Ashley Helmholdt

Ashley Helmholdt serves as Extension Associate and Adult Program Leader for Cornell Garden-Based Learning within the Horticulture Section of Cornell University's School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS), part of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS). She directs statewide initiatives including the Seed to Supper Coordinator program and Master Gardener Volunteer Program, providing research-based horticultural resources and professional development for educators across New York.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Environmental Studies from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Applied Research in Human Environment Relations from Cornell University.

Helmholdt's work centers on garden-based learning, urban garden resiliency, and therapeutic horticulture, integrating sustainable urban planning with environmental education to address food systems and green infrastructure through community gardening. She develops programs for urban resilience, native plant initiatives, and therapeutic applications for volunteers while emphasizing civic engagement in food security projects.

She supports 50 Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educators and 2,200+ Master Gardener Volunteers statewide through grant-funded workshops, annual conferences, and volunteer training—including 95 Seed to Supper coordinators annually. Helmholdt also oversees nine distance learning courses in Permaculture, Botanical Illustration, Organic Gardening, and School/Community Gardening.

Prior to Cornell, she collaborated with Earth Force, National Wildlife Federation, and Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition on sustainability projects, farmers market management, and food security programming. Current initiatives include the Resilient Gardens Conference, Vegetable Variety Trial Gardens, Food Forest Trial Gardens, and Sustainable Landscape Program Work Team.