Lindsey Sutton - Director of Education for The Lands at Hillside Farms

04/10/19 • 39 min

My name is Lindsey Sutton. I’m also known as “Mama”, “Mommy”, “Ma! The Meatloaf” (thank my husband for that), and Miss Lindsey. I’m the adoptive mother of two strong willed, amazing children and the Director of Education for The Lands at Hillside Farms. My hobbies include tripping over toys, drinking coffee like it is my sole life force, and guessing what the stains on my clothing are from.

As the Director of Education at The Lands at Hillside Farms, I have the pleasure of using fun phrases like, “Just put that box of skulls in the trunk so you can sit in the car” and “Hold on a second, the goat has her head stuck again”. Most of my coworkers have feathers, fur, or four legs. Teaching vulnerable youth actually helped me begin diving into the world of foster care after seeing the need in our community.

My family was built through foster care and we have been unbelievably fortunate throughout our process. My husband and I began the process in January of 2017, and received the call for our son two days after being approved. The next day, he was in our arms. We brought our daughter home from the NICU five months later. Raising two infants/toddlers 16 months apart in age has been quite the experience. (Hence the coffee.)

Navigating the world of foster care and adoption has been an eye opening experience for me. I learned things about myself I didn’t know were possible. Not only did we become a family through our experience, but we’ve added so many “extended family members” to our tribe. Although it was a bumpy ride, our kids made every moment worthwhile.

Websites of interest:

http://adoptpakids.org

http://hillsidefarms.org

Websites of interest:

http://adoptpakids.org

http://hillsidefarms.org

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Clancy Harrison - Registered Dietitian, TEDx Speaker, and Food Justice Advocate

As a TEDx speaker, registered dietitian, and food dignity crusader, Clancy Harrison challenges the way food insecurity is approached and is transforming the food culture in the United States.

Clancy a world-class expert who speaks to over 100,000 experts each year. She is the creator and consultant of Food Dignity, a strategic program for organizations who want to shift how they approach health and wellness by making food access a priority for their clients. She saves the lives of thousands of people through her work with healthcare professionals, non-profit organizations, corporations, and universities.

Currently, Clancy is an Ambassador of the National Dairy Council, the President of the Al Beech West Side Food Pantry, and teaches at the Pennsylvania State University. She is the founder of multiple grassroots anti-hunger projects and is a lead researcher and co-author of the forthcoming Hunger Corporate Guidebook for the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

To learn more visit www.ClancyHarrison.com

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Cassandra I. Coleman - Special Advisor to the Office of Governor Tom Wolf (PA)

Cassandra I. Coleman is a Special Advisor to the Office of Governor Tom Wolf. Most recently Cassandra served as Director of Governor Wolf's Northeast & Central offices. In this role, she was responsible for intergovernmental and constituency services on behalf of the Governor in the following 28 counties: Adams, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, Wyoming and York.

Ms. Coleman previously served as Finance Director and Deputy Campaign Manager, respectively, for the Tom Wolf for Governor campaign from 2013-2015. She has also served as Deputy Finance Director for United States Senator Bob Casey from 2010- 2013.

In 2014, Ms. Coleman founded and served as President of Coleman & Associates, a company engaged in charitable, private and political creation of fund-raising networks and community and political event planning. Coleman & Associates maintained a client base of state, county and local political candidates, large and small companies, and non-profit organizations.

Ms. Coleman has spent a lifetime in public service beginning at a very young age. At the age of twenty, Cassandra was appointed Mayor of her hometown of Exeter Borough to fill her late grandfather, Mayor Joseph Coyne's unexpired term. Following her appointment, Cassandra was re-elected Mayor twice and left office to join the Wolf Administration. In addition to serving as Mayor, Cassandra served as a Junior Council Representative for Exeter Borough during her junior and senior years of high school.

Ms. Coleman was one of the youngest female mayors in the history of the United States. She was featured in Oprah Magazine in a segment titled "Women Who Defy Age." Cassandra was also featured in a national NBC segment called "The Smart Woman". The Times Leader Media Group honored Cassandra twice for her accomplishments; in 2008 as a Top 40 under 40 recipient and named her in 2019 as one of 14 Distinctive Women. Also in 2019 she was honored to be chosen one of Northeast Pennsylvania BusinessJournal’s Top 25 Women in Business.

In her community, Cassandra is a Board Member of Leadership Wilkes-Barre, Junior Leadership of Wilkes-Barre and Children's Service Center.

Ms. Coleman is a 2010 graduate of King's College in Wilkes-Barre where she earned a degree in Political Science and was chosen to receive the 2018 Leo Award which is bestowed upon an alumnus/alumna within fifteen years of graduation who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in his/her professional or community activities. Named for the King's mascot, it suggests the energy, pride, and sense of purpose which the recipient personifies. She is also a 2006 proud graduate of Wyoming Area High School in Exeter, PA, where she frequently returns to talk to high school students about Government and their roles in their communities.

Ms. Coleman can also regularly be found at her family’s Italian restaurant, Vino Dolce, in Hanover Twp, where, over 18 years in business she held every position in the establishment, from salad maker toeventually manager to assist her parents. She truly enjoys all their customers, especially their “regulars”who have become more like family.

Cassandra is the proud mother to Jimmy IV and continues to reside in Exeter, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.