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RENO FOOD SYSTEMS
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Help us Create a
vibrant, resilient, and just
food System in our community!
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS and Staff
Jolene Cook, Director + Marketing Manager
Jolene has a Master’s Degree in Health Education and more than a decade of experience in leadership, project management, entrepreneurship, and health education at wellness centers, local food cooperatives, and currently at NEON, a Reno-based Marketing Agency that is owned and operated with her husband. Jolene leverages connections with Reno’s local food network to build Local Food Week and Reno Garlic Fest, two regional campaigns that have engaged Washoe County residents with educational experiences regarding local food for the last three years.
Lyndsey Langsdale, President + Farm Manager
Lyndsey has a Master’s Degree in Applied Anthropology from Northern Arizona University. She has worked both internationally and regionally in the fields of urban agriculture, food security, food justice, food systems development, ethnography, qualitative research, archaeology, folklife studies, and human rights. She was co-owner/operator of Lost City Farm, an urban farm in downtown Reno that closed in 2016. She has been the Farm Manager at RFS since then. Lyndsey manages the farm at Betsy Caughlin Donnelly Park, including all farm activities and mentoring of farm interns.
Melissa Gilbert, Director + Food & Cooking educator
Melissa is co-author of the cookbook Tassajara Dinners and Desserts and is a personal chef. She also teaches cooking, sewing, and gardening classes at a Washoe County high school. She has over 10 years of experience as a chef and baker specializing in creating recipes with fresh and local ingredients. Melissa creates recipes and performs food preparation demonstrations with locally grown ingredients in workshops and at some mobile market days to increase our customers’ comfort level working with locally grown produce.
Meagan O'Farrell, Food Justice and Volunteer Manager
Meagan earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is a former intern of Reno Food Systems and has experience in native plant cultivation and landscape restoration. She is a passionate advocate for social justice initiatives in our region. She currently manages the Mobile Farmer’s Market, the Nursery Program, and the Food Justice Program, working with local stakeholders on food access and advocacy.
Katy Chandler, Director and Youth Educator
Katy is our newest Board Member! Bio en route...
Drake McElroy, Ruminant Dad
