Board of Directors

Andy Burnes, President ​

Andy is the President and CEO of HallKeen Management, and has over thirty years of acquisition, development and management experience across a broad spectrum of real estate. Andy owns and operates Jordan Farm in South Dartmouth, MA, a grass-fed beef operation. 

Darrin Mendes, Treasurer ​

Darrin owns and operates Tupelo Hill Farm in Dartmouth, MA and manages Triple S Farm in Westport, MA. He has nearly 40 years experience in raising livestock. Darrin is President of the Bristol County Farm Bureau, and serves on the Massachusetts Farm Bureau state livestock committee and the Massachusetts Farm Bureau state membership committee. Darrin is a past board member for SEMAP (Southeastern Mass. Agriculture Partnership) and the Dartmouth Agricultural Commission. 

Barry Gross, Clerk

.Barry has been involved in the local agricultural community for several years, including raising livestock. He currently distributes local produce to many of the finest restaurants in Boston. He is the co-chair of the processing subcommittee of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation Livestock Committee.  Barry also spends his time playing music around the region, doing art and architectural photography locally and abroad, working with the Mass Audubon Society, and enjoying the waters of Buzzards Bay.

David Brownell ​

David is a retired livestock farmer who raised and sold hot-house ethnic lamb for over 30 years throughout Eastern Mass. He served as President for the Bristol County Farm Bureau, and is the secretary of the Mass. Farm Bureau Livestock Committee and secretary for the Dartmouth Agricultural Commission.

Jon Previant

Jon has over 40 years of experience in agriculture, ranging from being an owner operator of a diversified midwestern farm, independent consultant, international business development in animal nutrition and general manager of a California feed mill. Most recently and for the previous 7 years the Executive Director of The FARM Institute, a non-profit educational working farm on Martha’s Vineyard. He has an MBA from the University of Minnesota and is married to Barbara, a former Iowa sheep farmer and together they have 6 kids and 9 grandchildren. They live on Martha’s Vineyard.

Philip DeNormandie

Philip was raised on a dairy farm in Lincoln, MA and now owns an all-natural Angus beef farm in Fairhaven, MA. Philip founded and runs DeNormandie Companies, which develops, maintains, and manages unique properties around the country. Philip is on the board of the American Farmland Trust, which helps preserve farms in the United States through public policy and acquisitions. He is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Maine Coast Heritage trust and the Vice President of the New England Forestry Foundation, which supports the preservation of working forests in New England.  ​

Kristen Irvin

Kristen has worked in sustainable agriculture and local food advocacy in Southeastern Massachusetts since 2012 after earning an M.S. in Ag & Food Policy from the School of Nutrition at Tufts University. Kristen has significant experience in non-profit administration and management, grant research and writing, educational programming, farming, food service, land conservation, and office administration. Kristen has worked with land trusts and non-profits on community outreach and education, including working with the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership in developing and implementing educational workshops, seminars, and conferences for farmers and the general public. In her current role as National Technical Assistance Coordinator for New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Kristen works with organizations and individuals nationally to promote capacity building and network support among beginning farmer education and community food groups.

Sheryl Michener ​

Sheryl has had a gentleman’s farm for over 15 years raising fresh meat and goat dairy products for her family of six. As part of TyDy-Farm, she and her children raise Tunis sheep, a heritage breed, for both meat and fiber in Rehoboth, MA. Sheryl spent over 15 years as a licensed veterinary technician with both small animals and livestock. In addition, she owned and ran a dog/cat boarding/grooming facility for over 10 years.  Sheryl studied Animal Science at the University of Florida, and her love of farming started in childhood helping a local dairy farmer every weekend.  Sheryl’s children are very active in 4-H and are happy to support the movement towards local and sustainable meat production.  Sheryl currently works for the USDA implementing government programs to help sustain farming. ​

Joseph Pereira

JJ owns and runs a diversified farm (The Silverbrook Farm in Acushnet, MA), growing vegetables as well as raising cattle, hogs, chickens, turkeys, sheep, and goats. In addition to his extensive experience in agriculture, JJ has helped plan and execute fundraising events for Helping Hands of Farmers, Inc and St. Jude.  

Jessie Deelo

​Jessie Deelo brings diverse experience as a strategist and implementer for sustainable food and farm systems, including supply chain development, farm operations, academic research, and community development programs with a focus on high animal welfare and organic systems. She works with suppliers, CPGs, and partners to advance sustainability and efficiency in feed supply chains, optimize integrated crop-livestock production systems and improve market access. An experienced project manager with deep relationships throughout the food industry, she synthesizes various opportunities, prioritizing efficiency and large-scale projects that benefit all stakeholders.

​She has been a commercial farmer, Extension researcher, and director for ag industry and service providers’ networks. Not to mention a farmers’ market manager, a seed certification inspector, mentor to beginning farmers, a teacher and a basketball coach.

Jessie earned her MS in International Agricultural Development from the University of California-Davis and BA in Geography and Environmental Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Staff

Amado Baeza, Chief operating officer

​Amado was hired to work closely with the board of directors to finalize the design of the facility, assemble the necessary equipment, and oversee and operate the proposed slaughterhouse and processing facility. Amado has over 29 years experience in the slaughtering and meat cutting industry. In addition to his expertise in meat cutting, Amado has extensive management experience and has worked as a plant manager, director of operations and in other high level management positions for more than 15 years. Amado has experience in all aspects of facility management, including creating capital budgets, developing the necessary food safety plans, working with USDA inspectors, sales, scheduling, operations and quality control, employee safety, and has helped in plant start up including helping with the planning, designing, set-up, and operating of a new facility. Amado can be reached at: amado@thelivestockinstitute.org.

Russell Iuliano, Project manager

Russ, a Licensed Mass Construction Supervisor, has been working closely with the TLI Board as a project manager to coordinate the work of the engineering firms, permitting, and maintaining the project scheduling. In addition, Russ has been assembling the construction bid package for the facility and will transition to the construction manager for the project. Russ is an experienced Massachusetts construction supervisor in a broad range of projects: new construction, maintenance, and renovation in residential and commercial properties. 

Gena Mavuli, Executive Director

Gena focuses on the execution and growth of TLI's educational programs to meet the needs of livestock producers in our region. Gena has been passionate about food and farming since her formative years living and working on local farms in rural CT. She has a professional background in non-profit management which began in El Salvador in 2003, then taking her to Argentina, Peru and Bolivia. She has worked in sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and local food systems throughout her career.

Gena is an adjunct lecturer in Restorative Nutrition and Regenerative Farming at Endicott College and a chapter leader for the Weston A. Price Foundation. She holds a master's degree from Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Buenos Aires, Argentina and a bachelor's degree from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  She can be reached at: gena@thelivestockinstitute.org. 

Industry Consultants

​Kevin McCullough

Kevin has over thirty-five years of experience in the meat packing industry, including working directly for some of the largest meat processors in the country such as IBP, Inc. in Nebraska and Packerland Packing in Wisconsin.  Kevin is a graduate of the Harvard Business School in 1974 and Harvard College in 1965. Kevin’s responsibilities with the facility will be to utilize his industry knowledge to structure and implement a successful plan to build and operate a small, high quality packing plant. 

​Bryan Petrucci

After 14 years in various roles with the American Farmland Trust in Illinois and Great Barrington Mass, Bryan has been working for the last 10 years both as an Agricultural and Natural Resources consultant (Bos Native Meats, LLC) and as the Livestock Coordinator for Dole and Bailey. Bryan brings an extensive network and knowledge of New England meat processing to the TLI project.