Heartfelt Heroes
Meet the Nurturing Hands at Friends of Great Kids Farm
Food and Nutrition Department, Baltimore City Public Schools
Cynthia Shea
Cynthia joined Baltimore City Public Schools Food and Nutrition in 2012. After helping to establish fresh fruits and vegetables as an integral part of school meals, she turned her focus to an important question: How do we get kids to eat their veggies—and enjoy them? The answer: educate kids at Great Kids Farm. In 2017, with the support of district leadership, Cynthia launched City School's Farm to School programming, transitioning Great Kids Farm into an educational space for Baltimore City Schools students. Outside of work, Cynthia adores her 2 teenage kids, enjoys good food, good company, pickleball, being outside, and cheering for the Orioles…in roughly that order, depending on the score.
Farm to School Specialist, Baltimore City Public Schools - Food & Nutrition Services
Laura Genello
Laura Genello has been a Farm to School Specialist at City Schools since October of 2018. Laura holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Food Systems from Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University. She has more than 10 years of experience working in food systems as a farmer, advocate, researcher and educator. After apprenticing on a vegetable farm in Rhode Island, Laura joined FRESHFARM Markets in DC, working to create a thriving local food economy. Subsequently, Laura managed the Food System Lab at Cylburn, a Baltimore-based, educational farm run by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.
Farm Manager, Baltimore City Public Schools - Food & Nutrition Services
James Koval
James Koval is the Farm Manager at Great Kids Farm. James holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from Penn State University. He was a high school social teacher before moving to Maryland in 2017. Starting as an Americorp intern, James quickly moved into the Farm Manager position and has been the Manager since May of 2018. As a trained an experienced educator, James also takes an active role in the Farm’s programming, particularly working with high school interns on the Farm.
Farm to School Specialist, Baltimore City Public Schools - Food & Nutrition Services
Laura Menyuk
Laura Menyuk has been a Farm to School Specialist at City Schools since November of 2018. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Maryland. She also has an Executive Certificate in Facilitator Design and Implementation from Georgetown University and a Leadership Certificate in Outdoor Education from NOLS. Laura’s experience includes 3 years teaching literacy in D.C., teaching in the experiential education “classroom” at the Echo Hill Outdoor School on the Chesapeake Bay. Laura worked at Thrive 21, as a facilitator with Art With A Heart, and spent 4 years as a program coordinator and farm educator at the Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, MD.
Farm to School Specialist, Baltimore City Public Schools - Food & Nutrition Services
Anne Rosenthal
Anne Rosenthal has been a Farm to School Specialist at City Schools since November of 2018. Anne holds a Master’s of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor Degree in Environmental Studies from Wesleyan University. Prior to coming to Great Kids farm, Anne conducted research on global health and sustainability in New York and Belgium; supported community health workers in Mexico; and taught English to elementary schoolers in Spain.
