Our Team

Abbey Dziedzic Baird

Executive Director

LeadNY

Professor of Practice

Global Development Section

Abbey Dziedzic Baird

adb345 [at] cornell.edu

Alison Byers

Program Coordinator

LeadNY

Program/Extension Aide IV

Global Development Section

alb48 [at] cornell.edu

Advisory Board

Board President: Jean Gallagher (17), Farm Credit East, ACA
Karen Barie-Johnson (12), Cargill Animal Nutrition
Cheryl Bilinski (16), Cornell University, CCE Harvest NY Team
Karin Bump (10), Founder Saddle Up NY
Ben Crokett (20), Berkshire Ag Ventures
Eric Dziedzic (13), Dziedzic Farms
Lisa Ford (11), Cayuga Marketing
Kelly Young (13), NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
Jennifer Huson (17), Dairy Farmers of America
Darlene Krisher-Meehan (15), Country Crossroads Feed & Seeds
Sheila Marshman (11), Morrisville State College
Corey Mosher (15), Mosher Farms
Dave Patterson (19), Foodbank of the Southern Tier
Mathew Pinckney (18), Syngenta
Valerie Venezia-Ross, New York Wine & Grape Foundation

Former Executive Directors

Jim Preston, Class 1: 1985-1987
Robert Gravani, Class 2: 1987-1989
Brian Earle, Classes 3 - 4: 1989-1993
Diane (Knack) Conneman, Classes 5 - 8: 1993-2001
Lawrence Van De Valk, Classes 2001-2025