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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Travis Lesser
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​Founder and Board President

Travis is the Founder & was the first Executive Director of Appalachian Food Works until July 2022. He is a 2001 graduate of Methodist University (NC) with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Professional Golf Management, and a 2014 graduate of Penn State University's Smeal College of Business with an MBA in Marketing & Entrepreneurship. He has worked as an adjunct instructor in the cross-college entrepreneurship minor at Penn State ,and took on a full time instructor role in the Smeal College of Business in July of 2022 teaching courses in entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, and responsible business leadership. He is also the co-Founder and CEO of Cityscape Farm Supply, a local startup that manufactures and sells elevated raised garden beds. A native Central Pennsylvanian, Travis lives in State College where he enjoys the vast array of outdoor activities that the region has to offer. ​ Contact at:  travis@appfoodworks.org

Certifications: ServeSafe Food Protection Manager, Penn State Ag Extension Sanitary Transport of Human & Animal Food Course

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Scott Harrison
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Board Vice President

Scott is a recently retired life sciences professional with wide knowledge of agricultural, food safety, extension education, and analytical testing.  He has hands-on farming experience and was a Penn State Ag Extension educator, in addition to spending over twenty years in marketing for multinational technology     companies serving the pharmaceutical and agriculture sectors.  Scott earned a B.S. in Chemistry at Delaware Valley College, and an M.S. in agronomy and M.B.A. at Penn State.  He lives in Boalsburg, PA, with his wife, Sandra.

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John Peterson

John is currently a business consultant for the Penn State Small Business Development (SBDC) Center at University Park. his primary focus is providing confidential, one-on-one consulting to startups, and existing businesses within Lycoming, Centre, Clinton, and Mifflin counties. He enjoys working with current businesses to help them grow or assist with various needs. John lives in Happy Valley with his wife Christina and their two sons. In the community, he is the Cub Master, volunteer for State College Little League, and a basketball coach for area youth. He is also a Happy Valley LaunchBox Program Advisor, Downtown Bellefonte Inc Economic Vitality committee member, Penn State Smeal Alumni Club-Happy Valley member, Smeal College of Business Hammond Society member, Penn State DuBois Alumni Society board director and past Smeal College of Business Alumni Society board at-large director. John grew up around various extended family businesses including his parents greenhouse as a child.  

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Board Positions Available

Interested in becoming a board member for Appalachian Food Works? Fill out our volunteer sign-up form, and we will contact you as positions come available! ​​