Ari, an Evergreen grad, has been living in Olympia since 2017. While in college at Evergreen, Ari stuck their hands in the soil and harvested a potato for the first time. They worked at the Evergreen community gardens as an intern, stewarding the student plot and learned about growing their own food. Ari found out about GRuB while working at Haven House. The residents there who attended GRuB made a lasting impact on Ari's experience due to their growth and leadership within the Haven House dynamic. Ari is passionate about youth having safe adults they can trust, and having a place in their life where they feel truly at ease to be themselves. Ari also enjoys bird watching, studying flowers, playing board/video games, and spending time at home with their four cats, Felix, Moth, Huckleberry, and Thimbleberry.

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Raised on a New England diet of quahogs, poison ivy, and deer ticks, Ben has called Olympia home for nearly fifteen years. Having studied alternative food systems and social justice at The Evergreen State College, their path to GRuB has felt like a natural progression of their commitment to food equity. When they're not helping the gears of GRuB turn, they enjoy cycling, drumming, and reading.

As an environmental educator, Deb fell in love with farms as a place for gathering community, connecting with the land, and providing nourishment–both for individuals and for deeper social change. During 15 years at Angelic Organics Learning Center in Northern Illinois, she developed innovative farm-based educational programming while growing her own non-profit leadership skills and agricultural experience. Deb returned to her home state of Washington in 2019 to join the GRuB team, where she resonates with the playfulness, intentionality, kindness, groundedness, and adaptability of the GRuB community. Her hidden talents include delivering goat kids, solving really hard puzzles, disguising vegetables in desserts, and generating a punny twist for whatever task is at hand. On a weekend day, you might find her foraging huckleberries on a mountain trail, exploring a tidepool, grubbing around in the garden soil, or snuggling her Aussiedoodle Lucy.

As a long time community member, Beth has aligned her career with working to create positive social change. She has been a business owner, community organizer, project manager and program developer both internationally and regionally. For over 12 years she worked in disadvantaged communities in India developing fair trade product with a women’s co-op and organic farmers. Beth worked for a social enterprise aiming to alleviate poverty and advance gender equality in West Africa through the use of fair trade indigenous resources and community empowerment initiatives. She is passionate about collaborating and connecting with people to help drive social change for a more equitable future. Beth first became involved with GRuB volunteering on the farm when her daughter was a toddler. She immediately felt welcomed into the community and loved being on the land. She is thrilled to be in this role to support GRuB’s impactful work and mission.

An Olympian since 1995, Wade's formative years included the summers of 2000 & 2001 in GRuB's early teen programs. His love of community service brought him back to the staff in 2009 as the Farm Manager. After transitioning to Lead Teacher of the Youth Program from 2013-2019, he moved on to the Director of Youth Programs, supporting the youth leaders and program staff, building relationships with partners, and helping to educate others on the Youth Program's tools and practices. Now as Program Director, he supports all of GRuB's programs and brings leadership to the regional Northwest Youth Garden Network, and the national Rooted in Community network. He is a big proponent of play and humor in this work, and outside of work can be found doing the same with his family and in community spaces.

Drawing from the wellspring of her Indigenous roots, Kerensa is a community builder, facilitator, multicultural connector, and landkeeper. Blending curiosity and the gifts of the natural world with social justice and decolonizing systems, she assists people across liminal spaces to heal, expand their innate potential, and co-create transformation. With over 21 years in nonprofits, Kerensa has been at GRuB for 13 years, in many roles, from community-based fundraising and engagement to volunteer management and donor cultivation. Kerensa and her family live in Olympia, WA on the ancestral and current lands of the Salish peoples. She raises up her Ancestors, Elders, and community to teach her how to bring strength through love. On the weekend, you might find her in the garden, hiking a trail, or exploring art and music with her family. 

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Sade Gilliom, MES, has been a part of the GRuB community since 2014 as a volunteer, Americorps member with the GRuB Garden Project, and workshop attendee. They joined the staff team in 2019. Sade’s main role at GRuB includes creating and managing systems to facilitate ease of operations. Sade’s passions include sustainable farming, wild crafting, ecology, criminal justice reform, community connection and everything GRuBby! They spend their free time with their goats and chickens on their farm and kayaking in the Salish Sea.

Clare, M.E.S, is a writer, artist, activist, bibliophile, tea-leaf reader, and urban rooftop gardener. She has enjoyed spending lots of her time playing with story--she's worked in bookstores for the past six years, and she's been a writer and storyteller all her life. She loves poking holes in dominant or obsolete narratives and strives to both listen to and help uplift the voices and stories that have been too often cast aside. She can often be found playing at her secret swimming spots with a good book and a bunch of doodling supplies.

Jennah joined the GRuB community in 2019 as lead garden builder for GRuB's Garden Project. In 2023, she stepped into a new role as Farmer Veteran Project Specialist, where she will get to foster relationships with beginning Veteran farmers. As a Navy Veteran who struggled establishing roots and finding community in and out of the military, Jennah is passionate about creating supportive and equitable spaces for people to come together. Outside of GRuB, Jennah loves spending time with her sweet pup; hiking and foraging; creating and enjoying art; and growing, preparing, and eating delicious food!

Dusty grew up near Philadelphia and went to college near Pittsburgh, PA, earning a B.S. in Food and Nutrition. Dusty has worked with youth and young adults in the Olympia area for 8+ years, via nonprofits and looks forward to being able to provide safe spaces for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth to learn and build community.

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Alex works closely with beginning Veteran farmers and beekeepers and supports GRuB’s Veterans projects connecting Veterans to resources and community. Growing up with active duty Army parents, Alex understands the feeling of being uprooted and transplanted. She is proud to call Olympia her home for the past 20 years. She is passionate about community engagement and has worked for many of Olympia’s small businesses in various leadership capacities. She is passionate about providing service in a way that contributes to the whole person—intellectually, spiritually, physically and emotionally. During her personal time, Alex enjoys trail running with her pup Dahlia, reading with her kitties Miya and Mia, and dipping her toes into a slew of creative hobbies.

Savannah comes from a background in social services where she enjoyed connecting with different people and building community, which she is looking forward to continuing in her new role. In her personal life, Savannah enjoys any activity that includes her dog, being in/on/near the water, getting together with friends, and food! She is an organizer of people and loves finding ways to connect people with each other. She also loves making music with her brass band and equally loves sharing that joy with others. Savannah can’t wait to bring her experience, passion, and personality to GRuB!

Selena came to GRuB in November 2017. She is a GRuB Youth alum from the 07-08 crew and continued on through 2009 helping assist and prepare for that year's Soirée. Selena was born and raised in Washington. Selena has extensive background working with children and is passionate about helping in the community.

Bio coming soon!