Our Board of directors
Dale Welch, Board Chair
Dale retired in 2012 after over thirty years in the technology search business. In his leadership role with his search firm, he was involved in many of the company’s volunteer activities. It was through these efforts that he began to understand the disparity in opportunity and income in the Boston area. Dale is an active volunteer with The Open Door and interested in improving local food access on the North Shore. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and lives with his wife in Ipswich.
Elizabeth Hatch, Board Clerk
Tizzy is a long-time resident of Ipswich who enjoys everything to do with the outdoors. She studied biology as an undergrad and has a doctorate in epidemiology. She is a professor of Epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health and has done research on the association between dietary patterns and several health outcomes including fertility. She loves the Three Sisters’ mission to increase access to healthy local food for all and to use sustainable farming methods that will improve our community and help us to become more resilient in the face of climate change.
Jeremy Schley Johnson, Board Treasurer
Jeremy is a co-founder at Agrivida, which develops products for animal health and nutrition as well as alternative protein ingredients for plant-based foods. He grew up in Kansas, where his first job was working on a dairy farm throughout high school and college. He has served as treasurer and endowment committee chair at the church his family attends. Jeremy has a PhD from MIT and lives in Beverly with his wife and two children.
Jennifer Freedson
Jen lives in Beverly with her husband Scott, her two daughters Tanner and Callie, and a dear friend Sophie who is getting her feet off the ground as a budding entrepreneur. Jen co-founded a sustainable event design and catering company called Chive Events in late 2008. Chive was dedicated to sourcing food and design elements locally and consciously. Chive closed in 2020 after being in business for nearly 12 years, and Jen remains a dedicated advocate for organizations and businesses that strive to make the world a more just and joyful place for all living beings.
Kailey Foley
Kailey resides in Newbury with her husband, Doug, and their son, Emerson. A graduate of the UMass Amherst Stockbridge School of Agriculture, she earned a degree in Sustainable Food and Farming. After gaining experience working on various farms across the North Shore, Kailey spent seven years contributing to the growth of Nourishing the North Shore, where she helped establish many of its foundational programs. Currently, she serves as a Horticulture Teacher at Essex North Shore Vocational and Technical School, taking great joy in inspiring her students and connecting them to the region’s vibrant food system.
Susan Glessner
Susie has been actively involved in the non-profit sector for many years. She was involved in the building of the new YMCA in Ipswich, as well as the formation of Manchester Summer Chamber Music and is a long-time member of the Ipswich Garden Club. She also owns and operates a flower design business called “Flowers Jubilee.” Susie is a life-long resident of Ipswich.
Leslie Lyman
Leslie Lyman is a local artist and the mother of four grown sons. She has spent a lifetime interested in access to healthy local food, nutrition and seasonal eating. Leslie has worked and volunteered for a number of schools - currently as the development officer at Waring School - and believes in the importance of food and nutrition literacy. Leslie grew up surrounded by many farms in the Berkshires and has been a longtime volunteer at Appleton - she values the essential role of Three Sisters and other farms in our community. Leslie holds a BA from Smith College and an MFA from Massachusetts College of Art & Design.
Sheila McAdams
Sheila comes from a long line of dairy farmers, spending her youth working the fields and farm. After graduating from Hamilton College, she moved to Massachusetts, received her Ed. M from Lesley University, and found her passion teaching elementary-aged children. As a teacher, Sheila became fully aware that students couldn't learn while hungry, embedding her motivation to ensure students and families had access to high quality food. As the principal at Winthrop School in Ipswich, she supported the farm-to-school connection, established a weekly food distribution partnership with Open Door and sought to eliminate systemic discrimination for the most vulnerable families.
Dale Peak
Raised on a rural Kansas farm as one of nine children, Dale developed a deep appreciation for diverse communities and cultures through extensive travel around the world. Coming from a family of educators, and with a background in the humanities and a degree in education, Dale was an elementary school teacher before building a career as a Finance professional. Dale is passionately committed to the mission of Three Sisters and is dedicated to advocating for the organization’s focus on food justice.
Read our tribute to outgoing board members, August 2024.
