Board of Directors

Role: Vendor Representative
Committee(s): Vendor Relations

Michael is co-owner of The Altamont Vineyard & Winery Est. 2008 and strongly believes in bringing locally produced product to the community, working hard to make sure that these ideals are met in the Schenectady Greenmarket. With 13 acres of estate grown grapes, he is committed to growing the local economy and has a passion for food and farming.

I love fostering strong relationships with other vendors as a vendor representative, and I’m thankful to be able to be a voice for the community and vendors.

Roles: Founding Member, Treasurer, Cashier
Committee(s): Vendor Relations, Finance

Austin works in the geospatial technology industry and is an executive with Fountains Spatial, a GIS (Geographic Information System) consulting company located on Jay Street in Schenectady. He also director of a girls volleyball club (Northeast Thunder), and sits on the board of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation (DSIC).

It’s all about community. Having been actively involved in downtown since 2000, I’m convinced that dollar-for-dollar, the Schenectady Greenmarket is one of the best things to happen to our downtown in the last 15 years, both for its economic development benefits and the key role it plays in strengthening our local community.

Role: Secretary

Committee(s): Finance, Community Outreach, Development, Special Events

Maureen works in the library at Union College. She and her husband, Andy, have lived in Rotterdam since 1984 and have two grown children who are graduates of city schools. Favorite activities include gardening, hiking, kayaking, and quilting.

I volunteer with Schenectady Greenmarket because I believe in the mission of the Market. Building community as well as supporting local farmers, artisans and businesses is important to me. I love connecting with friends and neighbors at the weekly Market, and I’ve enjoyed meeting new people and working with other volunteers who contribute their time and talent to Schenectady Greenmarket.

Committee(s): Development

Amy moved to the area ten years ago, lives in Alplaus (where she is usually found in the garden or kitchen), and works for an international environmental consulting firm as a health scientist. She grew up on a beef and dairy goat farm in Washington County along the Hudson River that is also the location of a school. It was a perfect setting for instilling an appreciation of what it takes to grow healthy food and the drive to share the products and knowledge with others.

To me Schenectady Greenmarket is not an event or simply an organization, it’s part of our community in many ways that people may not know. The market on Sunday provides a venue open to all and offers options to purchase from a wide range of vendors, listen to free music, learn something about what other organizations in our community are doing, participate in a free children’s activity, or just relax and chat with your neighbors. Vendors with excess product donate weekly to the Regional Food Bank which helps our neighbors in need. The Schenectady Greenmarket also has a huge impact on our community’s economy, not just for the vendors, but for businesses nearby. And, through sponsorships and donations, there are a vast number of community partnerships and supporters in the background. Aside from a paid market manager, it is run fully by enthusiastic volunteer community members, ranging from high school students to retirees, which is quite inspiring!

Role: Cashier
Committee(s): Promotions, Community Outreach, Development

Leesa L. Perazzo currently serves as the Group Sales and Special Events Manager at Proctors and a Councilwoman for the City of Schenectady. Prior to working for Proctors, she was the Director of Member Services and Business Resources for the Chamber of Schenectady County. She continues to feed her passion for the hospitality industry through her part-time business, Eat My Words, which specializes in menu and graphic design. Ms. Perazzo serves on the board of the Heritage Home for Women. She is a member of the Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, the Schenectady Rotary Club and the League of Women Voters. In 2013, she created Give Graffiti the Brush, a program that engages youth on probation to cover graffiti around the City of Schenectady at no cost to the taxpayers. In 2009, Ms. Perazzo received a Community Service award from the NAACP Schenectady Chapter. In 2013, the Schenectady Business and Professional Women named her Woman of the Year.

I believe that giving back to your community is crucial for its success. Sustaining the work of those who created the Schenectady Greenmarket is an important volunteer priority for me because the market provides wholesome, locally grown food and fellowship. The market has become a centerpiece of downtown Schenectady and I can’t imagine the City without it. I give my time in an effort to maintain its vibrancy.

Role: At Large

Roles: Founding Member, Cashier
Commitee(s): Vendor Relations

Principal and founder of LAndArt Studio, Mary Moore Wallinger is a registered Landscape Architect with nearly fifteen years of experience in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design. She is a staunch advocate of smart growth, low impact development and celebrating the landscape in ways that shape the human experience. Her work is informed by studies of gardens throughout Europe and years of working in gardens including her own and those of Monticello, the historic home of Thomas Jefferson. In addition to her professional practice, she currently serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Schenectady and sits on the Project Overview Committee for Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority. She serves as the Landscape Architect for the Schenectady Central Park Rose Garden and acts as a volunteer consultant for ReTree Schenectady, a 501c3 organization that helps to raise money and plant trees throughout the city of Schenectady.

I became involved in the Greenmarket to give back to the community and make our city healthier and stronger. The market stimulates the downtown economy and provides crucial income to local farmers, which allows their farms to continue farming. The market provides a variety of healthy foods in a downtown that lacks a grocery store — despite having a population with limited transportation options. And on a weekly basis, the market brings community members from all walks of life together around a common cause that is enjoyable to all.