VENDOR MEMBERS: See santafefarmersmarket.com/vendors

MANAGEMENT TEAM:

PAOLO SPEIRN • MARKET DIRECTOR

Paolo grew up in a town based around six small farms. Since then, his dedication to small-scale agriculture has seen him working in the fields, studying food policy, and crafting oral histories of urban agriculture. He matches this intellectual background with a knack for logistics and an open, caring heart in order to keep the market running ship-shape. When he’s not envisioning day-to-day and long-term visions for the market, he’s climbing rocks or performing postmodern dance. His current market obsessions are purple basil and Japanese turnips. Email Paolo

MELISSA BENEDICT • FINANCIAL MANAGER
Melissa Benedict grew up moving around the western US, and has lived in Santa Fe all of her adult life. She is a long time resident of the rail-yard neighborhood, and has been a customer of the Farmers Market for many years. Melissa earned a B.A. in liberal arts from St. John’s College in Santa Fe and an M.A in psychology from the Goddard Graduate Program. As a graduate student, she studied business and accounting in the Anderson School of Management at UNM. Melissa has many years of experience in financial management and accounting for both non-profit and for-profit organizations, and is delighted to bring her expertise to the market. Her volunteer commitments include political and social action groups, schools, performing arts organizations and the rail-yard neighborhood group.
Email Melissa

LARA THERAGOOD • OFFICE MANAGER
Lara grew up in Santa Fe, and although she has traveled and lived other places, she has always returned here out of love for the mountains, the culture, and the food! She holds a BA in Dance, a BA in English, and is currently working on a Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine at Southwest Acupuncture College. When she’s not at work, she loves to cook, dance, choreograph, and frolic in the wilderness. She has fond memories of attending the market as a child, and feels deeply honored to work for an organization that is such an integral and colorful part of the community she knows and loves.
Email Lara

Market Staff:

PASQUAL NUROD • GIFT SHOP MANAGER
Pasqual Nurod is the Gift Shop Manager. He’s lived in Santa Fe for more than 30 years. Retail is in his blood having spent his entire professional career operating or owning stores in Nevada and New Mexico. Pasqual, raised in a small town in rural upstate New York where his father had a huge tomato garden and his mother made a winning pasta sauce, still loves the sauce but sadly not the fruit. He’s looking forward to welcoming new faces to the Farmer’s Market Gift Shop and encourages everyone else to keep checking in to see what’s new.
Email Pasqual

CHRISTOPHER KOLON • CAFE MANAGER
Christopher Kolon has lived in Santa Fe for more than 30 years and has enjoyed a robust career in the field of food and cooking. Trained as a chef, he’s worked at such notable Santa Fe restaurants as Cafe Escalera, El Farol, Comme Chez Vous, and Aqua Santa. As cofounder of localflavor magazine, he’s been an advocate of local farmers for over two decades. “It’s a dream come true,” he says about his role as manager of the Farmers Market concession and cafe, “to be able to stand in support of organic food, local agriculture and family farms, especially in a society increasingly dominated by corporate agriculture. I’m very grateful for this opportunity to support our farmers.”
Email Christopher

FRANCESCA FORESE • RAILYARD ARTISAN MARKET MANAGER
Francesca brings her managerial, marketing, administrative and organizational skills to the Santa Fe Farmers Markets Railyard Artisan’s Market. She has a 13 year history as an event coordinator and producer. She has coordinated numerous events, weddings and festivals. She had created an arts, crafts & farmers market in a California. Francesca published and was Editor in Chief of Topanga Magazine, an eco-wellness lifestyle magazine for several years prior to relocating to Santa Fe in 2008. She is also an herbalist and created, Living Bliss Skin Care & Botanicals, her own natural/organic product line using local ingredients and herbs. Contact Francesca if you have questions or would like to participate in the Railyard Artisans Market on Sundays inside the Farmers Market Pavilion.
Email Francesca

CECI ERVIN • MARKETING COORDINATOR
My background with all things media/marketing has been pieced together over the years. I was raised in Crested Butte, Colorado where my parents owned and operated the local newspaper for 20 years. My love of the business started then, it just found its way into my blood.
I have a degree in English Literature because I love to read and it seemed like a good idea at the time. I learned my way around the computer by moving to San Francisco during the dot-com boom. Good move on my part. I went from a software development company to a fancy web development and marketing company. I’ve played in big leagues with the heavy hitters. Now I get to work for the farmers, which is a huge improvement and one that I am grateful for everyday.
Email Ceci

Board of Directors:

President: Jim Whiteker (Red Mesa Meats)

Vice President: Serafina Lombardi (Lovely Day Farm) Phone: 505-577-5425

Vice President: Avrum Katz (Boxcar Farm)

Secretary: Kimberly Martin (Growing Opportunities)

Treasurer: Brian DeSpain (Bodhi Farms)

MEMBERS:

Amy Quirke (Intergalactic Bread Company)

Gary Gundersen (Mr. G’s organic Produce)

Jose Gonzales (Gonzales Farm)

Brett Ellison (Gemini Farm)

Dave Vigil (Nambe Orchards)

Patrick Romero (Community Member)

Jennifer Fresquez (community member)

Jackie Munro (community member)

Ben Schwartz (community member)

Helen Chantler (community member)