KRISTEN Blaker
Favorite Part of Job? Being outside in nature, teaching under the trees, and sharing the gifts of the earth with others. I absolutely 
love spreading the seeds of gardening, healthy eating, and mindfulness throughout our community.
Most Inspiring Mentor: Sally Litvin (my mom) has been extremely influential as a mentor. She is a strong, female entrepreneur who has shown me many times how to reinvent and think creatively to overcome any obstacle.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: I like to create humongous vegetable sculptures.
Favorite Downtime Activity: Meditation, creating artwork, and reading good books.
Favorite Super Hero: Wonder Woman!
Favorite Social Media: Instagram!
Person you would like to share a Vermont beverage with: Alec Webb, president of Shelburne Farms, to discuss farm to school initiatives and environmental education programming.
What is the best career advice you have received? Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life!
Career Highlights: A career highlight for me was when I realized that my garden educational program now hosts over 165 students in North Bennington area teaching them about healthy eating, gardening and mindfulness.
Successful grant writing to sustainably fund the garden program, including a very competitive Whole Kids Grant.
Creating a product line of herb rubs from the garden that is sold in local stores and raises money for our garden program.
Community Involvement: I love involving the community in the work that we do at the gardens. We have parents, teachers, college students, preschoolers, high schoolers, and gardeners joining us to dig in the dirt! Students grow food for their school and create products from the gardens to donate to local non-profits.