Mary “Bess” Lewis

I am a bilingual educator that focuses on developing Spanish-speaking and ESL agricultural supervisors and managers. Born in Maryland, but having grown up in Bolivia, South America, I understand the cultural differences and communication challenges that can exist in the workforce. After studying in the Universidad Evangélica Boliviana, I transferred to Greenville University in Greenville, IL where I completed my BA in Spanish with a minor in Communications and went on to complete a Master’s in Teaching. My family and I have managed our own grain farm and owned a fertilizer, chemical and seed business in Southern Illinois. We moved to New York in 2019 to support the farm businesses of this area. I am passionate about the success of the people that work on the farms that feed our world.

More information: agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu