Our Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Susanna serves as our Executive Director. As the founding Director she brought a skill set needed to build out an integrated farm operation that can serve as a training ground for new farmers, a satellite site for local food hub operations, and a space that is healthful and convenient for the local community.

Susanna@newrootscommunityfarm.com

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR

Marisa is an experienced Finance and Administrative Director passionate about using financial strategy to drive positive social impact. She brings expertise in accounting, financial analysis, and grant management to ensure resources are effectively allocated in support of mission-driven work. Known for fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, Marisa emphasizes empathy and trust-building in her approach. She believes financial information should be clear and empowering, helping teams confidently engage with financial data. At New Roots Community Farm, she is committed to aligning financial sustainability with the organization’s mission, turning strategic vision into meaningful impact.

MARKET DIRECTOR

Valerie manages and curates our new on-site Farm Market. She is incredibly curious about food. Valerie has participated in West Virginia's local food system in many capacities over the past ten years: farmer, gardener, server, student, researcher, and guest at the dinner table. She believes that everyone deserves to eat good food.

Valerie@newrootscommunityfarm.com

PROGRAM MANAGER

Kathleen manages our farm to school and community programming. Using her food system and waste management background, she hopes to create systems and environments where healthy, sustainable choices are seamlessly woven into our routines and surroundings.

kathleen@newrootscommunityfarm.com

FARM MARKET MANAGER

Morgan was originally drawn to Fayetteville by the natural beauty and rock climbing opportunities in the New River Gorge. The community she found here is what made her stay. She brings a background in engineering and a passion for food access to her role, in which she manages the day-to-day operations of the farm market. She believes everything tastes better when it is shared.

morgan@newrootscommunityfarm.com

FARM MARKET ASSOCIATE

Shelby is a West Virginia native with a passion for working with local health initiatives. She runs the market on the weekends and brings local artisan goods from around the state to the farm. During the week she’s studying for a Master of Public Health, with a specialization in health policy and program implementation. You’ll catch her around town doing her favorite hobbies: rock climbing, fiber arts, and salsa dancing!

FARM MANAGER

Stephen is a North Carolina native that moved to West Virginia two years ago to pursue a more meaningful existence with people and the outdoors. He loves serving coffee and growing vegetables for the community which he is a part of. He also enjoys rock climbing and chess during his free time.

ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER

Elena joined the farm team as an apprentice in 2023 and now continues to work with the production team, as well as manage the flower beds at New Roots. Outside farm life, Elena enjoys river surfing, rock climbing, and fiddling. She is also a fiber artist here in the New River Gorge region. Check out her art at https://www.elenafouchfiberart.com/

ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER

Brian is originally from Huntington, WV, and has returned to his home state after eight years of traveling the country and building hydroponic farms in Florida for Brick Street Farms.

With a background in irrigation and construction, Brian’s expertise has contributed to some big infrastructure investments in the farm!

You might catch Brian out and about with his hound dog, Moose, or working on his side hustle, repurposing glass and making hydroponic houseplant displays.

Check out his art displays at glassrootsllc.com.

FARMHAND

Kate worked at the farm during it’s inception, and she’s back working on our field team! In addition to her farming experience, Kate is a musician, knitter, and founder of the Institute of Junk, an organization that organizes craft supply swaps to support creative reuse. She brings thoughtful creativity and a community-minded spirit to the farm.

AMERICORPS MEMBER

Grayson came to the farm Spring 2025, looking to move back to his home state of West Virginia, hoping to do work that leaves a positive impact in his community, and wanting to learn more about agriculture and sustainable food systems.  Grayson is also a freelance artist and illustrator, whose work focuses on natural science and the outdoors, and you can follow his work online @mossymorels.  In his free time, you can find him rock climbing, paddling on the river, painting, or reading in his hammock.

FACILITIES MANAGER

Brandon is our in-house farm mechanic, electrician, plumber, carpenter, GIS specialist, and more—he’s basically a one-person toolkit! Always eager to learn new skills, he tackles every challenge with curiosity and determination, keeping the farm running smoothly and efficiently. From repairing equipment and improving infrastructure to mapping out projects and problem-solving on the fly, Brandon’s versatility and dedication make him an indispensable part of New Roots.

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Kelsey Abad serves as the Secretary of The Advisory Board for New Roots Community Farm. She has over ten years of experience working in local food development up and down the value chain. She owns and operates Rooted Community Consulting, a local food systems development consulting business whose mission is to empower and collaborate with equity, sustainability, and resiliency minded organizations to uplift farmers. She is deeply passionate and motivated to see local food thrive in West Virginia (and beyond). She is an adventurous cook and enjoys sharing meals with folks with a hefty side of vegetable puns and bad dad jokes.

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Autumn Long serves as Chair of the Advisory Board for New Roots Community Farm. Autumn’s professional career, academic background, and personal interests center around sustainable development in Central Appalachia. She works as a nonprofit program manager specializing in solar energy project development, policy advocacy, and public education. Autumn has been an entrepreneur, community organizer, researcher, writer, editor, landscape designer, gardener, and homesteader. She holds an M.A. in Geography from WVU and a B.Phil. in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh.

NRCF BOARD MEMBER

Joy Marr serves as Treasurer of The Advisory Board for New Roots Community Farm. Joy is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to organizational constructs for non profits. As a founding member of the Fayette County Farmers Market as well as Plateau Action Network, helping to establish and grow non profits is in her bally wick! As a Business Coach for the Value Chain Cluster Initiative (VC2), she has had a hand in bringing viability and sustainability to business start-ups across West Virginia. Her interest in the environment and the resiliency of the region is supported by her position on the County Farmland Protection Board. Joy is a serial entrepreneur-- working with in the community as a retail/wholesale grower, a consultant offering process engineering for culinary or business programming, event production, a published writer, Pilates instructor and more.

PEST MANAGER

Friendly with humans, curious about everything, and always ready for a romp through the fields, Belle is a beloved member of our farm family.