Fourth Annual Industrial Hemp Conference
Speakers
Jessica Lubell-Brand |
Jessica Lubell-Brand is an associate professor of horticulture in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut. She has 20 years of experience working with the horticulture industry. Dr. Lubell-Brand has conducted research with hemp on feminized seed production by masculinization, phenotypic and genotypic analysis of selfed and outcrossed feminized seed, production of polyploids, and tissue culture micropropagation.
Email: jessica.lubell@uconn.edu
Phone: 860-942-3995
Kadie Britt |
Kadie Britt is currently a postdoctoral scholar working with Dr. Houston Wilson, University of California, Riverside Entomology, located at the Kearney Agricultural Research Extension Center in Parlier, CA. Her postdoctoral research is focused on arthropod pest management in hemp and cannabis, management of navel orangeworm in almonds, and monitoring and management of black fig fly in figs, with an ultimate goal of improving the sustainability of pest management in these agricultural systems. Prior to arriving in California, Kadie earned her Ph.D. working with Dr. Thomas Kuhar in the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology where her doctorate research focused on arthropod pest management in hemp. Kadie has worked with growers and Extension personnel in California, Virginia, and beyond to learn about and help alleviate issues faced by those growing hemp in field and indoor settings. Her passion within entomology is Extension and the opportunity to work with growers.
Email: kadieb@ucr.edu
Phone: 704-320-6100
John Bruce |
John Bruce is an Extension Research Specialist at the University of Vermont and focuses on applied hemp research. He works with hemp growers on a variety of agronomic topics.
Email: john.bruce@uvm.edu
Phone: 802-989-4476
Chris Callahan |
Chris Callahan, PE, is the Extension Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Vermont and focuses on postharvest handling and storage, protected culture, and sustainable energy. He works with hemp growers on postharvest handling, drying and curing, and storage systems.
Email: chris.callahan@uvm.edu, ageng@uvm.edu
Phone: 860-380-0448
Website: go.uvm.edu/ageng
Social: @uvmextageng
Dan Chang |
Dan Chang co-founded Kria Botanicals after a career as a brewery owner, Peace Corps Volunteer, and hemp grower. Dan is head of Kria's operations, responsible for all aspects of the production process, from extraction to bottling.
Dr. Heather Darby |
Dr. Heather Darby is an Agronomist with UVM Extension. Heather developed the UVM Hemp Program in 2015. She has conducted research on industrial hemp including projects to identify best management practices for grain, fiber, and flower production. Heather has also developed the first undergraduate hemp course for the UVM Plant and Soil Science Department.
Email: heather.darby@uvm.edu
Phone: 802-524-6501
Michael DiTommaso |
Michael DiTomasso is the Hemp Program Inspector with VAAFM. In addition to inspections, Mike handles the hemp registration process, aids in program development, and serves as a point of contact for technical assistance related to the program. Mike’s background is in agricultural production, education, and food safety, having served the agricultural community in various capacities.
Phone: 802-505-3726
Andrea Garfinkel |
Andrea Garfinkel is the Director of Research and Development at Oregon CBD, an industrial hemp seed research and breeding company located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Her work at Oregon CBD involves the discovery of genetic markers for use in breeding for new cannabinoids and novel traits. Andrea has several ongoing research collaborations with public universities and government institutions and works to support hemp growers throughout the United States. Andrea holds a Master’s in Agronomy from the University of Wyoming and a PhD in Plant Pathology from Washington State University where she specialized in fungal diseases of specialty crops.
Dr. Nicole Gauthier |
Dr. Nicole Gauthier is a Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Gauthier has been working with hemp diseases since 2014. Her work includes identification and speciation of hemp pathogens, overwintering potential of disease agents, and cross infection of fungal pathogens. Dr. Gauthier earned her BS in horticulture and her PhD in plant pathology from Louisiana State University.
John Hanchar |
John Hanchar Extension Associate, Cornell University/CALS/ CCE/NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program, has research and Extension responsibilities in the farm economics and management areas. Research focuses on developing applied economic analyses to evaluate changes in practices and, or technology, with emphasis on providing information for decision making. Extension efforts focus on reporting research findings, and on developing and delivering education programs designed to increase producers financial and general management abilities.
Kyle Harris |
Kyle Harris comes to the Cannabis Control Board from the VAAFM, where he worked in Agriculture Development focusing on emerging issues and economic development. His work focused on dairy innovation, maple initiatives, and hemp business development. He has worked closely with Agency of Commerce & Community Development (ACCD) as a liaison between agencies to facilitate policy and economic discussion throughout Vermont’s agricultural portfolio. Most recently, he aided in the development of Vermont’s Agriculture and Food system Strategic Plan 2021-2030. Harris has a B.A. from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, and J.D. and a Masters of Environmental Policy from VT Law School. He has a license to practice law in MD.
Ann Hazelrigg |
Ann Hazelrigg is a plant pathologist with UVM Extension. She is the Director of the Plant Diagnostic Clinic and does research on pest and disease issues on various vegetable and agronomic crops.
Tyler Jenkins |
Tyler Jenkins has been organizing industrial hemp grows and research trials since 2015 with support from Fibershed. Over the last decade, Tyler has worked in building the movement towards resilient, thriving local communities in the fields of agriculture, public health, and economic development. Tyler and his family reside in North Carolina, where he currently serves as the Facility Manager for Camp Royall in Moncure, NC.
Andrew Jermolowicz |
Andrew Jermolowicz serves as the Director of the Business Development Division. In this capacity he oversees the Cooperative Services and Public Private Partnerships branches. He leads the development and execution of policies and strategies to better engage in collaboration with other Federal partners, private-sector companies and other stakeholders to support economic development in rural communities. He also oversees the Biobased Markets Program – a Federal procurement and biobased product certification program. Since 1986, Jermolowicz has served in multiple program and policy positions within Rural Development and maintains interests in rural business development, value added agriculture, food systems marketing and biobased economic development. Jermolowicz received B.S. and M.S. degrees, both in Agriculture Economics, from the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Jane Kolodinsky |
Jane Kolodinsky, Ph.D. is a Professor, Director of the Center for Rural Studies, and Associate Dean of Research in CALS at the University of Vermont. Her research program is best described as being focused on controversial food system policy issues. A current foci is the resurgence of hemp in the U.S. economy. The University of Vermont, Colorado State, University of Kentucky and University of Alberta research teams have current projects related to the economic impact of hemp, consumer demand for hemp ( and other novel crop) products, the hemp retail landscape, and developing food system metrics related to economics, the environment and communities.
Scott Lewins |
Scott Lewins is the Entomology Extension Educator with UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program, Extension Coordinator with the Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative, and Lecturer in the department of Plant and Soil Science at UVM. Scott has worked with a multitude of growers in the region on various crop systems, with a focus on sustainable pest management. He is a key individual on various grantfunded hemp research projects with Dr. Heather Darby, and together they have also developed and taught an undergraduate course on Introduction to Hemp Production at UVM.
Email: scott.lewins@uvm.edu
Phone: 802-477-2201
Bill Lofy |
Bill Lofy is Kria Botanicals co-founder and CEO, responsible for day-to-day management of the business. Bill has three decades of experience as a political strategist, chief of staff to the governor of Vermont, Peace Corps Volunteer, and campaign operative.
Tyler Mark |
Tyler Mark is an associate professor of production economics in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky. His applied research interests include hemp economics, broadband availability in rural areas, precision agriculture, and precision dairy. Current projects include the economic impact of hemp production, hemp cost of production, factors that impact the profitability of Kentucky farmers, broadband internet's impact on precision agriculture data transmission, and the development of the Kentucky economy.
Misbakhul Munir |
Misbakhul Munir is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Munir earned his PhD from Clemson University and has been working on hemp fungal pathogens since 2021. His current work includes infectivity and pathogenicity studies for Fusarium bud and flower blight of field hemp. He is also investigating the potential for mycotoxin production by Fusarium spp. in both grain and floral hemp.
Travis Samuels |
Travis Samuels is an entrepreneur who grew up in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, Travis graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Hospitality in 2014. He has traveled the country working in world-class resorts in Florida and landmark hotels in Boston, while researching growing hemp and cannabis. He moved back to Vermont in 2019 to manage ZION Growers as the co-founder and COO. Currently, ZION is establishing its flagship facility for the processing of industrial hemp in St. Johnsbury, VT. Additionally, he owns and operates a property management entity for rental units in the area.
Alex Sereno |
Alex Sereno is the Director of the USDA Risk Management Agency’s (RMA) Raleigh Regional Office. The Raleigh Regional Office administers the Federal Crop Insurance program along the Atlantic seaboard in the 14 states from North Carolina to Maine. Alex has been with RMA for over 10 years. He has a BS in Agricultural Economics from Clemson University and a Masters’ in Economics from North Carolina State University.
Stephanie Smith |
Stephanie Smith is the Assistant Director for the Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management Division at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. She develops and implements policies and programs that support the hemp and plant health industries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Boston University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia.
Laura Sullivan |
Laura Sullivan is a fiber artist and farmer working intimately on the UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program’s hemp fiber research trials at the Borderview Research Farm. With a goal of reviving local fibersheds in the northeast, Laura is deeply interested in disrupting our runaway carbon emissions trajectory through a closed loop textile market where farmers are paid a premium for their raw materials grown with environmental integrity.
Contact Us
University Event Services Registration Team
eventregistration@uvm.edu | 802-656-5665 ext. 3
Susan Brouillette
susan.brouillette@uvm.edu | 802-524-6501