Melissa Lawson, Farm & Food Systems Director
Melissa oversees a wide range of interrelated food system activities at CERES, including everything from building commercial kitchens to helping start the Propagation enterprise; from making coffees, to wrangling chickens. Alongside this, Melissa develops and implements training programs and enterprises around urban food systems, with a particular focus on engaging marginalised people.

Merrin Layden, Community Food Systems Manager
Merrin is passionate about providing guidance and support to communities seeking ways to come together to grow and share food. Merrin is a subject matter expert in local community food systems, communal food growing design and community gardens guidelines and policy. Merrin’s favourite time of year is our Olives to Oil Festival – where people from all across Melbourne harvest backyard olives to be pressed communally into delicious olive oil and come together to celebrate with music and culture.