Two agricultural leaders will be stepping into new positions at New York-based regenerative nonprofit Hudson Valley Farm Hub this fall, the organization announced Sept. 25.
K Greene, who currently leads the Farm Hub’s Seed Growing Program, has been named the director of seeds and engagement, and Paul Rogé will join the Farm Hub in December as director of research and education. These roles will advance the Farm’s research, education, and public engagement initiatives, the organization says.
“We are so looking forward to working with K and Paul in these capacities,” says Julianne Schrader Ortega, the Farm Hub’s managing director.
“The Farm Hub is truly fortunate to have these wonderful individuals bringing their deep expertise and commitment to uplifting all the existing wisdom and experience on the farm as we collectively foster innovation, connection, and resilience across the regional food system,” she adds.
K Greene
In his new role, which will begin in mid-October, Greene will lead Farm Hub’s public engagement and communication efforts across departments. The Seed Growing Program will continue and expand under his leadership, the organization says.
Greene has over 20 years of experience in transforming regional and national farming systems. With a deep passion for seeds, plants, soil, and people, he has driven change and innovation within the agricultural sector, according to the organization, which adds that Greene has been an integral part of the Hudson Valley Farm Hub for the past 11 years.
He co-founded and directed the Hudson Valley Seed Co., growing it from a 2-acre project to a 30-acre enterprise. His innovative approach to seed packaging, collaborating with artists to tell the stories of seeds, has been showcased in over 150 venues across the U.S. and abroad. Greene has also trained libraries across the country to establish their own seed libraries, advancing community access to seeds and knowledge.
For Greene, seeds have always been more than crops, they are vessels of memory, resilience, and connection. The collaborations he has nurtured through the Seed Growing Program will remain a cornerstone of the Farm Hub. As director of seeds and engagement, K will carry this work forward, expanding its scope and deepening local community connections while honoring the strong foundation already in place.
Paul Rogé
Rogé, as director of research and education, will set and guide the Farm Hub’s research strategy and educational vision. An agroecologist, Rogé will be relocating to the Hudson Valley from Minneapolis where he has, most recently, been a senior program officer at the McKnight Foundation, where he led the advancement of agroecological science within the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems program.
Rogé brings more than 20 years of experience in agroecology research, education and nonprofit leadership. He holds a PhD in environmental science, policy and management from the University of California, Berkeley, and is fluent in four languages including Spanish. He lived in Oaxaca, Mexico, for two years during his doctoral fieldwork and has long collaborated with Spanish-speaking farmers in California.
Rogé’s prior academic research at UC Berkeley and Michigan State University spanned the Americas and Africa, with publications in leading journals on topics such as soil health, smallholder perennial grains and climate resilience among small farms in southern Mexico.
He is also a dedicated educator and nonprofit leader, having co-founded Agroecology Commons and developed curricula for beginning farmer training programs, the organiation says. He has taught food systems courses at Merritt College and UC Berkeley, coordinated urban agroecology programs and served as vice chair of Merritt College’s curriculum committee.
