Larry Fisher, Executive Director

Larry Fisher

Executive Director

740-592-3854 ext. 112

LarryF@acenetworks.org

Larry Fisher is the Executive Director of ACEnet. Larry initially joined the ACEnet staff in 2002 as the Director of the ACEnet Food Ventures Program, overseeing the operations of the shared-use kitchen. Along with his 20 plus years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Larry has completed numerous food related trainings including HACCP Training, FDA Label Training, and the Better Process Control School. He also received a certificate in Entrepreneurship Center Management from the International Business Innovation Association. Through his efforts in local food systems, Larry has provided facility and operational training in Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and in four communities in Ohio.

Larry is responsible for the organization’s consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives. He oversees program development and administration, provides leadership … Read More

Leslie Schaller, Director of Programs

Leslie Schaller

Director of Programs

740-592-3854 ext. 115

LeslieS@acenetworks.org

Leslie Schaller joined the ACEnet staff in 2002. Originally the Food Ventures Business and Marketing Director, Leslie is now the Director of Programs & Business Development. She directs multiple training and technical assistance programs which assist micro-entrepreneurs through small business curriculum development, contract services and the formation of support networks of resource providers. Leslie secures public and private funding through grants and fees for services to support regional brand initiatives, targeted sector training, financial management support and capital access. Leslie is responsible for working directly with entrepreneurs throughout the intake and assessment process, start-up and expansion stages.

Leslie is currently a partner of the Aspen Institute’s Scale Academy, the Central Appalachian Network, the Ohio Food Policy Network, the Ohio Food Hub Network and UpGrade Athens County.

Meggan Loveland, Programs & Communications Coordinator

Meggan Loveland

Programs & Communications Coordinator

740-592-3854

MegganR@acenetworks.org

Meggan Loveland joined the ACEnet staff in 2015 as the Programs & Communications Coordinator. Meggan provides program and grant development support; organizational branding and communications; regional brand program support; creates content for and manages ACEnet e-newsletters and website; and coordinates events, fundraising and promotions. Meggan has experience in social campaign planning, social media metrics analysis, utilizing search engine optimization practices and social media marketing training delivery.

Prior to joining ACEnet, Meggan served as ACEnet’s Food Enterprise VISTA, through the Ohio CDC AmeriCorps VISTA program, working to increase healthy food access and ACEnet’s communications capacity.

Meggan first became a resident of Athens County in 2000 when she began her studies at Ohio University, graduating with honors and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology.

Adam Kody, Director of Operations

Adam Kody

Director of Operations

740-592-3854 ext. 119

AdamK@acenetworks.org

Adam Kody is the Director of Operations at ACEnet. Adam initially joined the ACEnet staff in December 2016, serving as the Food Enterprise Coordinator. He provides oversight for all of ACEnet’s food enterprise and workforce development activities. Adam works to increase ACEnet’s operational capacity for the benefit of new and existing microenterprises. He works locally and regionally with employers, organizations and partners to strengthen strategic pathways and keep ACEnet at the forefront of entrepreneurial assistance in rural communities.

Adam works directly with entrepreneurs throughout the intake and assessment process, start-up and expansion stages. He has a wide-ranging series of certifications in food safety, including Better Process Controls, HACCP-plan development and implementation, and Preventive Controls for Human Food. Additionally, Adam is a certified ServSafe instructor and proctor, having assisted many foodservice entrepreneurs … Read More

Sam Rife, Facilities Manager

Sam Rife

Facilities Manager

740-592-3854 ext. 125

SamR@acenetworks.org

Sam Rife joined the ACEnet staff as Facilities Manager in November 2016. Sam maintains all ACEnet campuses, including facilities, equipment and grounds. He also manages preventive maintenance and inventory of supplies, researches and advises for purchases of equipment, assists with tenant relations and supervises any support staff assigned to facility operations. Sam provides support services for housekeeping and maintenance in the form of insuring that all areas of all buildings and grounds on the campus are kept clean, neat and sanitary for the use of the employees and the public and also makes appropriate suggestions for ways to continually improve the overall operation of all the businesses and buildings.

Sam lives in Meigs County with his wife Stephanie who home-schools their 4 daughters, and they run an environmentally-friendly, small greenhouse business … Read More

Sherry Mills, Finance and Administrative Assistant

Sherry Mills

Finance and Administrative Assistant

740-592-3854 ext. 100

SherryM@acenetworks.org

Sherry Mills joined the ACEnet staff in 2021 as Financial Assistant. Her primary responsibilities include accounts payable/receivable, payroll and audit assistance. She also provides support for data collection, grant reporting, fundraising and event planning.

Sherry brings almost 30 years of experience in Accounting, Human Resources and Payroll to ACEnet.

A life long resident of Athens, she loves spending time with her husband Tony, family and five grandchildren. In her spare time, Sherry loves to work in her flowerbeds, go camping and kayaking.

Brianna McGuire, Value Chain Coordinator

Brianna McGuire

Value Chain Coordinator

740-592-3854 ext. 126

BriannaM@acenetworks.org

Brianna McGuire began her position as ACEnet’s Value Chain Coordinator in January 2023. Brianna provides training and technical assistance to targeted entrepreneur populations via workshops, webinars and 1-1 interactions. She works in multiple sectors, including Artists, Artisans & Makers, Destination & Tourism Creative Placemaking, Healthy Food Access and Farmers Markets. Brianna assists in the development and delivery of a variety of workshops and webinars, including creation of curriculum materials and developing workshop schedules. She has experience with organizing and promoting events, social media marketing, data collection and volunteer management. Brianna articulates ACEnet projects to the community and provides updates through multiple platforms, including social media and creating blog posts. She works with the Director of Programs in researching potential grants, applying for grants and writing grant reports.

Before transitioning to her current … Read More

Tessa Wieneke, Food Access Partners Coordinator

Tessa Wieneke

Food Access Partners Coordinator

740-592-3854 ext. 128

TessaW@acenetworks.org

Tessa Wieneke began her position as the Food Access Partners Coordinator in January 2023. Through funding from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, she facilitates the dynamic partnerships between ACEnet, Community Food Initiatives (CFI), and Rural Action in order to accelerate the expansion of healthy, local food access in Appalachian communities.

Tessa builds the capacity of several different demand and distribution networks between the three partners, including ACEnet’s Athens Food Ventures Center and Nelsonville Food & Farm Enterprise Center, CFI’s Donation Station and Veggie Van, and Rural Action’s Chesterhill Produce Auction, and Farm to School programming. Additionally, she conducts and assists with research, planning and fundraising to help the three partners identify and expand shared resources to more efficiently achieve their food access mission.

Tessa previously served as ACEnet’s Fresh and Healthy Foods VISTA through … Read More

Avery Snyder, Multimedia Designer

Avery Snyder

Multimedia Designer

740-592-3854 ext. 114

AveryS@acenetworks.org

Avery Snyder joined the ACEnet staff as Multimedia Designer in January 2023. Avery provides direct 1-1 technical assistance to entrepreneurs to provide them with high-resolution designs and promotional materials such as logos, business cards, brochures, rack cards, posters, etc. She focuses on strengthening her clients’ brand identities by visually conveying a narrative that appeals to a wider, more inclusive audience. Avery is also a contributor to the ACEnet blog and social media pages highlighting ACEnet entrepreneurs & events.

Avery has lived in the Athens area for 5 years and has had the privilege of working with a variety of incredible community members through her work as Production Manager at Green Edge Organic Gardens and Marketing Specialist at Kindred Market, as well as through her membership in a local intentional community. Avery … Read More

Erica Foltz, Workforce Development Specialist

Erica Foltz

Workforce Development Specialist

740-592-3854

EricaF@acenetworks.org

Erica Foltz joined the ACEnet staff as Workforce Development Specialist in August 2023. Erica coordinates, manages, plans, evaluates and supervises workforce development activities offered by ACEnet to create sustainable job pathways for marginalized community residents, including Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Impacted Community Members, Justice-Impacted Community Members, and Survivors of Power-Based Personal Violence. She acts as the primary facilitator of program design and implementation, identifies programmatic best practices in recovery and reentry workforce development, with a focus on skill and ability development that will benefit the individual being trained, facilitates conversation with workforce support groups to identify and inventory gaps within sectors, and develops, coordinates, or delivers relevant workforce training opportunities, including life skills & employment readiness, to address these gaps.

Erica facilitates the creation of Recovery-Friendly Workplaces among ACEnet clients and … Read More

Justin Young, Facilities Manager - Nelsonville

Justin Young

Facilities Manager - Nelsonville

740-592-3854 ext. 113

JustinY@acenetworks.org

Justin Young joined ACEnet in August 2023 as Facility Manager – Nelsonville Business Center & Food Hub. Justin is responsible for managing warehouse operations, storage, delivery, and distribution logistics at ACEnet’s Nelsonville Facility. He works one-on-one with each building tenant to make sure that the facility is organized, orderly, and functions to meet their needs. Justin maintains the shared use-spaces, making sure that the facility is clean and equipment is operational and receiving regular maintenance inspections. He manages multiple leased office spaces in two different buildings, client inventory storage, and building ingress and egress.

Justin also supports and oversees the ACEnet shared-use Wood Manufacturing Center on the Nelsonville Business Campus that hosts and assists regional wood manufacturing businesses.

Justin grew up in a family repair business that started in Pomeroy, Meigs County … Read More

Ronnie Givens, Food Ventures Trainer/Kitchen Manager

Ronnie Givens

Food Ventures Trainer/Kitchen Manager

740-592-3854

RonnieG@acenetworks.org

Ronnie Givens joined ACEnet in September 2023 as Food Ventures Trainer/Kitchen Manager. Ronnie manages ACEnet’s shared-use kitchen incubator. He assists in providing training and technical assistance to food and farm microenterprises. He is the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Coordinator for the ACEnet Food Ventures Center in Athens where small businesses produce artisanal, value-added specialty foods. Ronnie works directly with entrepreneurs throughout the start-up and expansion stages.

An Athens, Ohio resident, Ronnie is a Chef and the owner of the Rhythm & Food Trailer. He has an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and an Associates Degree in Hotel Restaurant Management. Ronnie served 7 years in the US Navy and is active in the Veterans community around Athens. Passionate about music and food, he likes to explore different food scenes … Read More