Our Team

Andy Fisher has been a leading force for social justice in the anti-hunger and food movements in the US since the mid 1990s. He co-founded and led the primary American food systems alliance, the Community Food Security Coalition for 17 years. He has played a key role in the growth of farm to school, local food policy, and community food assessments. In 2017, MIT Press published his first book, Big Hunger, which exposed the unholy alliance between corporate America and anti-hunger groups. He has Masters degrees in Environmental Policy and Latin American Studies from UCLA. He is too lazy to farm, but loves to tinker in his community garden plot. He’s obsessed with finding the perfect fig, and remains an unapologetic fan of the Dodgers.  

 

abbie at eco-farm.org

Abbie has over 8 years of experience working in the non-profit sector as a Program Coordinator and Administrative Assistant. She is passionate about living harmoniously with Mother Earth and creating a sustainable future for the next generation. She connects with the greater community through teaching Yoga and Ayurveda, while also working as a Massage Therapist. She believes self-awareness and mindfulness leads to taking care of the Earth and each other. Her past experiences include working with Habitat for Humanity and Mount Madonna Center for many years. She is happy to contribute to and grow with EcoFarm.

 

Gabi is passionate about working with community to protect and build sustainable agricultural systems that balance the needs of farmers, ranchers, eaters, and of our diverse natural ecosystems. She fell in love with the EcoFarm Conference while doing work trade in 2015, and was thrilled to join the crew shortly afterwards. Gabi grew up appreciating the outdoors and helping on her family's beef cattle ranch in West Virginia. Before moving to California as an apprentice with Soil Born Farms in 2014, Gabi worked in the Dominican Republic, Morocco, and Haiti. She studied International Agriculture and Applied Economics at Cornell and speaks Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole.

 

Deborah's interest in agriculture took root at UC Santa Cruz where she earned her BA in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Sustainable Agriculture & Agroecology. Bilingual in Spanish and Portuguese, Deborah has worked with the Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture (MESA), Community Agroecology Network (CAN), and Awe Sum Organics. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Santa Cruz Community Farmers’ Markets and has served on the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Certified Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee and the California Food & Justice Coalition.

 

Dina has been involved with EcoFarm in some capacity for the past thirty years. She served on the Board of Directors for ten years and has been part of the planning committee for twenty five years. Dina is the founder of BluDog Consulting, a company that teaches beginning farmers basic marketing and sales techniques both one on one an in a classroom setting. Clients include Multicultural Exchange of Sustainable Agriculure (MESA), Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), Center for Land-Based Learning, and a host of farmers and businesses.

 

Katherine Grace

 

andrew at eco-farm.org

Andrew Webb has more than ten years experience in the culinary world, and has been implemental in facilitating the opening of several restaurants in Southern California. He is passionate about bringing nutritious food to the community, and promoting positive social change. His past experiences also include being involved in community group organizations like counsel training at the Ojai Foundation, starting a non-profit urban gardening group, and working with outdoor education programs in the Santa Barbara area. He is very excited to be applying the knowledge he has gained thus far, and to continue learning and growing with EcoFarm!

 

Joyce Rice