CCE Columbia & Greene Annual Meeting

Join the staff, volunteers and community members for out 2026 Annual Meeting.  The meeting will take place at the Extension Education Center, 479 Route 23, Hudson, NY from 6:30-7:30 p.m.  

There will be recognition of volunteers and staff as well as a brief business meeting. Light refreshments will be provided. 

There is no fee to attend, however, preregistration is required by November 6, via the following link.  

https://apps.ideal-logic.com/cornellcoop?key=NYCG-GFKZS_K9KH-5PTF_2e07f7695102

Residents of Greene County and Columbia County age 18+ can also submit their ballot for this year's nominees to the board of directors from this link.

Paul Spoleti (Columbia County)
Paul moved to the Hudson Valley from Queens at a very young age. First moving to Germantown where he discovered his love of horses and joined 4-H. Soon after the family moved to a horse farm in Red Hook where he remained until attending college at FIT. Earning a bachelors degree, he began his career in the fashion industry. First working for a textile company in NYC and eventually moving to Los Angeles and co- founded a fast fashion teen brand called Mimi Chica. With 20 plus years of experience as owner/operator of the company he sold the brand in 2019 and moved back to the Hudson Valley with his family. Once again calling Germantown home. Upon returning to the area Paul became the GM of Liberty Farms a multifaceted farm in Ghent, NY. Liberty Farms is where his relationship with Cornell Cooperative Extension started to develop. Paul has returned to his entrepreneurial roots and started a new business, Hempsteed, a premium hemp animal bedding company. The hemp business is a point of pride for Paul and he believes he can change the bedding industry while having a positive impact on the environment. Paul loves spending time with family and friends and is and avid outdoorsman.

Paul currently serves on the board and would like to continue with another term.

Nile Mitchell (Greene County)
Nile was raised in rural Otsego County by parents with lifelong careers in horticulture, which fostered a deep interest in the natural world and its ecological systems. He holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from Oberlin College, and has experience in land conservation, grant writing, and community outreach related to environmental causes. Nile has worked in the world of fine wine for the past fifteen years, having joined Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in 2011. Since 2025, he’s had the pleasure of playing a lead role in KLWM’s partnership with Grain de Sail, a pioneer in fully wind-powered cargo shipping, as one of his company’s preeminent sustainability initiatives.

Angela R. Hansen (Columbia County)
Angela R. Hansen is a senior strategist and the CEO of Food Systems Foresight (a NY State certified MWBE). With more than 30 years of professional experience spanning 65 countries, she brings deep expertise in food systems resilience, business model design and strategic foresight to her candidacy for the Cornell Cooperative Extension board.

Previously, Angela served as CEO of the Global Knowledge Initiative and as a Partner and Director of Agriculture & Food Security at Dalberg Advisors, formulating strategy for multilateral organizations, international NGOs, and private sector food systems leaders—including the United Nations, the World Bank Group, Fortune 500 companies, and three World Food Prize Laureates. Earlier in her career, she worked in Accenture’s Global Business Solutions practice, architecting financial services systems. She has also contributed her expertise externally, including serving on an advisory board for the Aspen Institute.

Complementing her strategic and operational background, Angela is an experienced educator who has taught graduate-level courses at the University of Geneva and the University of Cape Town.

Deeply committed to the Hudson Valley community, Angela resides in Hudson, New York, where she owns a historic farmhouse, actively stewards her family's Iowa farm from afar, and serves as a volunteer yoga teacher with ReEntry Columbia.

Angela was educated at the University of Minnesota (BSc), Columbia Business School and the University of Cape Town in South Africa (MBA, PhD).

Kristina Gibson (Greene County)
Kristina (Kristi) hopes to aid community building through serving on the board. Since 2014 she has been the owner of Magpie Bookshop in Catskill. She currently serves on the Catskill Climate Smart Committee.

Kristi has a PhD in geography and taught community studies. Her academic research covered various aspects of urban and political geography including community gardening, rights to the city, youth homelessness and children's food agency. She has served on several local boards over the years, including the old Catskill Community Center and the CLDC. Kristi is a member of the Hudson Friends (Quakers) and served as their treasurer in the past. She is currently co-lead for the Catskill Environmental Reading Group and the Riversweep for Catskill.  Kristi resides in Catskill, NY

Amanda De Santis (Greene)
Amanda brings nearly two decades of experience in state and federal government, with a focus on organizational leadership, strategic planning, and government and community relations. She has worked closely with local governments, community organizations, and a wide range of stakeholders to build partnerships, solve complex problems, and move shared priorities forward.

Amanda holds an associate degree from Columbia-Greene Community College and a bachelor's degree from Skidmore College.

Amanda is eager to support Cornell Cooperative Extension's mission, particularly its work in agriculture, natural resources, youth development, and rural community vitality.  She has lived in both Columbia and Greene counties and currently resides in Windham.

For further information, please call 518-622-9820.

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Thank You to Our Farm & Forest Sponsors!

The following individuals and businesses have provided Platinum level donations in support of our October 2nd fundraiser.  

Platinum $1,000+

• Joseph Snaido/High Rock Home
• Central Hudson Gas & Electric
• Paul Spoleti/Hempsteed
• Capital Region Independent Media
• Emily Powers
• Farm Credit East
• Paolantonio Crawford Law
• Angela Worth/Meadowbrook Farm Catskill
• Anonymous
• Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
• Hatchet Hardware

         

               

           

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Gardening Questions

The Master Gardener Volunteers are available to answer your calls at 518-828-3346 x212. Please leave a detailed message, or reach us anytime by emailing [email protected]. Photographs are helpful.

We offer soil pH testing for $5.00 for the first sample ($1 for each additional sample). For more comprehensive analysis, contact the Cornell Soil Health Lab. Turnaround time for pH testing can be up to two weeks due to volunteer availability. For more information go to our Soil Sample page.

For plant and insect identification, you may bring samples to our office. There is a $5.00 charge per sample. Samples must be in a container (such as a bag or jar)—we cannot accept loose samples on paper towels.

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Donations

Please support the programs of CCE of Columbia and Greene Counties by  donating to us. 

Consider signing up for monthly donations. $5 a month can go a long way with CCE!

Last updated October 26, 2026