Kate Mendenhall

Kate first explored organic farming during a two-year tour of volunteering on organic farms and interviewing farmers from Mexico to Japan.  After returning to the US, she settled in New York where she attended her first NOFA conference and fell in love with the organization’s history, diverse membership, and commitment to the regional organic movement.  In 2004, she began working on policy issues with the New York Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NYSAWG).  She participated in the Cornell LEAD-NY program for agricultural leadership and became familiar with all aspects of the state food system.  In 2006, Kate joined NOFA-NY as the projects coordinator—developing educational programs for farmers, gardeners, and consumers.  She became the Executive Director in 2009 to continue NOFA-NY’s work in statewide education and advocacy that aims to build a sustainable regional food system.  She is active in her local community, serving on the neighborhood farmers market advisory board and co-founder of the Rochester City Chicken Club.  She has a BA in biology from Bowdoin College and a MA  in organic agriculture from Goddard College.  She was named the NOFA person of the year in 2011 for her strong commitment to organic agriculture and the regional NOFA mission.  With her husband, Zach Borus, she grows fruits and veggies and raises three chickens in her Rochester, NY urban garden.