To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Meet Our Board

Chicks Ahoy Farm is led by an intergenerational diverse board of directors who come up through our membership and community organizing.

Chiedza Rodriguez

Secretary

Chiedza Rodriguez, Esq., is a Human Rights Attorney for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of GARO Consulting LLC. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Puerto Rico, a Master's in Human Services from Springfield College, and a Juris Doctorate specializing in Public Interest Law and Gender and Sexuality Law from Western New England University School of Law. Her professional interests encompass the eradication of oppression and injustice, with particular emphasis on their impact on vulnerable populations and youth. Following a period of volunteer service at Chicks Ahoy LLC and Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc., Ms. Rodriguez joined the Chicks Ahoy Farm board.

Jah'lan Gentles

Board Member

Jah’lan, a Bloomfield resident and vital member of the Cultivating Justice leadership, is a 2025 Pathways2Agriculture intern. His internship includes hands-on experience with planting and harvesting in grow beds, complemented by outreach and community organizing training. He is currently a student at Prince Tech High School in Hartford, set to graduate in 2025, where he's pursuing a career in plumbing. As part of Pathways2Agriculture, Jah’lan is also creating educational materials to empower teenagers and families with children to advocate for themselves.

Lorenzo Jones

President

Lorenzo Jones, President, is a veteran organizer in Connecticut. In 2022, Lorenzo began chicken keeping, purchased farm land, started Chicks Ahoy LLC, acquired a CT Farm Tax Number Certificate, and began the USDA process to become a US Farmer by 2026, based in Connecticut. Lorenzo founded Chicks Ahoy Farm in collaboration with a team of business owners, farmers, and landowners to provide specialized agricultural business support to individuals interested in farming.

Selena Colon

Board Member

For the past three years, Mimi has functioned as a youth leader within Cultivating Justice. Her duties have encompassed the creation of enrichment programs for children and the provision of childcare services for families, including outdoor agricultural activities at Miller Street Community Farm. In the previous year, Mimi collaborated with a design team to establish and execute the Pathways2Agriculture initiative. She is currently enrolled in the inaugural cohort of P2A Interns, where she is gaining expertise in agricultural and organizational procedures. This engagement with P2A will facilitate her advancement towards becoming an artisan. She intends to launch her own design business in 2025.

Diana Martinez

Executive Director

Diana Martinez is the Chairperson of the Board and Agricultural Director. She is the owner of Dee’s Crafty Bees Apiary and coordinates student engagement, community-based training, and program capacity development. Diana is a mom with a sustainability project at Miller/Bridge Street in Middletown’s North End. Diana founded Cultivating Justice in 2022 to build power with residents, merchants, and community-based organizations for food justice.

Karin Williams

Co-Secretary

Karin Williams, a dedicated high school student, demonstrates a strong commitment to academic achievement and community engagement. Possessing a 4.2 GPA, she consistently pursues academic excellence and embraces intellectual challenges across her educational pursuits. Furthermore, Ms. Williams is the proprietor of Tiki's All-Naturals LLC, an enterprise focused on the cultivation of diverse plant and flower species. She also maintains a small poultry flock of five laying hens, to which she is deeply attached. In 2024, Ms. Williams was elected Secretary of the Board of Directors for Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc. She actively participates in FLOC, a CAF initiative designed to support BIPOC individuals throughout Connecticut in their pursuit of agricultural endeavors and sustainable practices. Additionally, she is a member of Cultivating Justice, an organization advocating for social justice and equity within communities.

Richard Hayles

Co-Treasurer

Richard Hayles, an employee of the Hartford Courant and an individual with personal experience within the criminal justice system, is a parent and a long-term resident of Hartford. In 2022, he partnered with Lorenzo Jones to found Chicks Ahoy LLC, a poultry husbandry venture, in Bloomfield. Subsequently, in 2023, Mr. Hayles co-established Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc., and concurrently commenced composting and agricultural endeavors at his Hartford domicile. Following the recent granting of a pardon, he now dedicates his efforts to expanding business development resources for prospective agricultural entrepreneurs. As a progeny of Jamaican immigrants with a familial tradition of agriculture and sustainability, Mr. Hayles guides the initiatives of Chicks Ahoy Farm in locating and supporting individuals affected by the Connecticut correctional system in the foundation of their own agrarian businesses.

Susan Reynolds

Board Member

As a co-founder of Single Mothers on the Move and a former board member of Hartford Organizing for Power & Equality, Susan Reynolds has devoted a substantial portion of her life to community organizing and leadership development. In retirement, she is enthusiastically embracing this new chapter and maximizing each moment. This period is dedicated to personal fulfillment, exploration, and realizing life's full potential, while upholding the values and experiences that have informed her trajectory as Sus joins Chicks Ahoy Farm’s board.

Elizabeth Williams

Board Member

Elizabeth Williams, mother of a student with notable academic distinction and co-owner of Tiki's All-Natural alongside her daughter Karin, is a founding member of Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc. She was instrumental in the development of Chicks Ahoy Farm's programs during its inception and currently participates in the mutual aid project CoOp2Kitchen and the Farmers & Leaders of Color (FLOC), an initiative involving students, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) agriculturalists, and families with a focus on domestic agriculture. Ms. Williams creates public educational materials on the establishment of poultry husbandry, cultivation practices, indoor horticulture, and organic waste decomposition. Additionally, she is a member of Cultivating Justice, an organization committed to community engagement and local activism for systemic change in Connecticut.

Kevin Campbell

Treasurer

Kevin Campbell - At Campbell IT Consulting, having a solid technology platform is critical to building and maintaining a successful organization. What we bring is over 35 years of experience in deploying network, compute, and storage solutions for the financial services and retail industries. We specialize in deployment solutions offered by Microsoft Nonprofit Hub, including Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365.

Sasha Allen-Walton

Board Member

Editor-in-Chief of the Northend Agent’s Newspaper, the second-oldest Black-owned community newspaper in the country. Sasha grew up the daughter of the Founder of the Northend Agents and assumed leadership of the paper over a decade ago. She is the visionary leader who shapes the publication's narrative, engages with the audience, and ensures the business’s overall success in this dynamic and competitive media landscape. Sasha has been a member of Cultivating Justice and advises on communications strategy at Chicks Ahoy Farm. She is working with Chicks Ahoy Farm to develop personal voices and business communications for BILPOC and women starting an agri-business in Connecticut.

Telia Rooks

Board Member

A member of Cultivating Justice from nearly day one, has participated in events, meetings, and actions with us. Telia brings to the Board her extensive history in direct medical service to people who struggle with mental illness and addiction, and who have been victims of sexual assault. She has served on several Boards, including the Middletown Racial Justice Coalition and the Oddfellows Playhouse.