Jill Cockerham
Laurel Springs
Summary
Innovative Extension agent focused on delivering impactful educational programs, driving community engagement, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Focused on empowering local farmers and food entrepreneurs to navigate markets effectively. Extensive expertise in food safety, trends, market analysis, and community food infrastructure.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Local Foods Agent
NCSU/NC Cooperative Extension
Sparta
10.2019 - Current
- Develop educational programs and workshops (food preservation, culinary skills, starting a food business, homesteading, value-added agricultural products) to address community needs and building local food infrastructure.
- Collaborate with local farmers and entrepreneurial food businesses to provide technical assistance and regulatory guidance.
- Manage and continue to grow a vibrant rural farmers' market of 40+ regular and seasonal vendors.
- Collaborate with community stakeholders and educational partnerships as a consultant on food safety, preservation, and food business startups.
- Coordinate, train, and assist 10-20 shared-use incubator kitchen members to navigate NCDA and health department regulatory guidelines, find new market channels for increasing sales, and assess food business ideas and profitability.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC12-2012
Associate of Science - Horticulture Technology
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, NC07-2005
Associate of Science - Culinary Arts
Guilford Technical Community College
Jamestown, North Carolina, NC07-2000
Skills
- Food safety and regulatory compliance
- Market trend analysis
- Profitability evaluation
- Shared-use kitchen management
- Farmers market vendor coordination
- Entrepreneurial guidance
- Community engagement
- Program design and workshop facilitation
- Communication and conflict management
Additional Experience/Courses
- Worked in restaurants and catering in Raleigh and Winston-Salem, NC mid 1980s through 2006.
- Worked as the Assistant Director of Horticulture at Old Salem Museum & Gardens 2004-2006
- Owned Feast & Flora 2002-2006, specializing as a personal chef/caterer and small-scale gardener.
- Graduate-level courses completed at NCSU: Foundations in Local Food System & Sociology of Food & Food Systems
Timeline
Local Foods Agent
NCSU/NC Cooperative Extension
10.2019 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
Fayetteville State University
Associate of Science - Horticulture Technology
Forsyth Technical Community College
Associate of Science - Culinary Arts
Guilford Technical Community College