Staff & Board
Staff
Janie Maxwell, MS, RDN
Executive Director, ILFMA
Janie [she/her/hers] is the Executive Director for the Illinois Farmers Market Association. She is passionate about expanding local foods and farmers markets. As a Registered Dietitian, she believes strongly in the health value of local food and advocates for local food by building systems that highlight the economic value of markets to communities and farmers.
Janie has a diverse professional background with experience in nonprofit management, managing nonprofit initiatives, and grant programs, including her work with Making Kane County Fit for Kids, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Healthy Kids Healthy Communities Grant. Fit for Kids became a nationally recognized leader in creating a culture of health, in part by improving access to healthy food. Recent work includes research with Northern Illinois University nutrition students on “Millennial Participation at Farmers Markets” and leading collaborative efforts with local farmers markets to enhance marketing and education initiatives.
Janie is a longtime farmers market customer and advocate and can be found at a farmers market somewhere, every week.
Joan Oberndorf
Administrative Program Manager, ILFMA
Joan (she/her/hers) has been the manager of the Andersonville Farmers Market, located on the northside of Chicago, since 2010. She’s passionate about increasing access to locally grown and produced food, and actively works to support local growers and local food producers. Joan is excited to work with ILFMA to promote and support Illinois farmers markets!
Board of Directors
Libby Ervin
President, ILFMA
Certified Farmers Market Manager
Assistant Director, Food Works
Co-Owner, Glaciers End Farm
Libby [she/her/hers] is the Assistant Director with Food Works in Southern IL. In addition, she is also the Co-Owner of Glaciers End Farm with her husband Derek. Libby and Derek moved to southern IL in ’17 from Chicago, after inheriting the family farm. They completed the Farm Beginnings program with Food Works and from there she has held many positions: Carbondale Community Farmers Market Manager for 2 years, Southern Illinois Farming Alliance Coordinator and is now the Assistant Director. Her main focus is on Food Access and she manages the Southern IL Link Hub and oversees and supports 8 markets throughout Southern IL. She also participates in several statewide collaborations (Buy Fresh Buy Local, ReGenerate Illinois, Routes to Farm). Libby and Derek are huge supporters of all things local and as Glaciers End, a value-added farm and business, participate in several area farmers markets: LEAF Food Hub, Carbondale Farmers Market, Carbondale Community Farmers Market (winter) & the Vine Street Market at O’Fallon Station. Prior to farming and moving to southern IL, Libby has worked with Seniors and the Disabled for over 20 years and has experience in business, training, education and community outreach.
Ann Herrington
Vice President, ILFMA
Executive Director, Goshen Market Foundation and Land of Goshen Community Market
Ann Herrington is a St. Louis native who loves all things local, especially while she is traveling and visiting new places. She completed a Master’s of Fine Arts degree from University of Missouri St. Louis in 2020. A large part of that program was spent at the National University of Ireland, Galway, where she learned about and appreciated the farm to table movement, sustainable agricultural practices, and the genuine sense of community that is ever-present where food is concerned. At home, Ann has found some places that feel good, too. She continues to learn about farming, sustainability, and food justice as a volunteer at Earthdance Organic Farm School in Ferguson, MO. And she fell in love with all things fruit and veg while working at Roger’s Produce, a locally owned produce stand that has been operating in Webster Groves, MO for 44 years. She brings extensive volunteer experience from her time coordinating volunteer Boards at Washington University, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program. She is most excited to learn about and contribute to the community that supports the Goshen Market Foundation and the Land of Goshen Community Market and Foundation… and maybe start a petting zoo.
Cathy McDermott
Treasurer, ILFMA
Executive Director, Rock River Development Partnership
Cathy is the Executive Director of the Rock River Development Partnership (RRDP), a 501c3 whose mission is to bring business and people together to create place in Rockford’s urban core. The RRDP created the Rockford City Market in 2010, a Friday night seasonal market featuring locally grown and made items, to promote exposure to downtown, incubate new business and create a community gathering place. From 2015-2019, visitors to the market averaged 100,000 annually. The RRDP also manages the North End City Market and other local events. In 2019 the RRDP finished construction of the indoor market adjacent to the outdoor pavilion. The indoor market is home to 5 restaurant/retail businesses, 2 event spaces and a shared incubator kitchen. Cathy is married with 3 grown children and one grandson and enjoys traveling, cooking, exercising, visiting local restaurants and spending time with family and friends.
Dale A. Hazlewood
Secretary, ILFMA
Certified Farmers Market Manager
Independent Special Event Coordinator
Dale has spent more than 25 years coordinating events of all types and sizes, from small fundraisers to large outdoor festivals. He spent five seasons leading Illinois’ oldest farmers market in Aurora, Illinois, expanding its healthful connection to the community and garnering over $400,000 in local, state, and federal grants. His FreshFirst, a fruit & vegetable prescription program, and annual Sauerkraut Day brought greater awareness to the long-lasting health benefits of local produce. Dale is a life-long gardener and micro-farmer, raising a wide variety of free-range poultry, fruits, award-winning vegetables, and flowers. As Vice President of the Illinois Farmers Market Association, Dale works to provide educational opportunities for statewide farmers market managers, vendors, and producers through workshops, webinars, and conferences. He also advocates for local food and culinary tourism and is known for his endless stream of ideas, targeted initiatives, and non-traditional resources.
Taylor Choy
Board Member, ILFMA
Operations Manager, Green City Market
Taylor is a first generation Asian-American who is passionate about supporting local food systems that prioritize equitable access to sustainable foods. Previously a New York seedling, she now plants her roots in Chicago, Illinois after graduating from Loyola University Chicago with a B.S. in Environmental Science: Sustainable Food and Agriculture, and Urban Studies. Prior to her time with Green City Market, she managed the Loyola Farmers Market, and researched water and waste reduction through projects funded by The Green Initiative Fund and the US Environmental Protection Agency. At Green City Market, she works directly with farmers and vendors at our markets and e-commerce programs and connects with community members through GCM’s Link matching program. In her free time, Taylor loves to cook seasonally-inspired dishes and explore Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods on her bike.
Jennifer Engel
Board Member, ILFMA
Market Manager, Skokie Farmers Market
As market manager of one of the only Sunday farmers markets in the area Jennifer looks forward to the last day of the week! Her secret for success is having the right mix of vendors, community events, great bands, and hands-on kids activities. Jennifer is a dedicated home grower with grand plans to turn her urban yard into her own little farm, and is always on the lookout for growing tips from her farmer vendors. She’s passionate about supporting small business owners as part of her hospitality career working at Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau, and she’s excited to work as part of ILFMA’s Marketing Committee to help markets “Market” themselves through social media. In her spare time, Jennifer can be found on a trail with her three rescue dogs (and is looking for one more to add to her pack!).
Laurie George
Board Member, ILFMA
Certified Farmers Market Manager
Regional Extension Associate in Food Safety, Cornell University
Laurie is a Regional Extension Associate in Food Safety at Cornell University. Previously she worked for 10 years with the University of Illinois Extension, specializing in small farms and local foods. Laurie has developed and delivered face-to-face and online programs that affect specialty growers such as hydroponics, fruit and vegetable production, Integrated Pest Management, greenhouse production, and incorporating the fundamentals of food safety relating to farm environments. She also focuses on developing and supporting local farmers markets and is passionate about promoting the idea of local foods and local food systems to area communities. Laurie received both her Master of Science degree and Ph.D. in Plant, Soils, and Agricultural Sciences from Southern Illinois University.
Hannah Horn
Board Member, ILFMA
Farmers Market Manager, Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market
Hannah Horn is the market manager for the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market. As an avid gardener from a young age growing food sustainably has always been her passion. While at Illinois Wesleyan University Hannah interned with the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market and loved the experience! Following graduation, she worked for the City of Bloomington as a Downtown Development Specialist. Hannah is invested in strengthening the community through her work at the Farmers’ Market by educating folks about the importance of local food, engaging young market patrons in fun ways, and assisting customers in navigating the market. In her spare time Hannah enjoys hiking, gardening, and volunteering at local animal shelters.
Veah Larde
Board Member, ILFMA
Farmers Market Manager, Austin Town Hall Farmers Market
Veah Larde is the chef/owner of Two Sisters Catering, a proud graduate of ILFMA’s Certified Farmers Market Manager course and the market manager for the Austin Town Hall farmers market. She has a deep seated passion for community improvement, leading her to use her boundless energy to work to provide food access, resources and information within her community. Veah uses her connections within the food industry to promote her mission of raising awareness and secure funding to advance healthier food options on multiple levels.
Jonathan Ledsky
Board Member, ILFMA
Natalie M. Kenny Marquez
Board Member, ILFMA
Owner, Grow Marketing + Communications, LLC
Certified Farmers Market Manager
Natalie Marquez [she/her/hers] Natalie served as ILFMA Borad President for eight years. She’s the owner of Grow Marketing + Communications, LLC, a firm that provides business development, marketing, branding, and communication support. Natalie has served a wide variety of startups and small businesses, including the healthcare and agriculture sectors. This includes work with small farms and farm businesses to large-scale grant projects through the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture. Prior to founding Grow Marketing + Communication, Natalie worked for over a decade in municipal government, most recently for the city of Urbana, serving as Marketing Coordinator & Director of Urbana’s Market at the Square. Natalie has a double major in Journalism/Advertising and Political Science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Outside of work, Natalie is a competitive swimmer through U.S. Masters Swimming, enjoys shopping at farmers markets, spending time with her husband and their two children, and wrangling the family puppy, Taco.
Yescenia Moto
Board Member, ILFMA
Certified Farmers Market Manager
Program Coordinator, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events
Yescenia joined the Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (formally the Mayor’s Office of Special Events) in 2003 as Special Events Coordinator in the Programming Division. Shortly after joining the Programming Division, she joined forces with Green City Market founder Abbey Mandel to hire the first-ever Chicago Farm Forager. Working with the Farm Forager, the City’s application and regulations were revamped to ensure that all farmers are inspected for joining the program. She also works closely with several other City departments in making sure the farmer’s markets are up to code on city regulations. Over the past 12 years, she has coordinated several festivals and special events, including Viva Chicago, and the Chicago Living Pavilion at the Taste of Chicago, and many others.
David Toledo
Board Member, ILFMA
Founder/owner Contemporary Farmer, Inc.
Mary Liz Wright
Board Member, ILFMA
Nutrition and Wellness Education serving Clark, Crawford, and Edgar Counties
Mary Liz Wright is passionate about improving the lives of the people of Illinois.
Her Blog title; Be Smart, Eat Well, Get Healthy is exactly what she hopes people gain from attending her programs on food safety, food preservation, chronic disease and basic nutrition. Sharing research based information from the University of Illinois enables her to help people make good lifestyle choices that, in turn, make their lives better. She believes that people who eat well do better in school, perform better in the workplace and are contributing members of their communities.
Mary Liz earned a bachelor’s degree in Theology from Loyola University of Chicago and a master’s degree in Family and Consumer Science from Eastern Illinois University.
Wright and her family are avid gardeners and raise sheep and beef cattle. Mary Liz and husband Phil are parents of three daughters, three sons in law, one granddaughter and one on the way. In her spare time, she reads, spins wool, knits and loves to walk in the woods and pastures of their Edgar County farm.
ILFMA Lifetime Members
Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant
ILFMA Lifetime Member
Certified Farmers Market Manager
Owner/Consultant of New Leaf Consulting
Deborah is the Owner/Consultant of New Leaf Consulting. Before starting her consulting business, she was employed by the University of Illinois Extension employed her as a Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator. Deborah is a Certified Market Manager with more than 30 years of experience working in sustainable local food systems. Deborah brings a wealth of experience at the local, state, regional, and national levels.