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Vacca has a B.S. in biology and chemistry and Juris Doctorate (Law) and received his certification from the Urban Farming Institute (Boston) in 2016. Rich worked in the private sector as an aquatic/marine toxicologist, wetlands scientist and environmental permitting specialist, nuclear and environmental engineer shellfish aquaculturist. He had a law practice in environmental and estate planning. Rich operated a small aquaponic farm and apiary in Carver. He is currently working for the Town of Plymouth as the Conservation/Agriculture Planner. He provides technical and legal support for the Plymouth Conservation and Agricultural Commissions.
Stephanie Taylor worked for 35 years in social services and have seen directly the effect of hunger in her community. She was formerly a Program Manager for United Way of Greater New Bedford at the Family Resource and Development Center. Her work now involves applying that to using fruits and vegetables to combat the disease in our community through the Martha’s Vineyard Vegan Society. Stephanie is Chair Commissioner of Bristol County Commission on the Status of Women (BCCSW), the Executive Administrator for Martha's Vineyard Vegan Society, a Cannabis Patient Care Specialist for NETA, and Leadership Southcoast Alumni.
Sullivan is the Director of Development for Coastline Elderly in New Bedford. Prior to that, Christine specialized in animal nutrition and helping farmers maximize performance. Christine received a master’s degree from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and have worked in the area of public health and nutrition for the past 6 years. She has managed a small business, worked in a large corporation, and found her niche in the non-profit sector.
Robert Shaheen graduated from Westfield University with B.S. in Finance and Business. He had worked for 25 years as a General Manager between Uno Chicago Grill, Panera Bread, and Friendly's. He is a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official. He has been a School Nutrition Association Member, a Director of Food Services Wareham Public Schools and currently the Director of Food Services since 2018 with the New Bedford Public Schools.
Lisa Rahn is the Community Outreach Director at YMCA Southcoast where she coordinates the Full Plate Project, the Y’s partnership with the Greater Boston Food Bank. Having previously managed a chronic disease prevention program for the Florida Department of Health, she is passionate about educating people on the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and increasing the accessibility of nutritious food.
Gioia Persuitte is an epidemiologist that specializes in nutrition, lifestyle and behavioral interventions, and chronic diseases, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She has designed and conducted lifestyle and behavioral interventions for over ten years. Gioia’s vision is that all individuals have access to science-based nutrition data and that the distillation of this information is easy to understand and culturally competent to ensure all individuals are empowered in their food and lifestyle endeavors. Gioia currently works at the New Bedford Health Department in Substance Use Prevention.
Stephanie Perks started her career working on a farm, learning about our farmers' agricultural realities. She became a Registered Dietitian, studying at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. She worked at Mass in Motion Bedford to find the root causes of chronic diseases that were ailing people. She also worked at Southeastern MA Food Security Network (now the Southcoast Food Policy Council), tackling food access inequities. She co-founded Coastal FoodShed, which has created different market channels and supply chains for farmers and food producers to sell more locally grown/made food through Southeastern MA. Stephanie also serves on the Board of SEMAP and the New Bedford Local Cultural Council.
Dale Leavitt is a retired Emeritus Professor of Marine Biology from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. He spent twenty-two years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Aquaculture Extension Specialist at Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. His entire professional career has focused on aspects of shellfish biology and culture. He continues as a principal in an engineering consulting company designing seawater systems for research/educational facilities and is a partner in two shellfish/kelp farms in Fairhaven and Mattapoisett, MA.
Pam Kuechler has served as the Executive Director of PACE, Inc., the Community Action Agency serving greater New Bedford, since July 2018. She rejoined the PACE family after 6 years as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association. Prior to her time at MHSA, she spent 17 years working in PACE, Inc.’s Child Care Work’s Program. Over the course of her career, she has participated in policy and systems development at the federal, state, and local level focused on topics related to supporting and providing opportunities for vulnerable populations. She received a BA in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire. She is a lifelong Southcoast resident and proud mom of two grown children and two dogs.
Wendy Garf-Lipp is the Executive Director of United Neighbors of Fall River/Community Connections Coalition, which works towards secure and stable families, the promotion of peace and tranquility and optimum family support. Educated both in MA here and in the Middle East, Wendy spent seven years living in the Middle East working with residents of small villages in Israel, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. She lives in with her husband on a small organic homestead, with a huge garden, chickens, and turkeys. She has a personal mission of teaching folks how to can and preserve the bounty from their gardens thereby insuring healthy, local food year long. She is confident that she can help repair the world and invites you to join in her initiatives.
Rachel Davis has five years of successful leadership in health care and currently serves as the Director of Southcoast Health’s Community Health & Wellness Department. She specializes in building and maintaining positive community relations across various sectors, and leading programs to advance population health and reduce health disparities across the south coast region. Rachel believes strongly that all individuals should have equal opportunity to achieve their full personal potential and is committed in her work to improve community health and wellness, especially in at-risk or underserved populations.
