About Us

FarmPlate is a revolutionary online community that connects farmers, fishermen, foragers, food artisans, restaurants, markets, distributors and foodies everywhere. Search and explore our 40,000 business listings across the country! We make it fun and easy to find and enjoy real foods near you. Learn more about us here >

OUR TEAM

Kim Werner, Founder & President

Kim's early years were flat out nomadic. By the time she was 12, she had attended at least a dozen schools in half a dozen countries. While living in Greece, Italy, France, England and the Caribbean, she was exposed to traditional methods of cultivating foods and the slow, simple rituals of preparing and enjoying regional and seasonal foods. These early experiences led to her love of cooking and to a career editing cookbooks. She has contributed to more than two dozen books, including the Joy of Cooking (1997). How she spends her days now is a far cry from her predictable days as an editor, and she will be the first to tell you that launching a business is a lot more exciting, and challenging, than getting an MBA.

"I founded FarmPlate for one simple reason: I want to make sustainable foods everyday foods."

Courtney Hurley Pierson, Chief Operating Officer

Since moving to Hanover, New Hampshire, in the fall of 2010, Courtney has been enjoying the diversity and richness of the area's fresh, local food. This bounty has led to a major change in her culinary lifestyle, which was previously dominated by New York City's take-out and delivery options. Courtney brings 18 years general management, marketing, strategy and operations experience at leading media and internet businesses to her role at FarmPlate, including positions at Bloomberg L.P., BusinessWeek, CBS Television and Bain & Company. Courtney received her MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth where she was elected a Tuck Scholar, and graduated from Harvard College with a degree in East Asian Studies. She is passionate about finding ways to connect consumers with the information and products they seek, while helping businesses expand their reach to new customers.

"I've learned first-hand about the value of having access to locally produced food. I believe FarmPlate will play a unique role in expanding that access to consumers across the country, supporting the growth of the businesses that create and distribute sustainable foods."

Jeff Gangemi, Director of Partnerships & Communications

Before moving to Vermont, Jeff and his wife, Shannon, knew how it felt to search in vain for grass-fed meats, organic vegetables and free-range eggs. That’s why Jeff is so pleased to join the local food movement and FarmPlate. He believes in using the power of the web to help consumers discover great local food businesses near them, wherever they happen to be. In his ten-year career, Jeff has worked in the non-profit world, as a full-time online business journalist and in business development roles for hyper-local media companies. He holds a BA in Religion from Middlebury College and an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell, where he was a Park Leadership Fellow.

“FarmPlate has an exceedingly rare opportunity—to drive economic growth and positive social change, while making the world a fresher, healthier place to live. I’m proud to be part of such an exciting endeavor.”

Kaitlin Haskins, Marketing & Content Associate

Kaitlin's interest in the good food movement arose in a rather roundabout way: her first backpacking excursion led to a keen fascination with the natural environment, which expanded to a broader regard for sustainability and, eventually, a recognition of the vital role that food plays in creating sustainable systems. A native of Michigan, Kaitlin graduated from Butler University with a bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration and Music. Her work experience has included outreach, communications, volunteer coordination, marketing, fundraising, database management and graphic design. She also co-founded the Butler Campus Farm in Indianapolis and served as farm manager during its first season. Some of Kaitlin's favorite things are colorful heirloom vegetables, friendly local farmers and delicious vegetarian meals.

"The security and well-being of communities depends upon our ability to grow and distribute healthy, local food—this is becoming increasingly evident every day. It is enlivening to help this become more of a reality through my work at FarmPlate."

Jen Hamilton, Office Coordinator

Jen moved with her family to the Upper Valley 11 years ago to get back to all the New England seasons have to offer, including a wonderful selection of fresh local foods. She is excited to be a part of the FarmPlate team to help with the movement toward sustainability and connecting people with sources of healthy foods. This link between producers and consumers is crucial, as is the connection between FarmPlate and our customers. Jen brings to FarmPlate 10 years of customer service, operations and human resources experience, and she strongly believes in the importance of total customer satisfaction.

"With the movement toward supporting local economies and a greater focus on health, well being and sustainability, FarmPlate's mission to make it fun and easy for people to find and connect with local producers of healthy foods while supporting local businesses is one I am excited to help execute."

ADVISORY BOARD

Jason Ingle

Jason grew up on a diversified organic farm and vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of western New York and has always been driven to communicate the benefits of living close to the land and respecting the natural world. He co-founded Greener Partners, a nonprofit organization that is transforming public spaces and underutilized land into community teaching gardens and forward-thinking farms within the Greater Philadelphia region. Jason also serves on the board of Tyler Arboretum, a 650-acre preserve near Philadelphia, and Spring Garden Pictures, a nonprofit organization that supports social-causes film production.

"The knock on the local foods movement is the lack of an efficient distribution system. I believe FarmPlate is changing that argument and will be a leader in establishing a new, more equitable food system for all."

Nathanael Lentz

Nate is a Philadelphia-based venture capital investor. Before joining Osage Ventures in 2008 as a managing partner, Nate was president and CEO of Verticalnet, a public software company, which he led from an online operator of Web portals to a proven software solutions provider. Prior to his success at Verticalnet, Nate was a partner at Mercer Management Consulting, where he worked with emerging businesses in the U.S. and 15 countries around the world. He holds an M.B.A. from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Brown University.

"I enjoy working with forward-thinking entrepreneurs to help them build sound foundations for great companies. Needless to say, I'm truly enjoying working with the team at FarmPlate."

James Macon

James has worked for the past decade as an entrepreneur, advisor and venture capitalist. At Criterion Ventures, he designed, launched and operated social and environmental enterprises. He has lead strategy design, capital formation, business development and M&A at various startups, including e2e Materials and eSecLending. Within venture capital, James has managed a fund for Cornell University and worked at CEI Community Ventures. He earned an M.B.A. from The Johnson School at Cornell University and a B.A. from Hamilton College.

"The future of safe, healthy local food depends upon the scope and strength of the relationships we establish between producer and consumer. Through accessible, customizable and robust web technology, FarmPlate offers the platform for building and growing those relationships."

Michael Stoner

A pioneer in integrating marketing, communications and technology, Michael has three decades of experience and a special interest in developing Internet/web/social media strategies. He spent a good part of his early career working for Rodale Press. Michael is a founder of Sustainable Woodstock, a nonprofit focused on building a robust, mixed local economy and community around green principles.

"I've spent much of my life seeking out foods from small growers and producers. For me, FarmPlate is the opportunity to combine my passion for sustainable food and my professional experience in delivering easy-to-use, satisfying online solutions."

Bill Tine

Bill has worked in the food and sustainability space for most of his career, with 15 years of experience in strategy consulting, marketing and publishing. Currently a marketing director for King Arthur Flour, Bill has also been marketing director at America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated magazine, business operations director for Taunton Press' interactive group (publishers of Fine Cooking and Fine Gardening) and publisher at BuildingGreen, an information media company focused on sustainable systems, design and construction. Bill holds an M.B.A. from The Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

"Making healthy, sustainable food choices is critical but access to these foods will be the keystone holding a new economy together. FarmPlate is ready to be the keystone, providing reliable, trustworthy information and a platform for buyers and sellers of sustainable goods to exchange their knowledge, make personal and professional connections and create a marketplace for their products."

Robert Victor

Bob has a long track record developing innovative and successful strategies for technology and media companies. He is currently Senior Vice President of Strategic and Financial Planning at Comcast. Before that, he headed up Boston Consulting Group's technology, media and telecommunications practice for the East Coast and was principal of BCG's eVenture group. Bob studied philosophy at Dartmouth College, where he spent considerable time paddling in the Connecticut River and hiking through the White Mountains. He is also a graduate of Harvard Law School.

"FarmPlate is uniquely positioned to couple consumer demand for affordable, fresh, high-quality healthy food with municipal interest in supporting local food businesses. I am excited to be part of this venture."

Eric Werner

Eric became involved in the farm-to-table movement well before "sustainable food" became a catchphrase. As a kid in upstate New York, Eric and his brother tended the backyard raspberry patch and then sold their harvest to the local IGA. After college, Eric ventured into the restaurant business where he received his education in reality. Today, he wears both corporate and volunteer hats assisting small businesses and non-profits with their financial challenges.

"I'm convinced that FarmPlate will offer the tools critical to overcoming many of the challenges that face farmers, food producers and other members of the sustainable foods community. If we all work together to share ideas and resources, the movement's success is inevitable."