CONOR Floyd
27 | Vermont Agency of Education | Grant Programs Manager
Residence: Bellows Falls
Career highlight(s): The career highlight I'm most proud of is helping to lead the Farm to School program at Food Connects through the pandemic. We were able to continue to support schools, both their school meal programs and outdoor education, while also 
working more with community partners to ensure food support was reaching everyone in Southeastern VT.
Community Involvement: My community involvement includes volunteering with the Brattleboro Restorative Justice Center where I participate on a Reparative Panel. On the panel, I work with clients to make amends for the negative impact of their actions and help them stay connected to their community.
Additionally, I'm a board member on the Windham County Trails Alliance, a mountain bike organization working to expand access to trails in Windham County. You gain a much greater appreciation for all the trails in our community once you try building a new one yourself.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont? I was motivated to live and work in Vermont by the tight knit community and beautiful landscape. I love hiking, skiing, and biking and love living around others who share an appreciation for the outdoors.
Most inspiring mentor and why: My most inspiring mentor was my supervisor while working at Food Connects. Richard Berkfield was a steady leader who knew how to draw out the strengths in each person on the team.
Favorite Vermont escape: My favorite Vermont escape is Ascutney Mountain. It's always bigger than I remember and there's so many different things to do around the mountain.
Favorite downtime activity: My favorite downtime activity is anything that takes my mind out of head: skiing, biking, building.
How has your community service changed since the pandemic? Since the pandemic, I have developed a greater appreciation for the community bonds developed through volunteering. I've learned to place a much greater emphasis on working with folks in-person and not taking that time for granted.
How has your job changed since this pandemic? During the pandemic, my job has changed as I transitioned from Food Connects to working for the Child Nutrition Programs team at the Agency of Education. Luckily, I still get to support school meals throughout Vermont.