Meet our team

Jennifer Durham Alexander
Agronomy Outreach Professional
Jennifer grew up on a small dairy farm in Hampton, NY. She graduated from Castleton State with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Natural Science and a minor in Business. In addition to twelve years of experience working with agricultural producers, she has 15 years of experience in customer service and eight years of experience in the horticultural industry. Jennifer has also worked for the Agency of Natural Resources in the Water Quality Division. Through the District, she has worked with landowners engaged in agricultural pursuits since 2005.

Amelia Bruss
Agricultural Outreach Specialist
Growing up, Amelia had variety of farming experiences from producing oranges in California to raising fine wool sheep with her family in Cooperstown, NY. She graduated from Green Mountain College with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sustainable Farming Systems. Previous to her position at PMNRCD, Amelia worked on a small diversified vegetable farm. Amelia’s passion for food, farming, and community serves as a basis for her work at the District.

Lauren Riordan
Board Member
Lauren Riordan, her husband Shaun and their 5 children run Grateful Morning Farm in
Shaftsbury, VT. The farm is a small grass based organic dairy and they also raise steers, pigs, and chickens on a 400 acre homestead conserved by the Vermont Land Trust. She holds a B.S. in Animal Science and also a B.S. in Nursing.

Jim Henderson
Board Chair
Jim Henderson is the Senior-GIS Planner at the Bennington County Regional Commission. He and his wife Nancy live in Sandgate. He is an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoys skiing and making maple syrup with his kids.

Tim Brosnan
Soil Conservationist
Tim works for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, assisting farmers, landowners, conservation districts, schools and others in conserving natural resources.

Tim Duclos
Board Member
Born and raised in the Champlain Valley of Vermont, Tim is the resident Ecologist and Conservation Manager at Merck Forest & Farmland Center in Rupert. Tim holds both a BSc (UVM) and MSc (UMass Amherst) in the field of conservation ecology; his career focuses on applied research, adaptive land management, and civic engagement in stewarding the natural world. Tim also has a particular involvement in conducting research into climate change effects and advancing the conservation of montane ecosystems in the Northeast.

Jock Irons
Board Member
After growing up in Bennington, Jock Irons moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, for 34 years. Upon retirement, he came back to the Bennington area and is currently working with a number of Vermont nonprofits, promoting the stewardship of Vermont forests to increase habitat for wildlife as well as provide for a sustainable forest products industry.

Rob Terry
Board Member
Growing up, family trips to National Parks inspired in Rob a passion for the natural world that has led to a career in conservation and education. Rob’s work has taken him all over the country, originally as a wilderness educator, and more recently as the Vice President for National Programs at the Student Conservation Association. Today, Rob is a resident of Rupert, VT where he serves as the Executive Director at Merck Forest and Farmland Center.