MEET THE RESIDENTS!

is a Finger Lakes native, growing up in the farming hamlet of Borodino. She attended Skaneateles Central Schools, K - 12,

where she was both Class Clown and Homecoming Queen.

Jodi had clear visions and dreams early in her childhood that she would spend her life outdoors, dedicated to the magical rural

land and wildlife she adored.

She wrote SUNY ESF when she was 8 to proclaim her intentions

of becoming a Forest Ranger.

Jodi is convinced she was blessed with one of the happiest childhoods ever and that motivates her to provide joyful experiences and opportunities to other children & families

via her creation of Howland Farm Museum.

Jodi's love for history wasn't revealed until early high school when

she discovered her passion for historic costume after watching the

Winona Ryder version of 'Little Women'.

Through the research and recreation of period clothing, Jodi was

able to better connect with the experiences of people who lived in the past than through a text book.

This method of self-education invigorated Jodi and inspired her to

teach herself how to drape and build costumes from scratch and

to pursue a career in costume design for period movies.

(Jodi, age 16, at local Seward House Museum, modeling an

1860s style costume she made)

Jodi received her Bachelor's of Science in Textiles, Merchandising

and Design with a concentration in historic costume from the

University of Rhode Island. She minored in Theater Costume Design.

Jodi's early career included an internship at Plimoth Patuxet Museums followed by Costume Designer at Beechwood Theater Company, a living history museum in a Victorian seaside mansion in Newport, RI.

Soon after, she broke into the movie biz, landing her first paying

film gig on the period costume drama: Mona Lisa Smile.

However, shortly after embarking down the path of movie costuming, Jodi realized that this was not the calling she had heard when she was younger. Thus she began the process of opening herself up to discerning the persistent message and bringing light to her true purpose in this life.

(Jodi on the set of Disappearances, filmed in Kingdom County, VT)

After literally years of both saving every penny for her dream property and meditating on what she was called to create, Jodi

was compelled one day to go off route and aimlessly drive random roads home.

By chance, Jodi was led past 1395 Sherwood Road, and, upon seeing the For Sale sign, she set up an appointment to view the homestead that very day!

Since then, the vision Jodi was blessed with has become more and more clear, although not without many challenges.

Jodi 's creation of Howland Farm Museum and Sei He Ki Sanctuary is out of a sincere love of all life existing on the planet we live on!

Her plethora of passions for:

* social and cultural history

* education through interactive experiences and self-motivation

* protecting and conserving our environment

* community engagement and enrichment

* social justice, human and animal rights

* food and health inequality and balanced food systems

all come together within the mission and vision of Howland Farm Museum.

While wearing the many hats required to begin a non-profit historic property-based museum from the ground up, Jodi draws from her diverse experiences and skill set which includes organization & management, creative problem solving, event production, housing maintenance & repair, research & design, historic preservation and interpretation and (of course), small farming.

Jodi feels blessed every single day and is excited to share the magic of Howland Farm Museum and Sei He Ki Sanctuary with you!