Meet the Team
The Maple Sustainability Indicators Initiative brings together a transdisciplinary team of researchers, practitioners, and industry partners working to define, measure, and share sustainability indicators across the maple syrup food system.
Mark Cannella
Extension Associate Professor, University of Vermont
Mark leads the initiative with a focus on economic viability and food systems governance. He specializes in maple business development and sustainability metrics, helping translate research into actionable tools for producers and policymakers.
Mark Isselhardt
Maple Specialist, University of Vermont Extension
Mark provides technical expertise on maple production systems, sap collection, and syrup quality. His work ensures that the indicators reflect real-world practices and priorities across the maple industry.
Dr. Tony D’Amato
Professor and Director, Forestry Program, University of Vermont
Tony is a forest ecologist whose research informs the project’s environmental indicators. He brings expertise in forest stand dynamics, ecological disturbance, and climate adaptation in working forests.
Dr. Qingbin Wang
Professor, Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont
Qingbin contributes applied economics and market analysis expertise. His research supports evaluation of market trends, economic viability, and trade-related factors influencing the maple sector.
Zachary Smith
PhD Student, Agriculture, Landscape and Environment & Agricultural Business Educator, UVM Extension
Zach Smith brings expertise in agricultural business planning, land tenure, and community resilience. As both a PhD researcher and Extension educator, his work explores the intersections of farmland ownership, agroecological practice, and community health—both globally and in Vermont. For this project, Zach supports producer engagement, business typology analysis, and qualitative data collection around human and community dimensions of sustainability.
Andrew W. May
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Researcher, UVM Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture; PhD Candidate, SDPEGS, University of Vermont
Andrew is a doctoral researcher focusing on sustainability metrics, governance, and food systems evaluation. He contributes to framework development, qualitative analysis, and the alignment of indicators across economic, environmental, and human dimensions.
For any questions, please reach out to Andrew May andrew.may@uvm.edu