Joy Leon

Nutrition & Physical Activity Educator
(845) 292-6180 ext. 101
jll362@cornell.edu
Food & Nutrition

Joy grew up in Grahamsville, NY. A fun fact about her is that one of her first outings in life - at only a couple of days old - was to see her sister compete in a horse show at the Little World's Fair. As a youth, she participated in a 4-H group with her family and began to learn about all the beauty and quirks of rural NY. In middle and high school, she participated in FFA, band, and track & field at Tri-Valley.

With three older siblings blazing their own exciting trails before her, Joy couldn't wait to go out and explore the rest of the world. In 2011, she moved to Washington, DC to study business at American University. Four years and many international adventures later, Joy returned to upstate NY with fresh eyes and a bachelor's degree. While she still loves to travel, she feels very fortunate to call the ever-evolving Catskill Mountain and Hudson Valley region home. One thing she loves about this area is that even close to home, it's possible to meet and be inspired by a wide variety of different people, places, and perspectives.

Joy spent the first several years after college searching for the sweet spot between what she does best and what she loves most. During this time she built a unique array of experience in fields including event production, hospitality, food service, lifeguarding, teaching, administration, merchandising/sales, and a short foray into management. She is delighted to now bring her skills to CCE to focus on something she's truly passionate about: empowering people to make healthier choices through community education and hands-on learning!

In her spare time, Joy can often be found enjoying the sunshine, whipping up something tasty in the kitchen, dancing to her favorite tunes, or reading a good book. She also loves creative writing and spending time with her cat, Eeyore.