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Kathleen is a creative, visionary leader working for a smarter, more sustainable world. Whether it is in her position as President of Glynwood, one of the nation’s leading sustainable agriculture and food organizations, starting Harvard’s first food garden, producing award-winning ocean conservation films, helping major institutions green their operations, or forming a network of women leaders, Kathleen’s efforts are fueled by determination, grace and passion, resulting in better health for the planet, people, and their communities. At the helm of Glynwood in Cold Springs, NY, Kathleen’s mission is to save farming by strengthening farm communities and regional food systems. Her goal is for small and medium-sized farmers to thrive, on the land and in the marketplace, by developing policies and infrastructure that support their farm economies and conserve their farmland. Glynwood has become a “go to” authority on regional agriculture because it works its own farmland, testing, innovating, and teaching techniques that demonstrate the economic viability of sustainable farming practices. Kathleen’s devotion to sustainability grows from a deep passion for the natural world, especially the ocean that surrounds her family home of Bermuda and the California coast where she was raised. Kathleen studied marine biology and received a Master’s degree in Science Journalism from Boston University. In 2001, Kathleen was recruited to Harvard by the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, an organization that strives to help people understand how our health depends on the health of the natural environment founded by Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric Chivian. She helped shape the Center’s programs to educate and inform people about the links between human health, the ocean, food systems and the environment, serving as the organization’s Managing Director during the last two years of her tenure there. In 2009, Kathleen produced the Award-winning film Once Upon a Tide, a live action, and animated educational short that screens around the world. In 2010, Kathleen started the Harvard Community Garden in the heart of Harvard Square, Harvard University’s first garden dedicated solely to the production of food, but continuing the legacy of the Harvard Botanic Garden that operated from 1807-1943. Other initiatives while at the Center included the creation of the Center’s Healthy Oceans, Healthy Humans Program, the launch of Center’s Healthy and Sustainable Food Program and work with National Geographic to help restore a healthy, sustainable seafood resource. Kathleen founded and serves as the Director for the Pleiades Network, a membership-based organization with a mission to inspire, recognize, and advance women’s leadership in creating a more sustainable world. Recently, Kathleen launched Kitchen Conversations, a project that aims to collect audio food stories from Americans around the nation. She currently serves as its Executive Producer. She serves as an advisor for a number of environmental and community organizations, including as a Board Member for the Ocean Foundation, a Sister on the Planet for Oxfam, and an advisor on the Boston Mayor’s Council on Food. Her projects have taken her around the world, working with colleagues in the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and Australia and she often lectures on topics related to global environmental change and human health.
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