.png)
Meet Our Team
Our Staff
Lauren Weston
District Manager
​​​
802-489-8596
Lauren's background includes a wide range of projects involving water resource engineering, agriculture, climate justice, and community building; she is excited to combine and continue to work on these topics as part of her new role as District Manager, which started in January 2021. In 2015, Lauren graduated from Smith College in her hometown of Northampton, MA and traveled for a few years until settling into Vermont in early 2018. Lauren spent the 2019 growing season in Franklin County, working on a small farm in Montgomery and serving the community at two local restaurants. She enjoys her work in Franklin County with folks who are dedicated to the land, water, and life around them.
Kate is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and now lives in Burlington, Vermont. She graduated from UVM with a degree in Environmental Science and then spent two years as an ECO AmeriCorps member, first serving for a year with the VT DEC Lakes and Ponds program, and then with the Franklin County NRCD. She's been with the District since 2021 and has become the agricultural programs manager. In her free time you can find her hiking, gardening, baking, and exploring new places around Vermont!
Mel gained a love for nature after growing up in the Southern Adirondacks in upstate New York. She began working at the District in January 2023 and has since worked with community members across Franklin County on various natural resources projects. Some of the projects Mel leads include floodplain restorations, wetland restorations, and lakeshore restorations. Mel also loves working to understand and improve wildlife habitat and has a Level III Track & Sign certification. She holds a Masters in Environmental Sciences and Policy with a focus in Environmental Justice from Johns Hopkins University. In her free time, you can find Mel hiking, reading, and learning new languages.
Dorothy grew up in Southeastern Vermont and moved north to attend the University of Vermont where she obtained an B.S. in Environmental Studies. Her degree focused on ecological agriculture and food systems, and while pursuing her degree she began working on farms and quickly fell in love with growing food and tending to productive landscapes. Since graduating, she has worked on diversified vegetable farms in the Burlington area. Through her studies and work, Dorothy became interested in ecological landscape design and planning, especially in relation to agricultural landscapes, leading her to pursue an M.S. in Ecological Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design. Outside of her work, Dorothy enjoys doing pottery, hiking, gardening, cooking, and canning tomatoes on the hottest days of the summer.
Kerry’s love of nature was founded in her family’s yearly tradition of visiting an old camping spot in the woods of Pennsylvania. After a busy day of searching for red efts, crayfish, and mossy rocks with her sister, mom, and dad, they would close out the night calling out to groups of deer and breathing in the refreshing, earthy air. Kerry became interested in food systems while growing up on Long Island wondering where her food came from and how far it traveled to get to her plate. Due to these experiences, Kerry decided to study Natural Resources at the University of Vermont specializing in Food Systems, Sustainability, and Justice. While in Vermont, Kerry’s passion about the intersection of agriculture and conservation blossomed. Kerry has studied food systems in Atlanta, Georgia and Quito, Ecuador and has worked at various farms within Chittenden County, Vermont. She gained ecological restoration experience while working with North Branch Nature Center and learned about environmental policy while working as a legislative intern with Vermont Natural Resources Council. In her free time, you will likely find Kerry birding along the Winooski River, biking to her favorite Lake Champlain swimming spots, or reading in her backyard!
Born in Tacoma Washington and having grown up in Abu Dhabi, Maria moved to New England in 2016. While at school in Massachusetts studying food systems and environmental policy, she spent the summer of 2021 as the Meals and Garden Coordinator at Camp DREAM in Fletcher. By planning and cooking culturally relevant meals for staff and campers from a variety of different backgrounds and spending her weekends exploring northwestern Vermont, she fell in love with the area. She returned for 6 months as a Camp Steward in 2022, constructing tent platforms, caring for three chickens, and doing bridge, garden, and trail maintenance. After finishing her Bachelor’s degree at Fitchburg State University, she moved to Vermont full time in 2023. As an ECO AmeriCorps member in the water quality division at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, she became familiar with state and federal grant programs, was an active member of the Agency’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability communications and governance committees, and grew a deeper appreciation for Vermont’s producers. This led her to joining FCNRCD in August 2024 as an Agricultural Programs Specialist.
Morgan was born and raised in New Haven, Vermont. She attended Mount Abraham Union High School and graduated from St. Lawrence University. She lived and worked on an agritourism farm in Hartland, Vermont for two years prior to completing an M.P.S. degree in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University in 2024. She is thrilled to be joining the Franklin County Natural Resources Conservation District as an Agricultural Program Specialist. When she has free time, she enjoys swimming in rivers and spending time with her friends and family across the state of Vermont.
Orenna grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, and now lives in Burlington’s Old North End. After graduating from Columbia University in 2021 with a degree in Classics and Computer Science, she pursued a love of literature and print media by working as an editor at an arts-and-sciences magazine in Brooklyn. Somewhere along the way she tried her hand at vegetable farming and was hooked by life in the field. Working on farms across Massachusetts and Vermont sparked an interest in conservation and the role that farmers play in stewarding the landscape, which led her to the District. Outside of work she loves to read, bicycle to swimming spots, and cook for friends.
Viva grew up in Richmond, VT before moving to Maine to attend Colby College, where she graduated with a degree in Environmental Science and Art. At Colby, her love of the outdoors deepened through her involvement with the Colby Outing Club and her ongoing quest of hiking all of the 4000 foot mountains in New England (40 down, 27 to go!). While pursuing her degree, she participated in microbiology and environmental research, worked on an environmental art exhibit, and led trail work projects - experiences that sparked her excitement for conservation work. After graduating, she spent the summer with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum leading boat building and paddling trips along the length of Lake Champlain. She is excited to return to environmental work and to spend the summer with the FCNRCD!
Sadie grew up in central Texas and has relocated to Vermont to continue pursuing her passion of ecology and conservation biology. Raised in rural farmland, she spent much of her childhood exploring and connecting with the nature around her, which inspired her to continue pursuing a career to support local ecosystems and communities. In 2022, she received her bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University in Ecological Restoration and Renewable Natural Resources. She first came to Vermont in 2024 to work at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge as a seasonal employee where she developed a deep appreciation for Vermont’s wild spaces and wildlife. Some of her previous projects include trail construction and education, studying pollinator populations, removing and controlling invasive species, informing land management decisions, wildlife monitoring, and visitor education and engagement. She has since joined the Franklin County NRCD team as an AmeriCorps Member, serving as the Natural Resource Technician. In her free time, you may find Sadie hiking, taking wildlife photography, visiting art fairs, or embroidering.
