyd, Lynn |
| Jack Golden, Leyden | Phyllis Jeswald, Conway |
| Anna Bognolo, Greenfield |
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ~ Anne Frank