Staff
We'd love it if you'd Contact us!
We love to eat, grow, and share food!
We are Sally Causey (Director of Programs), Teddy Dabbs (Site Manager), Weyman Fussell (Food Safety Educator), Rhonda Hensley (Mobile Farmers' Market Manager), Gene Maddox (Assistant Program Coordinator), Paul Peterson (Garden/Grazing Manager), Paul Scala (Accounts Manager), Debbie Strickland (Farm & Food Teen Training Coordinator), & Meg Zinky (Communications Coordinator & Administrative Assistant).
Biographys:
Sally Causey is an Appalachia CARES/AmeriCorps Leader serving as the Director of Programs for Rural Resources. She loves teaching children of all ages how to milk Bella the cow and feels so lucky to do that as part of being the Executive Director, now AmeriCorps Leader-Director of Programs, of Rural Resources, the post she has held since 1996. She has shepherded Rural Resources through many stages of program and organizational development including beginning the Mobile Farmers' Market and Farm & Food Training Program. Sally holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina and a MAEd. from Tusculum College. She is a Mom of 2 boys and currently she participates on the Board of Directors of Appalachian Sustainable Development. She is a 2004 Greene Co. Partnership Leadership Class graduate.
Teddy Dabbs is an Appalachia CARES/AmeriCorps Member serving as the manager of the farm site at Rural Resources which includes caring for livestock on a daily basis as well as overseeing gardens, repairs and maintenance, etc. Teddy grew up on a Greene County farm and enjoys his time working in the country.
Dr. Weyman Fussell works with Rural Resources on contract to assist local growers in getting their Good Agricultural Practices (food safety) certification. He is a Certified Agronomist (American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy) and has graduate degrees in agricultural science from Purdue University and the University of Tennessee. He has spent many years providing technical assistance to small scale farmers including working with the USDA, Peace Corps, and ATTRA. He lives on a farm in Grainger County where he produces blueberries, melons, and peppers.
Rhonda Hensley is an Appalachia CARES/AmeriCorps Member serving as the Mobile Farmers’ Market Manager for Rural Resources, a post she has held since January of 2005. She received her Associates Degree in Education from Walters State Community College in 1995 and attended East Tennessee State University. Prior to working for Rural Resources, Rhonda operated a restaurant as well as a rural country store with a lunch counter. Working with local organic farmers and their produce has led her to have a passion for nutritional education.
Gene Maddox has served Rural Resources as the Assistant Program Coordinator since 2003. He assists with program development, tracks volunteers and oversees office functions. Gene studied social work at East Tennessee State University.
Debbie Strickland is an Appalachia CARES/AmeriCorps Member serving as the Farm & Food Teen Training Coordinator at Rural Resources, a post she has held since 2008. She, with community trainers, teaches nearly 50 teens gardening, animal husbandry, cooking, business, and leadership skills. Prior to working with Rural Resources, she worked for Just for Girls, Manatee County Girls Club in Florida where she helped to develop class curriculum. She has a college background in Business Administration and Management, and comes from a family farm in Indiana.
Paul Scala is Rural Resources' Accounts Manager and long time organic grower and is passionate about composting with worms! At Rural Resources he oversees all bookkeeping functions and works with the Finance Committee. Previously, Paul worked in Accounts Payable for a local industry. He holds a B.A. in sociology from Binghamton University.
Meg Zinky is an Appalachia CARES/AmeriCorps Member serving as Communications Coordinator and Administrative Assistant. She draws upon her skills as a writer and actor everyday as she helps Rural Resources communicate through emails, the web, and social media as well as direct a variety of other tasks and events. Previously Meg served as Rural Resources' Farm Day Camp Assistant sharing her love of food and the farm with youngsters.
Paul Peterson is an Appalachia CARES/AmeriCorps Member serving as the Garden/Grazing Manager at Rural Resources. He is originally from Alabama but came to Rural Resources by way of Eugene, OR, where he interned on an organic farm.
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