Charlene Higgins

Charlene joined the Farmers Market Coalition in July 2020 as an Evaluation Technical Assistance Coordinator. Before joining FMC, Charlene managed the New American Sustainable Agriculture Program at the Organization for Refugee & Immigrant Success in New Hampshire. There, she supported new American entrepreneurs in developing viable farm businesses and becoming integral leaders in their local food system. Charlene also served as the greater Manchester area’s Regional Lead in the NH Nutrition Incentive Network, where she oversaw SNAP and incentive programming at neighborhood farm stands, farmers markets, and CSA. While completing a Master’s in Community Development Policy & Practice from the University of New Hampshire, Charlene collaboratively designed a capacity-building project with a refugee-led farmer cooperative.  Charlene also works with a global health non-profit that equips locally-led partners in Ecuador to address health disparity and enact change in their communities. In this context, she spent much of 2019 working in Ecuador alongside local counterparts. Charlene is interested in evaluation as a powerful tool to maximize programs’ impact and promote data-driven solutions, and she brings experience in participatory approaches to monitoring and evaluation.  Charlene now lives in Rochester, NY.  She is excited to share her passion for evaluation with food system leaders to build more resilient, equitable, prosperous communities.  

 

Charlene can be reached at charlene@farmersmarketcoalition.org