Board of Directors

2024 Board Meetings are open to the public and all minutes and agendas can be found on the righthand sidebar. If a member of the public plans on attending via Zoom or in person, please contact the office at 315-684-3001 at least 4 hours prior to the meeting

Board of Directors Members and Bios:

Erick Haas, President

Erick is a resident of the Town of Sullivan, and manages 65 acres of tillable land and hardwoods. He produces Maple Syrup, fresh eggs, baby chicks, and has a number of horses under the name of Rolling Acres Homestead. Erick is employed by Great Plains Manufacturing as their Northeast Territory Manager. Through his professional career, Erick has participated on a number of boards of advisory, and educational youth programs throughout NYS including CCE Madison 4-H, Tractor Safety, Morrisville College, MVCC, Genesee Watershed, NYFVI Precision Ag., NYS Soil Health Training program, and more. Erick holds a degree from Morrisville State College in Environmental Studies. He is also an active member of his community. Erick is the EMS Lieutenant for the Chittenango Vol. Fire Dept., he has been a volunteer with the Master Forest Owner program through CCE, a Certified Crop Advisor, and was formerly a Rescue Capt. with the Cazenovia Vol. Fire Dept.

Jenn Borkowski, Vice President

Jenn is a Massachusetts native who relocated to Georgetown in November of 2021. She studied natural resources at an agricultural high school in Massachusetts, which led her to study at UMASS Amherst's Stockbridge School of Agriculture, where she majored in Arboriculture and Community Forestry. Shortly after college she moved to rural Vermont and worked various positions in farming and landscaping. From there, she crossed paths with the owners of Eaton Hemp/JD Farms, and has been with them for 3 years, starting out as an intern, moving to the marketing team, to now her position of Director of Marketing and Operations for Eaton Pet and Pasture, a natural pet care brand. She is very excited to plant her roots and grow within Madison County.

Dave Rogers, Treasurer

Dr. David E. Rogers is the eighth president of SUNY Morrisville. Throughout his career at the college, which began in 1999, Dr. Rogers has earned the respect of the campus community and helped make the college a top destination for prospective students seeking top-notch hands-on learning, as well as talented faculty and staff. Dr. Rogers’ approach to community partnership has strengthened the college’s ties to industry partners, business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others seeking practical solutions to grow New York State’s dynamic economy. Dr. Rogers earned his Ph.D. in labor economics, collective bargaining and econometrics from the SUNY College of Industrial Labor Relations at Cornell University. He also received a master’s degree from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Rogers is married to Jan Rogers, an associate professor in the college’s School of Science, Technology and Health Studies. He has two grown children and four grandchildren.

Alexandra Erath, Secretary

Alexandra Erath is a Sherburne, NY native. She moved back to CNY in 2012, after completing her undergraduate degree and starting her career in Ontario, Canada. She has been partnered with her father, Bruce, in the financial services industry since that time. The two of them formed their own company, Hearth Financial Partners in 2017, which has offices in both Hamilton and Norwich. Alex has been proud to call the village of Hamilton home since moving back to NY. She is an active member of both the Chenango County and Hamilton communities. She is an active member of both the Chenango County and Hamilton communities, and serves as a board member on several local not-for-profit organizations.

Kyle Hirt

Kyle Hirt is a 5^th generation dairy farmer from New Woodstock, NY. He attended SUNY Morrisville and studied Animal Science. Kyle then worked as a herdsman on a 4,000 cow dairy and then as a herd manager on a 200 cow dairy before returning home to work in partnership with his family on MITHVA Farms. 

Lori Shepard

Lori Shephard has been a science educator in Madison County public schools for over 30 years. She is involved with her local Union, coaches modified track, and is a certified field hockey official. All four of Lori’s children grew up in 4-H, and she was part of a dairy farm for over 20 years. Lori loves the outdoors and all that CNY has to offer.

Paul Curtin

Paul is an Attorney in Cazenovia. His areas of concentration are residential and commercial real estate, inclusive of land development, zoning, condominium offerings, homeowners’ associations, commercial leasing and financing and he works with many local developers in these areas. Mr. Curtin is a member of the New York State, Onondaga County, Oneida County, and Madison County Bar Associations. He has served on the Boards of numerous organizations including Hospice of Central New York, Hospice Foundation, Huntington Family Center Inc., Huntington Foundation, Madison Environmental Support Alliance, Inc., New York Military Academy where he was the President of the Board of Trustees, Erie Canal Museum and the Cazenovia Advisory Conservation Commission. He was also an Adjunct Professor at SUNY ESF teaching a Land Use and Development course.

Andrea Lehmann

Andrea is the Ag Teacher at Otselic Valley and co-owner at Flyhawk Farms. She attended Delaware Valley University, and breeds and races standardbred horses. Andrea lives in New Woodstock with her family.

Roger Saltman

Dr. Roger Saltman is the former Chief Medical Officer and Executive Director for the US Cattle and Equine Business at Zoetis. He is the Founder of RLS Management Solutions LLC, a consulting firm specializing in animal health and management, career coaching, and financial planning. Dr. Saltman earned his undergraduate degree at Princeton University. He operated a farm in upstate New York prior to earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Cornell University and his MBA at Syracuse University. Dr. Saltman practiced as a clinical veterinarian in mixed practice for 7 years where he specialized in dairy production medicine including milking equipment evaluation, nutrition formulation, and dairy cattle reproduction. Dr. Saltman has many volunteer and board roles, among the Board of the National Institute of Animal Agriculture. In his spare time, Dr. Saltman enjoys evaluating wines, skiing, sailing, biking and following Syracuse and Princeton University lacrosse. He and his wife Anne live in Cazenovia and have three sons.

Patrick Allen

Patrick is the Farm Manager for his family farm, Critz Farms. Having grown up on the farm, Patrick has firsthand knowledge of everything required to operate the farm and brewery. He loves working outdoors, and skillfully manages the diverse day-to-day challenges of farming and the beverage industry. Patrick is also a multi-instrumental musician and has incorporated his passion for music and craft beer into our latest farm ventures. Patrick lives in Cazenovia with his wife Christy and son Miles.

Shari Dann

Dr. Shari Dann is Associate Professor, Environmental Studies; and Coordinator of Environmental Education and Interpretation Program at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse. Shari has been involved with Extension in different ways for many years. She grew up in Chenango County 4-H and went to Cornell University for an undergraduate degree in Natural Resources. She went on to have a career as a faculty member at Michigan State University, where she held a 50% Extension Faculty appointment and coordinated both the statewide 4-H Natural Resources/Environmental Education and the 4-H Shooting Sports programs, and helped develop the Michigan Conservation Stewards Program, among many other Extension activities. Shari believes passionately in the grassroots nature of Extension to solve and address local problems by recognizing community-based assets. 

Dave Jones - Fenner Town Supervisor, Appointed

 

Last updated January 18, 2024