Richard is the co-founder and Executive Director of Food Connects. He has been leading food system development work in the Windham County area for the past eight years. He is a member of the Vermont Farm to Plate Steering Committee as well as the Vermont Farm to School Steering Committee. 

Richard holds a M.A. from SIT Graduate Institute in Sustainable Development with a focus on Food Security for Vermont, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Marlboro College Graduate School. Berkfield was named one of Vermont’s Rising Stars by Vermont Business Magazine in 2014. He and his family enjoy growing and preparing as much of their own food as possible, though as work demands increase, he better understand the saying that "The cobbler’s children have no shoes."