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Contact Us

For general inquiries, please use this contact form.

Our Team

Kristin Heltman-Weiss, Executive Director

Elizabeth Leipler, Farm Director

Mahamud Mberwa, Farm Mentor & Liaison

Hamadi Ali, Markets Manager

Abdullahi Sundi, Farm Crew

Sharif Abdi, Farm Chef

Isaac Frisina, Equipment & Facilities Manager

Hamadi Mganga, Marketing Coordinator

Lianne Novak, Office Manager/Bookkeeper

Deanna Garwol, Development & Community Impact Coordinator

Liz Thida Htway, Community Engagement Coordinator

Laura Sweat, Finance & Operations Director

Board

Zelalem Gemmeda
Co-President

Laura Hunt
Co-President

Karen Prendergast
Co-Treasurer

Michael Szymkowiak
Co-Treasurer

Rebecca French
Secretary

Halima Muhina

Tamar Rothaus

Tom Petrocelli

Emmanuel Frimpong Boamah

Eileen O’Brien-Scannell
Board Member Emeritus

Farmer Advisory Committee

Faz Niyigoba
Chairperson, Farm Manager: Our Lady of Hope Burundian Community/Ak’iwacu Farm

Mahamud Mberwa
Farm Manager: Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY/Somali Bantu Community Farm

Ali Macheremo
Incubator Farmer Representative: Somali Bantu Community Organization of WNY/Somali Bantu Community Farm/Bwedo Farm

Allison DeHonney
President: Buffalo Go Green/Urban Fruits & Veggies

Nelson Nagbe
Farm Manager: Liberian Association of Buffalo/Liberian Community Farming Project

Gabriel Khoon
Farm Manager: Our Lady of Hope Karenni Community/Karenni Hope Farm

Beh Meh
Youth Leader/Executive Team: Karenni Hope Farm

Sawhla Set
Farm Manager: Buffalo Myanmar Indigenous Christian Fellowship

Zelalem Gemmeda
Farm leader: Ethiopian Community Farm

Kandolo Makongo
Congolese Babondo Buffalo/Congolese Farming Project

Etando Omari
Congolese Babondo Buffalo/Congolese Farming Project