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WHO WE ARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“A garden is more than growing...[It's] making connections between people and earth.” --Rowen White, Haudenosaunee Native Seed Collective Director

 Staff

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Catherine Sands Executive Director

Hope Guardenier Garden Director

Sally Loomis Project Manager

Maggie Shar Program Associate


Catherine Sands is the founding director of Fertile Ground. She has over twenty years of experience working to connect people to environmental issues, to land, and to each other through community events, educational programs, and advocacy. Prior to Fertile Ground, Catherine spent ten years producing creative fundraising and educational events for Natural Resources Defense Council, focusing primarily on popular music concerts and tours, and symposia with writers and scientists. Since then she has consulted on clean air, green and sustainable energy, environmental justice initiatives in the Northeast and California. Catherine is working on her master's degree at the University of MA/Amherst Center for Public Policy and Administration, with a focus on community food systems and social justice. She has conducted regional trainings through the Local Hero Schools Network, Northeast Organic Farmer's Association, Community Food Security Coalition, The Trustees for the Reservations Highland Communities Initiative, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Catherine and her family live in rural western MA where they grow a large vegetable garden and chickens.

Hope Guardenier is the part time garden educator at the Williamsburg School. Through hands on gardening, she teaches social studies, science, and math to grades preK-6 for 24 weeks during the year, working with teachers on curriculum development. She is the full time garden manager and educator for Treehouse Foundation at the Whitebrook Middle School in Easthampton. Through her newly launched company, School Sprouts, Hope also manages the 21st Century CONNECTIONS afterschool garden programs in Holyoke's Kelly, Sullivan and Donohue Schools. She is an active member of the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council.

As Program Manager, Sally Loomis coordinates Fertile Ground events such as the spring community garden day and Harvest Feast in Williamsburg and helps teachers make connections to local farms. Sally has fifteen years of experience in the environmental field. For six years, she served as Deputy Director of the Environmental Leadership Program, a national leadership development organization working with emerging environmental leaders. Prior to that Sally was the Director of Green Communities for the Parks & People Foundation, a community-based nonprofit in Baltimore, MD. Sally has a Master's in Environmental Studies from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a B.A. in Anthropology from Yale University. She serves as the chair of the Open Space Committee in Williamsburg, MA.

Maggie Shar is the program associate for Fertile Ground. She is pursuing her master's degree from Antioch University New England in the Environmental Studies department with a concentration in Environmental Education and Social Justice. She is also an environmental educator at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary and has worked with Hope at the Treehouse Foundation and the CONNECTIONS afterschool program in Holyoke. She is also an active member of the Northampton White Privilege Discussion group. Maggie has worked with Fertile Ground for over two years.

 

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 Advisory Board

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Jeff Bliss - gardener, dance educator, development director, Windhorse Associates

Oona Coy - organic farmer, mother

Doug Hammond - cofounder Business Alliance for Local Living Economies

Rae Korengold - Registered Nurse, mother, food fanatic

Sally Loomis - parent, environmental organizer, member of Hampshire Regional School Committee

Sherrie Marti - Williamsburg School teacher, member of Williamsburg Conservation Committee

Jodi Nishman - organic farmer, body therapist

Gopi Krishna - Earthdance Diversity Committee Chair

Penny Schultz - singer, community organizer, organic farmer

 

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