Staff & Board
PCO Staff
Leslie Zuck
Executive Director
PCO’s founding Executive Director wears many hats: Farmer, lawyer and community volunteer. She owns and operates Common Ground Organic Farm, raising organic vegetables, seedlings, sheep and dairy heifers. Her volunteer work includes fostering homeless dogs, managing a farmers market and serving on advisory boards for organic research projects and a non-profit educational farm. She has been on board at PCO from its humble beginning when she was the only employee. 15 years later, PCO now has 20 employees. When Leslie isn’t busy doing all those other things, she enjoys hiking in the mountains, weaving, knitting and attending farm auctions.
Lee Rinehart
Director of Education and Outreach
Lee Rinehart was raised in the stifling humidity of the Texas Gulf coast. After a tour of active duty in the Navy, he obtained two degrees in agriculture from Texas A&M University. Following graduation Lee worked with ranchers on weed and rangeland management in Texas and Montana, then moved to Pennsylvania in 2007 as NCAT’s Northeast Regional Director and ATTRA Program Specialist. A former PCO board member, Lee has been PCO’s Director of Education and Outreach since the summer of 2011, where he is responsible for educational programs and project development. Lee’s diverse experience includes working as a cowhand, a dairy milker and cattle feeder, a cattle ranch manager, an Extension educator, a sailor, a shipyard worker, and a boat mechanic for the Alaska pollock and crab fishing fleet. He lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania, where he enjoys running, hiking, and reading.
Mabell Rivas
Certification Program Director
Mabell Rivas has had diverse roles in organic certification since 1998, including establishing and managing a Latin American office of a farmer-owned US organic certifier. Mabell assisted a large number of groups of small farmers across Latin America to transition to organic, and was a member of the committee that created the Nicaraguan organic rule. In 2008 Mabell started working in the field of international logistics exporting food to South America and as an organic Certification Specialist making certification decisions on US organic farms, processing facilities, and brokers. Mabell has an Associate Degree in Agriculture Business from a California community college, a Bachelors Degree in Economics from a university in Nicaragua, and a graduate diploma covering all aspects of a specific food industry (the coffee business from seed to cup).
Kyla Smith
Policy Director and Certification Specialist
Kyla Smith is the Policy Director at PCO and is responsible for tracking NOP directives, policy changes and the history of decisions. She’s worked with PCO for the past 9 years in the roles of Organic Inspector (for all scopes) and Certification Specialist. Kyla is a member of the Accredited Certifiers Association Board. She also recently completed a Masters degree in Transformative Leadership and Social Change from the Tai Sophia Institute in Laurel, Maryland. In her spare time, Kyla enjoys hiking, fishing, gardening, yoga and traveling. And most importantly, Kyla and her husband Ben are expecting their first child in May!!
Robert Yang
Quality Systems Manager
This is Robert’s second tenure with PCO. After serving as Assistant Certification Director, and then Certification Director at PCO, Robert left for Korea in the summer of 2012 to assist in developing an organic management program for a large-scale Korean organic farming project in Brazil. Robert returns to PCO as Quality Systems Manager, and will be mainly responsible for developing and managing PCO’s quality system, along with accreditation management. Robert is excited to be working at PCO again, and looks forward to actively fulfilling PCO’s mission of providing quality certification services to all its’ members. Robert not only has years of experience in organic inspection and certification program development, he is an ASQ (American Society for Quality)-certified Quality Improvement Associate.
Marissa Pyle
Compliance Manager and Certification Specialist
Marissa Pyle joined the PCO team in June of 2009, as a Certification Specialist and eventually took on the position of Compliance Manger as well. Born and raised in Karns City, PA some of Marissa’s earliest memories are making trips to the barn to visit her family’s small herd of Hereford cattle. Although she didn’t do much more than sit on the wheel well of the tractor beside her dad while he was baling hay, she found agriculture to be exciting and ended up finding her way to Penn State, where she graduated in 2009 with a degree in Agroecology and a minor in Agronomy… Although these days Marissa and her husband Zach along with their feisty black Labrador Scarlett live in town close to the PCO office, she loves getting back to the farm whenever possible.
Penny Zuck
Certification Specialist
Penny has been with PCO since 2001 where she has played many different roles including Certification Director, Administrative Director and Managing Assistant. Her excitement and passion to work directly with clients and experience with the food industry has now landed her a position as a Certification Specialist for PCO-certified Processors and Handlers. She always looks forward to reviewing new products and marketing ideas shared by her clients. Penny is also certified as an Organic Inspector through the International Organic Inspectors Association for crops, livestock, and processing and has attended many advanced inspector trainings and international organic certification training. She is currently enrolled in Leadership Centre County, a community adult leadership program. After graduation in June, she hopes to use her newfound knowledge of non-profits and community programs to volunteer as a leader in the community. Penny enjoys throwing hay bales on the pick-up truck, hiking, eating organic & local food, laughing with good friends, traveling, stargazing, and spending time with her children, Jewels, Lia & Gabe (whenever they allow it!)
Adam Seitz
Certification Specialist
Adam Seitz joined the PCO Certification Team in early 2011. As a Certification Specialist, he works primarily with certified organic dairy operators, mushroom producers, and feed processors. He graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 2010 with a BS in Agricultural Science, honors in Food Science, and a minor in Agronomy. Adam grew up working in his father’s bakeshop in York, and has more recently worked with ConAgra Foods, the PA Department of Agriculture, and several PSU agricultural research programs. Adam currently resides in Spring Mills with his soon to be wife, Faith. He enjoys hiking, all things related to food/agriculture, and playing the banjo (or at least trying to).
Heather Donald
Assistant Certification Specialist
Heather joined PCO as the Certification Staff Assistant in 2007, and in early 2012 took on her current position as Assistant Certification Specialist. She primarily works with producers interested in learning more about certification, and those going through the application process. Heather is originally from the New Jersey suburb of and came to central Pennsylvania to attend Susquehanna University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She worked for Sweet Merriam’s Farm CSA in Snyder County for three years as an intern and then as a co-manager before coming to PCO. Heather enjoys the country life in Mifflinburg where she lives on a sheep farm with her dog, cat and 2 horses.
Johanna Mirenda
Materials Specialist and Inspections Coordinator
Johanna Mirenda (Jo) has been reviewing materials and coordinating inspections for PCO since 2009. Jo has a degree in Horticultural Science from Penn State and several years of research experience in plant nutrition. She has also spent time studying agriculture and ecology in Peru and New Zealand. Jo now resides in Madison, Wisconsin, home of the country’s largest producer-only farmers’ market.
Sabine Carey
Materials Specialist
Sabine walked into the PCO office 12 years ago planning to help Leslie get caught up with some paperwork. Sabine has worked for PCO part-time ever since, first as a Certification Specialist, and now as Materials Specialist, as well as performing Crop and Dairy Inspections since 2002. Sabine graduated from Penn State after studying International Development, and worked for the Entomology Department performing pesticide resistance research. This inspired her to follow her path towards organic farming, starting with an internship at the Rodale Institute focusing on cover crops. Sabine is also Technical Service Provider certified by NRCS to write Transition to Organic Conservation Plans. Sabine operates a certified organic cut flower and produce operation, and raises pastured poultry, pigs and grass-fed beef along with her husband Tom. She spends every spare minute with their 8-year old daughter, camera always in hand.
Stephanie Bailey
Certification Staff Assistant
PCO’s fall intern, Stephanie Bailey, joined the staff this spring as the new Certification Staff Assistant. Originally from Florida, Stephanie was introduced to food production in her grandfather’s garden. She completed a degree in biology and learned to contra dance at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, and armed with a robust supply of collard greens and cornbread, has continued to make her way north since. Working on farms all over the country and in New Zealand has fed her passion for growing things and being an active participant in the shaping of our food system and culture. Prior to joining PCO, she worked on a Penn State research project developing sustainable cropping systems for northeast dairy farmers. Stephanie enjoys watching ruminants graze, chickens peck, dogs run and cats hunt. She hopes to view all of this from her back porch one day.
Liz Amos
Staff Inspector
Liz Amos is one of PCO’s new Staff Inspectors. In this role, she will spend the majority of the inspection season (April – October) on farms and writing inspection reports. In 2011 Liz served on PCO’s Managing and Advisory boards and chaired the Standards Committee. She is very excited to join the PCO staff after six years in the organic dairy industry. She is grateful to the farmers she’s worked with in PA, OH, IN and MI for sharing their knowledge, experience and expertise. Although she has a degree in philosophy and a graduate dairy certificate, her best education comes from working part-time for an organic dairy in southwestern Pennsylvania and talking with farmers.Liz is passionate about the organic industry, her dogs, and her music. She shares her home with four dogs of the retriever-ish variety. She enjoys camping, hiking and swimming in their company and competes with them in obedience and hunt test trials. Liz plays the fiddle in the old-time Missouri-style. If you want to host a square dance in your house or your barn, she’ll lend a hand!
Amanda Birk
Staff Inspector
Amanda Birk, joins PCO as a Staff Inspector as of April 2012. Amanda lives in Shickshinny, Luzerne County, in northeastern Pennsylvania. For 7 years she and her husband raised vegetables, certified organic by PCO, for a 50-member CSA, in addition to grass-fed beef and pastured-poultry. Amanda has been a full-time inspector since August of 2010. She is grateful for the training and education she has received, both through the International Organic Inspectors Association, and from several experienced inspector-mentors. She thoroughly enjoys her work, partially because she continues to learn from the diverse experience of our producers. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys the outdoors, homesteading, and working on her solar-powered straw bale house. More recently, she has gotten involved with the community revitalization efforts of her flood-ravaged downtown. Amanda is excited to work with PCO staff to develop the organic farm community, and she looks forward to meeting its foundation of producers.
Sandie Elder
Office Manager
Sandie joined the PCO team as their Office Manager in January 2010. Her primary roles include financial management and human resource management. Growing up in a military family required a lot of relocating, adaptation, and the development of people skills, which Sandie happily utilizes in her position at PCO as she enjoys the daily interaction with clients. In her free time, Sandie likes reading interesting memoires, bringing new life to old things, traveling to her favorite beach and spending time with her family.
Joshua Brock
Technology Coordinator
Originally from St. Marys, PA, Joshua attended St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA with a major in Business Computer Systems Analysis. After a decade working in Pittsburgh for both WTAE-TV and Equitable Resources, Joshua headed west to Boulder, Colorado to climb and ski. While there he worked for Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) and as a fulltime farmhand at Ollin Farms. Upon returning to Pennsylvania in 2009, he interned for PCO and assisted at Howard’s End Farm and CSA in Howard, PA. Joshua started his current position as PCO’s Technology Coordinator in October 2010. He and his wife Jenn and two children live in State College and are working to start their own farm and CSA back in their hometown of St. Marys.
Kathryn Tokarz
Administrative Staff Assistant
Originally from Covington, PA (Tioga County); Kathryn Tokarz is a 2010 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where she majored in Agribusiness Management with a concentration in Commercial Horticulture. While at Penn State she was an active member of NAMA (National Agri-Marketing Association) and the PSU Horticulture Club. In the past, she has completed internships with the USDA/ NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Services) in Tioga County; Seedway, LLC/GROWMARK in Hall, NY; and PCO in Spring Mills, PA. Kathryn started as PCO’s Administrative Staff Assistant in September 2010. In her spare time she enjoys baking, creating crafts and gardening.
April Fix
PR Coordinator
April grew up in the small town of Emmaus, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with an Environmental Studies degree in 2002, April spent the next few years apprenticing on diversified family farms in Vermont, Virginia, and Massachusetts, coming to love many facets of farming from maple sugaring and making herbal preparations to weeding long rows of veggies and collecting eggs. April, her husband Rob, and their 2-year old daughter Tessa now live in Lehigh County where they own and operate Ledamete Grass Farm (pronounced let ‘em eat!) where they raise pasture and forest raised pork and pastured poultry. When April isn’t busy working for PCO or on the farm, you may find her country-road bike riding, reading, or planting flowers!
PCO Board Members
Staff and board at the April 26, 2012 Meeting
Phil Coles, President
Giorgio Foods, Giorgi Mushroom
PCO Certified Crops and Processing
Debra Deis, Vice President
Seedway,LLC
PCO Certified Seeds
Kathy Soder, Secretary
United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service
Tony Marzolino, Treasurer
Center State CEO, Marz Farm
Allen Matthews, Managing Board Chair
Director and Instructor of Sustainable Agriculture
Chatham University
Andrew Batdorf
Hollow Brook Dairy
PCO Certified Crops and Livestock
Julie Hurst
Blue Rooster Farm
PCO Certified Livestock
David Johnson
Provident Farms
PCO Certified Crops and Livestock
Patty Lovera
Food and Water Watch
Tom Murphy
Lycoming Cooperative Extension
Ken Rice
Organic Unlimited
PCO Certified Livestock Feed
Forrest Stricker
Spring Creek Farms
PCO Certified Crops and Livestock
Melanie Wertz
Independent Inspector
Charlie White
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Dave Wilson
King’s Agriseeds, Inc.
Managing Board Members
Allen Matthews, Managing Board Chair
Patty Lovera
Tony Marzolino
Tom Murphy
Kathy Soder
Melanie Wertz
Charlie White
Advisory Board Members
Andrew Batdorf
Phil Coles
Debra Deis
Julie Hurst
Dave Johnson
Ken Rice
Forrest Stricker
Dave Wilson
Board Term and Elections
Advisory board members serve a 1-year term, with a limit of 5 consecutive terms.
Our policies require that no more than half the board members can be PCO-certified (or related in a way that violates the conflict of interest provision in te NOP regulations). That allows us to have a maximum of 7 certified producers on the board, plus a minimum of 8 others who are independent.
For the non-certified seats, we can invite organic producers who are certified by another agency, someone from Penn State Ag Extension or NRCS, another non-profit ag organization, consumer or environmental group, a college, ag supply company, consumer, veterinarian, inspector, etc.
Nominations can also be made by PCO members and PCO advisory board members. PCO will accept nominations via mail, email and phone.
Board members are selected by the membership at the Annual Meeting in February.
Qualifications
Generally, members should live in PCO’s certification region: Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, District of Columbia.
Advisory board members should be good communications and be willing to contribute to the organization, chair committees, help at events, etc.
Advisory board nominees must submit and advisory board application by December 1st prior to the next election.
Meetings and Events
The next advisory board term begins on the first board meeting following the election.
The advisory board meets quarterly. Typically, 3 meetings take place at the PCO office in Spring Mills, PA and one is held in the Lancaster County, PA area. Members may attend by phone or web connection. (Travel expenses are reimbursed upon request.)
PCO typically holds a strategic planning event in the spring which is attended by the advisory board and staff members.
PCO participates in training events, field days, trade shows, and other events. PCO expects advisory board members to participate in events when possible.
