Program Coordinators
Marlee Giacometti | American Farmland Trust
Women and Non-binary in Vegetable and Small Fruit
Marlee is a program associate for American Farmland Trust’s Midwest Team. Most of her work focuses on crop diversification efforts in the Midwest. She promotes sound farming practices and provides technical assistance to farmers interested in growing perennial bioenergy crops across the region. Before joining AFT, Marlee worked in the biofuels industry as an environmental compliance coordinator and completed a 2- year farm management apprenticeship on a diversified vegetable and livestock farm in Massachusetts. Marlee holds a BS in conservation & environmental science from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is an alumni of AmeriCorps NCCC Atlantic Region Class 21.
Kate Holcomb | USDA Northeast Climate Hub + University of Maine
Diversified Agriculture and Agroforestry
Kate has worked in agriculture for more than a decade, including founding and operating a year-round rooftop aquaponics greenhouse. She earned her B.A. from UMass Amherst and an MBA from the University of Southern Maine, where she focused on sustainability in small food businesses. Her work in farming prioritizes community education, grounded in the belief that a strong connection between the farm and the community makes local food systems more resilient.
Kristin Benson | USDA Northeast Climate Hub
Dairy
Kristin grew up as a 4-H kid in a dairy farming family in Gorham, Maine. She became passionate about agricultural sustainability and received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from the University of Southern Maine. With a background in Cooperative Extension and farm management, she went back to school to find ways to better support farmers as they transition to climate smart practices. Kristin completed her Master’s from Cornell University in Global Development, having concentrated in International Agriculture and Rural Development. Today Kristin works to support farmer’s economic and environmental sustainability in Maine and beyond. She is passionate about farmer-centered education, resource conservation, and agroecology.