STAFF
Kyle Adams, Orchard Gardens and PEAS Farm Apprentice
A Butte native who grew up in Minnesota near a dairy farm, Kyle returned to Montana to finish up his undergraduate degree at the University of Montana in 2014. As a student in the Environmental Studies program, Kyle was presented with the opportunities to work on campus developing native plant gardens around the Payne Family Native American Center and participate in small scale organic farming on the University’s various cultivated land plots. On the weekends, the wild Kyle can be seen in his natural environment catching excessive amounts of trout, with a spin rod, on the rivers around Missoula.
Aspen Anderson, River Road Farm Apprentice
Aspen is originally from the north woods of Minnesota, but has been living in Missoula as a student for the past three years. She is currently pursuing her B.A. in Environmental Studies, with a focus in environmental writing, at UM. Through her time spent as an intern for the UM Dining Gardens, and her experiences meeting with Western Montana farmers and ranchers during a field study she did, she has become increasingly interested in sustainable food and agriculture. She is excited for the opportunity to further her knowledge and experience in sustainable farming this summer with the Garden City Harvest team. In her spare time, Aspen enjoys being outside, baking, writing, playing street hockey, and eating good food.
Matt Austin, Youth Harvest Project Coordinator
Originally from a central Montana ranching family, Matt Austin is an alum of UM’s Environmental Studies program with an emphasis on sustainable food systems. He spent three semesters on the PEAS Farm, a season as an apprentice at Lifeline Produce in the Bitterroot Valley, and a season as a youth crew leader for Montana Conservation Corps out of Bozeman, MT. When he’s not farming, cooking, or throwing pots in his basement, Matt can usually be found on his mountain bike on Missoula’s glorious trail system.
Samantha Cypher, River Road Farm Assistant
406.660.0661 · samantha@gardencityharvest.org
Samantha came to Missoula from the big sky country of southwestern Montana to pursue an education in Visual Art. There, she found herself growing an interest in food and community which landed her interning at the PEAS Farm and pursuing an Environmental Studies minor. She spent the past year as caretaker at the PEAS Farm and is excited for the opportunity to work at another Garden City Harvest farm. When she’s not watching the magic happen in the greenhouse or out in the fields, she enjoys outdoor adventure, sewing, making art, cooking, biking, and good books.
Kara Doescher, Farm to School Assistant
Kara grew up in rainy Oregon and moved to Missoula to pursue degrees in Environmental Studies and French at the University of Montana. During that time, she interned at the PEAS farm, as well as at other organic farms in Oregon and France, and fell in love with sustainable agriculture. She is excited to be able spend time outside growing tasty fruits and vegetables with kids in Missoula. Outside of GCH, Kara enjoys most of the typical Montana hobbies, especially backpacking, cycling, nordic skiing, and cooking and eating great food.
Amy Harvey, Farm to School Gardens Manager
Amy grew up in the Bitterroot Valley and is a Montanan through and through. She graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Environmental Studies. Following college she returned to Montana, settling in Missoula. Amy’s first experience with Garden City Harvest was as an intern learning the fundamentals of sustainable farming at Orchard Gardens. She then served two years as a FoodCorps service member alongside GCH and Missoula County Public Schools focusing on nutrition education, school gardens, and local procurement for the school district’s food service. Amy is excited to continue working with the Farm to School team in a new capacity this season. When Amy is not in the school gardens, she can be found hiking, skiing, biking, cooking, and traveling.
Emily Kern, Community Gardens Outreach Coordinator
Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Emily earned a degree in landscape architecture from Colorado State University before discovering the wilds and wonders of Montana. Her love of all plants has provided her with a variety of professional experiences around the West, including wilderness trip-leading, ecology research, farming, permaculture and landscape design. Emily has been involved with the community garden program as a gardener, leadership committee member and compost instructor. She encourages everyone to grow some of their own food and to have fun doing so!
Genevieve Jessop Marsh, Community Outreach Director
406.550.3663 · genevieve@gardencityharvest.org
Genevieve hails from the piedmont of North Carolina. She fell in love with sustainable agriculture in Vermont, and studied the subject in Missoula, Montana where she earned her Master’s of Science in 2006. In her work at Garden City Harvest, she heads the Community Gardens team and celebrates the work of our farms and gardens through events and outreach. Prior to joining the Garden City Harvest crew, she worked for the Intervale Center, Sierra Nevada Alliance, Lake Champlain Land Trust and Audubon Society of Portland. She enjoys writing, reading (but not arithmetic), gardening, adventures that require a tent and good walking shoes, and, like her grandfather, the feel of the sun on her back.
Kaya Juda Nelson, Youth Farm Apprentice
Born and raised in Missoula, Kaya has frequently ventured off but has always found her way back to her mountain home. After spending her freshman year at Boston University, a semester of her sophomore year in South America, and a semester of her senior year campaigning with a climate action organization in Denver, Kaya graduated from the University of Montana with high honors in Environmental Studies and a minor in Climate Change Studies. For the past year and a half, Kaya has also been part of a bluegrass band, Local Yokel, in which she plays the fiddle, banjo, writes, and sings. Although she had spent a large amount of the past few years volunteering and interning with Garden City Harvest, Kaya began working with the organization officially in May 2016. This current season on the farm has been one of the most rewarding jobs she has experienced and she is excited to continue working with youth development through agriculture.
Maria Kendra, Development Coordinator
406.523.3663 · maria@gardencityharvest.org
Maria came to Missoula from Michigan in 2005 to study Spanish and Nonprofit Administration at the University of Montana. After graduating, she did some world traveling and completed a year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) in Austin, Texas. Some of Maria’s favorite things are watercolor painting, cooking, playing guitar, outdoor adventures, and tending to her rooftop container garden.
Laura Lee, Bookkeeper
Laura is a long time keeper of nonprofit and for profit books. She keeps Garden City Harvest’s finances ship-shape. In her free time, she and two of her three sons play with swords (in other words, she is the Director of the Missoula Fencing Association).
Patrick Long, Community Gardens Operations Coordinator
406.493.9807 · patrick@gardencityharvest.org
Patrick grew up in Wisconsin, and from day one wanted to be outside whenever possible. While earning his degree from the University of Montana, Patrick enrolled in the PEAS Farm class, and couldn’t give it up – staying for two semesters and a summer session. Through the PEAS Farm and his Environmental Studies Program classes, he’s decided he wants to keep working on local food efforts now that he has earned his degree. When he’s not digging in the dirt, he is hiking, biking or fishing with his dog, Lola.
Jason Mandala, Farm to School Director
406.239.5524 · jason@gardencityharvest.org
Jason is originally from Ohio, and has lived in Missoula since 2004. He is a lover of all things kale and garlic, and is devoted to working with kids at the farm or in school gardens. He has a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana with a focus on place-based education and sustainable agriculture.
Kaitlin McCafferty, Community Gardens Intern
Kaitlin came to Missoula by way of New York City where she worked in the Development offices at four leading New York City non-profit organizations. During her time there, she gained intimate insight into how organizations create responsive, holistic, community-based, and informed programs that work to address complex community issues. Originally from Ohio, Kaitlin is a current graduate student at the University of Montana pursuing her M.S. in Environmental Studies and has a B.S. in Marketing from Fordham University.
Tami McDaniel, Youth Harvest Project Manager
406.207.8199 · tami@gardencityharvest.org
Tami’s academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Minor in Dance and a Masters in Teaching. Her professional pursuits have been driven by a desire to build healthy natural and social communities. She has done this through youth work centered in urban ecology, wilderness, and agriculture. Tami has developed, managed and taught several at-risk youth programs through work as environmental educator, alternative high school teacher, wilderness guide and behavior consultant. She now brings her commitment to empowering young people to Garden City Harvest’s Youth Harvest Project. She attributes her success in life to a combination of hard work, compassion for others, a good sense of humor and lots of dance parties!
Kali Orton, Administrative Assistant
406.523.3663 · kali@gardencityharvest.org
During her first summer in Missoula, Kali spent every day working at the PEAS Farm, and she’s been involved with Garden City Harvest in some form or another ever since. A native of Portland, Oregon, Kali holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon, where she focused on learning about local, sustainable food systems. She currently studies urban agriculture and community development at the University of Montana, where she’s working on her M.S. in the Environmental Studies Program. When she’s not at GCH, she loves being outside, reading, and growing, cooking, and eating food.
Greg Price, River Road Neighborhood Farm Manager
406.240.3848 · greg@gardencityharvest.org
Greg has served as the River Road Neighborhood Farm and Community Garden Manager since 2002. Under his management, the farm produces more than 30,000 pounds of food in an annual growing season averaging just 120 days. In a past life, Greg cooked for and managed the kitchen of Second Thought Restaurant. He now uses his kitchen creativity in cooking up the menu for Garden City Harvest’s Wintergreens locally grown supper and fundraiser. Greg is a great advocate for grizzly bears and loves a good funk band.
Josh Slotnick, GCH/EVST PEAS Farm Director
406.239.6993 · josh@gardencityharvest.org
Josh is a co-founder of Garden City Harvest and the PEAS farm, a cooperative between Garden City Harvest and the University of Montana Environmental Studies program. Josh is a lecturer in the Environmental Studies program at the University of Montana, and he lives on a farm with his family.
Ethan Smith, Operations Manager
406.240.3506 · ethan@gardencityharvest.org
Ethan has a Master’s of Science from the University of Montana and works to keep Garden City Harvest facilities and general operations running smoothly – especially at the PEAS Farm. He enjoys hunting, fly fishing, and lying in the summer sun with his daughters, Harley and Wylie.
Clare Vergobbi, Orchard Gardens Farm Assistant
Clare grew up in Salt Lake City where she spent a lot of time playing in the dirt. She moved to Missoula to pursue a Bachelor’s in Restoration Ecology and fell into farming along the way. She has worked on community garden initiatives in Salt Lake City and has served as assistant manager of the UM Dining Gardens for the past two years. This is her third year with Garden City Harvest and she is excited to continue to grow and learn as the Orchard Garden assistant. In her spare time she enjoys eating good food, getting lost in the mountains, and taking her cat for walks (yeah, she’s that person).
Dave Victor, Orchard Gardens Farm Manager
406.721.2504 (barn) or 406.240.7590 (mobile) · davevictor@gardencityharvest.org
Dave is a lover of plants and the soil that sustains them. He has a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana where he focused on seed saving at the River Road Farm. Off the farm, he enjoys tending to his red worms and growing mushrooms.
Mark Wayne, Youth Farm Assistant
Originally from Southeastern Virginia, Mark moved to Montana in 2009 in order to develop his skills in sustainable agriculture. While pursuing his degree in Environmental Studies, he did so through various internships with Garden City Harvest. As the Youth Farm Assistant, he will farm alongside teens in employed at the farm, offering mentorship, teaching skills, and growing some tasty veggies.
Ian Wilder, PEAS Farm Caretaker
406.543.4992 · caretaker@gardencityharvest.org
Jean Zosel, Executive Director
406.239.3555 · jean@gardencityharvest.org
Jean grew up in a small farming community in the Midwest where she first learned the value of community and of neighbor helping neighbor. She’s dug deep into the Missoula community, having led the boards of the YWCA, NCBI, Run Wild Missoula, the Women’s Hockey Association. Prior to joining Garden City Harvest, Jean worked for KECI-TV – starting at the ground level and working her way up to Station Manager of a three station working group. She is proud of her role as soccer coach to many Missoula girls since the mid-1990s.