Susan Murray
Executive Director
Susan joined SEMAP at the start of 2023 with a background in both farming and nonprofit work. At Coastal Foodshed, she addressed issues of food access, managing both outdoor and online markets. Susan also worked with The Livestock Institute of Southern New England, designing and implementing their educational programing and helping secure the funding to build the Meatworks Processing facility in Westport. For the last 14 years, Susan also has managed Flying Carrot Farm in Dartmouth in partnership with her husband, Tony. They grow a diverse selection of fruits and vegetables using sustainable methods and pasture-raised chickens for both eggs and meat. Prior to starting her current farm in Dartmouth, Susan farmed in Mississippi, Maryland and western Massachusetts.
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Brad Fesmire
Community Engagement & Program Director
Brad is a Pennsylvania native and moved to Rhode Island in 2003 where received his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2005. He has been an artist, educator, non-profit director, farmer and carpenter. He is also the partner with his wife Anna of the specialty cut flower farm, Little State Flower Company. His interests lie at the intersection of art, agriculture and social change and combining these ideas to create positive transformation across the landscape. His journey has led to SEMAP where he hopes to use these experiences to help create an even more robust and innovative organization that catalyzes and strengthens farmers and all things agriculture across our region! When he's not farming or SEMAPing, he can be found chopping wood, riding motorcycles or slinging pizzas in the backyard.
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Honey Bee Puder
Farmer Outreach and Technical Assistance Manager
Honey Bee Puder, born and raised in Wisconsin, moved to the east coast 20 years ago and quickly became involved in agriculture in Massachusetts. After working on a couple farms in the Pioneer Valley, she found her way to Eva’s Garden in Dartmouth. During her 15 years farming there, she developed a deep devotion to farming, food and flavor. She views access to fresh, locally raised and grown food as transformative and essential for all. She is excited to help create, support and maintain a vibrant local food system that sustains and serves all communities in our region, in her new role at SEMAP.
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Heather Meehan
Program Coordinator
Heather Meehan is a farmer and regional food advocate with a decade of experience. She got her start in the food system working in restaurants alongside her parents on the east end of Long Island, NY. After graduating from Simon’s Rock College in the Berkshires, she taught seasonal cooking classes to students in over 150 schools throughout New York City from 2016-2018. She then served as the Outreach & Education Manager at East End Food Institute from 2018-2021, where she administered the East End Collaborative Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) program and spearheaded their Farm to School efforts. She has farmed full time for the past four years, most recently at Little State Flower Company in Tiverton, RI. Heather is thrilled to be a part of the team at SEMAP. When not talking to farmers or thinking about farming, she can often be found at the beach, riding her bike, or catering to the needs of her two cats.
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Board of Directors
Dee Levanti, President
Farmer/Owner at Ivory Silo Farm, Co-Founder of Freed Seed Federation and Southeastern New England Field Agent at Land For Good
Liz Wiley, Vice President
Executive Director of The Marion Institute,
Karen Voci, Treasurer
President Emeritus of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation & Trustee Leadership Council of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston
Stephanie Perks, Clerk
Co-Executive Director of Coastal Foodshed
Sarah Cogswell
Farmer/Owner at Cluck & Trowel Farm and Director of Operations at Coastal Foodshed
Fred Dabney
Dartmouth Agricultural Commission and Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture
Melissa McKenna
Norfolk County Agricultural High School
Kendra Parker
Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust
Meg Riley
Agricultural Educator, Plymouth County Extension
Laura Smith
Farmer and STEM Educator and Farmer/Owner of Lane Gardens and Oakdale Farms