Since January 2021, CommunityGrows has been in the process of restructuring our organization. We are currently working towards a collective leadership model. Our intention is to create a work environment where each member of our team has an equal voice in how we operate. We hope that this new structure will better reflect our values and vision for a just world. The process has been slow and intentional, and has grounded us in our values, excited us in the potential, and brought us closer together as a staff. We look forward to sharing more details on our new ways of operating in the coming months.
Looking to get in touch? For general inquiries, please email info@communitygrows.org. For more specific questions, please select the staff member that most closely matches your inquiry below.
Director of Programs (she/her)
Anna has worked at the intersection of youth development and sustainable agriculture for over 10 years. She believes that co-powering youth to grow their own food is key to creating a more just and sustainable food system. Her favorite vegetable is delicata squash.
Contact Anna for: general program questions and inquiries, contracts and MOUs, garden questions and inquiries
BEETs Program Manager & Organizational Strategist (they/them)
B is an educator, gardener, and climate organizer who has lived in the Bay Area since 2017. Before joining the CG team, they taught kids about birds in Vermont, and worked as a bilingual garden teacher with Education
Contact B for: Organizational strategy & sustainability, CommunityGrows' restructuring process, BEETs program
BEETs Program Assistant (they/them/she/her)
Kunal is a Desi gardener, critical environmental justice researcher, and cook. They bring several years of experiential education, community organizing, and scientific research experience to CommunityGrows.
Contact Kunal for: BEETs program inquiries
Environmental Education Programs Manager (she/her)
Vanessa is an educator, advocate, and lover of the outdoors. She brings over five years of experience in environmental education, trail work, and conservation, which she cultivated during her time at the Student Conservation Association and Education Outside.
Contact Vanessa for: Garden education program and curriculum, program scheduling
Operations and Development Manager (she/her)
Abigail has always been a creatively driven person, expressing herself through art, food, and exploring ways of living an environmentally sustainable life. She has worked with CommunityGrows on the rebranding of the organization, which includes the new logo and marketing materials.
Contact Abigail for: Marketing and social media inquiries
Garden and Nutrition Educator (she/her)
Oliv is an enthusiastic gardener and educator. She is a first generation UC Santa Cruz graduate with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Agroecology with a minor in Dance. After working on a regenerative farm for the past year, she came to realize that she feels most fulfilled when she’s sharing gardening lessons with students. Oliv is thrilled to be a part of an organization whose mission intersects with her core values. As someone who grew up low income, she is deeply passionate about providing youth in low income communities with access to gardening and nutrition resources. When she’s not planting veggies or teaching lessons, she enjoys singing, dancing, cooking, and arranging bouquets of flowers.
Contact Oliv for: General garden questions, garden programming
Communications and Development Coordinator (she/her)
Brittney is a proud first-generation graduate, of the University of California, Merced with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Prior to joining CommunityGrows, Brittney worked in community organizing, mentored first-generation high school students, and communications. She is excited to be a part of CG and can’t wait to continue to help highlight the impactful work done by the team in low-income communities.
Contact Brittney for: Marketing and social media inquiries
Community Engagement Coordinator (she/her)
Brittney has always been passionate about community service and building relationships within communities, having volunteered at organizations such as Planned Parenthood and FoodNotBombs. She believes that by building relationships with community members, organizations like CommunityGrows can better serve and address the needs of those communities. As Community Engagement Coordinator, Brittney hopes to continue to cultivate and nurture the relationships between the staff and volunteers at CommunityGrows and the communities that they serve and support.
Contact Brittney for: Volunteer Opportunities and other ways to get involved.
Click here for more information on how you can join our advisory board.