Food Systems Specialist
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County
State: NY
(w) (315) 736-3394
About
Myron Thurston III is a seasoned professional in the areas of fundraising, development, and communications. He has an MBA and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) with over a decade of experience managing departments and budgets for nonprofit organizations. Myron has significant experience in writing foundation, state, and federal grants and has a background in federal grant scoring and reviewing. He is also an educator with experience teaching in face-to-face and virtual environments, including both adult and higher education students.
In his current role as Food Supply Chain Marketing Specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, Myron is managing a grant project focused on creating a food corridor between upstate NY farmers, processors, distributors, and Queens in New York City. He has partnered with NYS Assembly Member Catalina Cruz to identify food deserts in the Queens market and create strategies to provide fresh food from upstate NY to low-income families. He has also coordinated donations for a Thanksgiving food distribution for more than 15,000 individuals.
As an Adjunct Professor at Mohawk Valley Community College School of Business and Hospitality, Myron teaches Principles of Microeconomics and Business Law. He encourages new students to participate in class and build their confidence that they can succeed in higher education.
Myron is also an independent third-party grant reviewer for the United States Department of Agriculture, providing grant reviews for grants including more than $10 million in funding. In his role at Cornell Small Farms, Myron is a lead educator in a yearly course titled Access to Capital for Agribusiness, which focuses on business and grant access training for small farms that attracts students from all over the United States.
Prior to his current roles, Myron has held several senior leadership positions in various nonprofit organizations, including Chief Development Officer at Clear Path for Veterans, Director of Development and Communications at The House of the Good Shepherd, and Assistant Director of Development and Communications at Masonic Medical Research Laboratory. In these roles, he managed staff and oversaw development initiatives, including fundraising, grant writing, special events, internal & external communications, and marketing. Myron has also provided management and oversight of agriculture programming and staff, including topics covered structure, and communications at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County.
In his current role as Food Supply Chain Marketing Specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, Myron is managing a grant project focused on creating a food corridor between upstate NY farmers, processors, distributors, and Queens in New York City. He has partnered with NYS Assembly Member Catalina Cruz to identify food deserts in the Queens market and create strategies to provide fresh food from upstate NY to low-income families. He has also coordinated donations for a Thanksgiving food distribution for more than 15,000 individuals.
As an Adjunct Professor at Mohawk Valley Community College School of Business and Hospitality, Myron teaches Principles of Microeconomics and Business Law. He encourages new students to participate in class and build their confidence that they can succeed in higher education.
Myron is also an independent third-party grant reviewer for the United States Department of Agriculture, providing grant reviews for grants including more than $10 million in funding. In his role at Cornell Small Farms, Myron is a lead educator in a yearly course titled Access to Capital for Agribusiness, which focuses on business and grant access training for small farms that attracts students from all over the United States.
Prior to his current roles, Myron has held several senior leadership positions in various nonprofit organizations, including Chief Development Officer at Clear Path for Veterans, Director of Development and Communications at The House of the Good Shepherd, and Assistant Director of Development and Communications at Masonic Medical Research Laboratory. In these roles, he managed staff and oversaw development initiatives, including fundraising, grant writing, special events, internal & external communications, and marketing. Myron has also provided management and oversight of agriculture programming and staff, including topics covered structure, and communications at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County.
Projects
| ENE23-179 | Using “Tag-Team Training” to Foster Education Program Sustainability Among Organizations Teaching Risk Management for Northeastern Farmers |