Meet the 2025 CAFS Summer Honors Interns
The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) at Vermont Law and Graduate School is pleased to welcome its 2025 cohort of summer honors interns. CAFS’s summer honors internship program provides students from VLGS and law schools around the country the opportunity to work alongside faculty, staff, and project partners on law and policy issues that span the food system. These six interns represent an array of food and agricultural interests and legal and policy experience. This summer, they are engaged in projects covering urban agriculture policies and programs, seed industry intellectual property law, legal challenges in aquaculture, and more. Learn about each intern below.
Mollie Wodenshek
Mollie is a 2L at Brooklyn Law School. This summer, she is participating in a community needs assessment with CAFS and partners at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to outline present legal challenges and issues that may arise for community stakeholders connected to the seed industry. Additionally, Mollie is researching the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 and its impact on publicly funded seed research to produce a brief overview to be published as a CAFS resource.
Grace McGuire
Grace is a 2L at Vermont Law and Graduate School and is working with CAFS staff on urban agriculture policy research and analysis to develop resources for urban food producers and policymakers. She is researching and writing case studies on Detroit’s newest animal keeping ordinance and Phoenix’s current programs to support soil health. Grace loves hiking and floating down rivers in her spare time. She feels lucky to attend law school in Vermont where both of these pastimes are readily available.
Seth Israel
Seth is a 3L at Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, where he has researched urban agriculture policy and produced a study on honey labeling regulation. This summer, Seth is working on a CAFS project focused on urban agriculture policies. Specifically, he is researching water recycling policies in Los Angeles and local governance practices in New Orleans. Seth loves bikes and is inspired by their simplicity and the freedom they provide.
Nicole Sharifi
Nicole Sharifi is a 3L at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. At CAFS, she is creating a management tool for nonprofits working in food systems. She will also be contributing research as part of the urban agriculture project. Nicole is especially interested in expanding access to nutritious foods nationwide, eliminating toxic chemicals from our food supply, and supporting small and local food businesses. She believes that cleaning up our food system is essential not just for public health but also for building a more sustainable and just economy.
Keith Gauff
Keith is a 2L at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge. With a background in nursing, education, and agriculture, he brings interdisciplinary experience to his legal studies. At CAFS, he is contributing to research on aquaculture law and policy. Growing up on a small farm, Keith developed a strong appreciation for food production and rural resilience. He is especially interested in how legal frameworks affect sustainability, food access, and innovation, including patent law. He enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Jill Reynolds
Jill is a 2L at Vermont Law and Graduate School. At CAFS, they are contributing to the Farmland Access Legal Toolkit by conducting research on alternative land access models, such as community land trusts and conservation easements. With a background in farming and agricultural lending, Jill’s current areas of interest include land tenure, land access, and improving farmer livelihoods. In their free time, they enjoy gardening and playing basketball.