Stewarding Farmland for a Regenerative Future.

Eugene Kwak is a licensed architect, educator, and land steward focused on agro-ecological principles, sustainable land stewardship, and long-term partnerships between farmland owners and farmers. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture and Construction Management at SUNY Farmingdale, where his work explores the intersection of land, food systems, and community resilience.

He is the founder of Togather, a place-based, award-winning initiative recognized with the Green Good Design Award and featured in The New York Times, Dwell, and TEDx. Togather expands farmland access and supports regenerative agriculture through affordable housing and long-term, free land leases for farmers.

Eugene’s work has been shared at diverse national and international conferences across architecture, sustainability, education, and agriculture, and includes professional experience on projects such as the New Housing New York Legacy Project, an affordable housing program. He serves on the American Farmland Trust New York Advisory Council and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University.

Helene Marsh is a farmland steward in the Hudson Valley. In the last 5 years, she has turned her attention to the nexus between farming and the environment and the principles of agro-ecology. Her farm is located in Pine Plains, NY where she works with local young farmers to implement regenerative soil practices in conjunction with environmental stewardship, including conservation of grassland bird species.

During the last 25yrs, Helene's focus has been environmental education and conservation. Prior to that she worked in Spain, the UK and the Czech Republic in finance and business. She received a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a Master’s in Science and Environmental Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara.