Our Team
About the Caretakers
Brendan Graham Dempsey
(CARETAKER, INSTITUTE DIRECTOR) is passionate about homesteading, organic gardening, and cultivating space for meaningful engagement. For him, Sky Meadow is the perfect sanctuary for bringing all of these elements together into one harmonious vision. Having first fallen in love with the magic of Sky Meadow as a manager-in-residence back in 2017, he brings to his role a dedication to helping facilitate experiences of wonder, community, learning, and healing.
Erin Elizabeth Dempsey
(CARETAKER, BOOKINGS MANAGER) is an herbalist in training, foodie, artist and musician. Hailing from Chicago and later transplanted to NYC, she once swore she’d never leave the city life behind — but, luckily, life had other plans. She loves being able to create space for guests to experience the transformative beauty of nature, cultivating the bountiful riches and flavors of this land, foraging, wildcrafting, and caring for the many wonderful animals that call Sky Meadow home.
Recognizing Sky Meadow’s decades of fostering meaningful retreats and transformative experiences, Brendan and Erin are deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue nurturing this mission and cultivating this special land. As the Director of Sky Meadow Institute, Brendan is dedicated to advancing systems-based thinking about the most important issues of the 21st century, through a variety of channels including research, online content and exciting events that bring people together right here at Sky Meadow. On the marketing and bookings side, whether you’re a Sky Meadow regular or thinking about organizing your first retreat here, Erin is always there to answer your questions and make sure it’s a success!
Got a question for the caretaker team? Feel free to reach out to us anytime at [email protected].
Justine Farrow
Retreat Chef
Growing up in Vermont with “back to the land” parents, Justine Farrow has always recognized locally grown whole and organic foods as fundamental to a healthy, happy and balanced lifestyle. She has earned her chops over the years cooking at the renowned vegetarian Horn of the Moon Cafe, baking alongside King Arthur’s Master Baker Jeff Hammelman, preparing fresh farm-to-table meals at Spring Lake Ranch therapeutic community, and most recently planning colorful and vibrant “straight from the garden” meals at Sky Meadow Retreat Center. She takes great pleasure in using the freshest and highest-quality ingredients to create delicious, nourishing dishes that meet alternative dietary needs, tastes, and preferences. Justine honors food as community medicine, recognizing the essential value and joy of partaking in shared meals. It is around the table that ideas are expressed, where friendships blossom, where we laugh together and integrate our shared experiences.
Sean Dempsey
Business Manager
Sean is delighted to be part of the team at Sky Meadow. His role is helping events such as weddings and family reunions flower into magical weekends that are remembered forever. Sean also assists with the coordination of holistic, spiritual, yoga and/or corporate retreats on site. He has over 15 years in marketing and business experience and brings this expertise and logistical awareness to the team at Sky Meadow.