ITHACA, N.Y. — NY FarmNet welcomed four new consultants to its program in the Summer of 2023. Each consultant brings a wealth of talent and experience to the NY FarmNet team and will enable the program to provide more free, personalized assistance to farmers across New York State.
Sam Rose recently joined NY FarmNet as a financial consultant. Sam has over 15 years of experience farming in both the Hudson Valley and Mexico. Sam is also fluent in Spanish and will help elevate NY FarmNet’s ability to serve the Spanish-speaking farmers throughout NYS.
Lisa Malek is a Rochester native and joins NY FarmNet as a new family consultant. Lisa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds an MSW from Robert Wesleyan College. Lisa has operated her own private practice since 2014.
Audrey McDougal is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over ten years of experience providing mental health services. Audrey joined NY FarmNet as a family consultant and brings professional expertise in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of mental health disorders.
Tom Shepherd is a Cornell University alumnus and former employee of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) who helped establish the program that is now NY FarmNet. Tom recently returned to NY FarmNet as a financial consultant. Tom also earned a MS in agricultural economics from Michigan State University and his law degree from Albany Law School.
“FarmNet consultants are the heart of our organization,” said Greg Mruk, Executive Director of NY FarmNet. “These new members of the NY FarmNet consultant family will allow us to maintain the exceptional level of service our program has provided the agricultural community in NYS for the past 3 decades.”
NY FarmNet helps farmers, farm families, and agricultural professionals navigate times of crisis, growth, and opportunity. Farm clients are assigned both a family and a financial consultant to help address the many issues they may face. All services are free of charge and completely confidential. For more information or to request assistance, call 1-800-547-3276 or visit www.nyfarmnet.org and click the red “Contact” button.
NY FarmNet was founded by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in response to the national farm crisis in the 1980s. NY FarmNet still operates at Cornell as part of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management. The Dyson School is part of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the SC Johnson College of Business. NY FarmNet is funded by the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, the NYS Office of Mental Health, the private sector, and individual donations. If you are interested in donating to NY FarmNet, visit www.nyfarmnet.org and click the banner across the top.
–NY FarmNet
