Meet the New ICF Board Member: Andrea Solazzo
As you know, ICF is governed by a nine member board serving rotating 3-year terms. The board meets monthly with Farmer Andy Jones for updates on the farm management, but they also discuss future planning for the farm’s sustainability and fiscal health. And they plan events for members!
Andrea Solazzo, courtesy Vermont Foodbank
Abby McGowan had to step down from her current term as she is on sabbatical in India for 6 months. It would be hard to attend board meetings from afar! We’re happy to tell you that current farm member Andrea Solazzo has agreed to serve out the remaining 2 years of Abby’s term.
We’d like you to meet Andrea.
Andrea Solazzo currently manages the Northern Vermont gleaning program, coordinates with area food shelves on nutrition education and works with the various fresh produce programs at the Vermont Foodbank. Additionally, Andrea supports the Foodbank through diversity and inclusion work, advocacy and story gathering initiatives. Prior to her time at the Foodbank, she led delegations to international conferences for UN based NGO’s around climate justice and food sovereignty issues, owned an agriculturally focused study abroad organization and had active leadership in various community organizing campaigns around livable wages. Andrea’s passion for sustainable agriculture evolved from first learning about homesteading in rural Appalachia, to then starting a small farm on her college campus, traveling around Mexico for a month with La Via Campesina on an international caravan with activists and farmers from around the world and then landing in Vermont eight years ago to work at the Vermont Workers Center and at various farms in the Burlington area. She is ICF’s biggest fan, feels incredibly lucky to enjoy amazing veggies from the farm every week and loves working in ICF’s fields throughout the growing season through her work with the Foodbank. Andrea is excited to be on the ICF board and support the farm in continuing their inspiring work throughout the community.