Liberty E. Merrill, Program Coordinator

Liberty Merrill is a Program Coordinator for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC). Under the general direction of the Deputy Director, Liberty manages and implements the daily operation of various programming components including the Lots of Green and Healthy Food Access programs.Liberty brings a diverse background in physical and community work to the YNDC.  She has four years of hands-on renovation and construction experience, including alternative construction techniques such as strawbale, adobe, and earth plaster.  She also spent 3 summers working for small, organic market farms; harvesting vegetables, selling at farmers markets, and assisting in market management.  She was involved for two years in community organizing around rural agricultural and renewable energy issues in her hometown of La Grande, Oregon.

Liberty sits on the Mahoning Valley Food Policy Council and is actively involved in other local food organizations in the region.  Liberty is new to the area, having moved to Youngstown in May of 2010, and is looking forward to becoming more involved in the community as opportunities arise.

Liberty is a graduate of the Masters of Science in Sustainable Systems (MS3) program at Slippery Rock University.  During her graduate studies she focused on community development and planning, with a special interest in vacant properties issues.  She also holds a Bachelors of Science in Liberal Studies (Environmental Studies and Sociology) from Eastern Oregon University.  Liberty currently resides in Youngstown.

Contact Liberty at lmerrill@yndc.org.