Meet Our Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Brett’s work has been focused on giving young people the tools to bring about better futures for the past 15 years. He loves hiking through our endless open spaces and finding the darkest skies to stare at the stars, and is firmly convinced that to truly heal this world, we need to replace pixels with people and spend more time in soil than screens.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Fiona has a degree in Sustainable Agriculture from UC Davis. She started with The HEAL Project as a Farm Educator and became the Farm Manager before taking on her new role. As a native of the coastside, she is grateful to have the opportunity to share her passion for healthy eating and the environment with her local community.

PROGRAMS DIRECTOR

Emily received her degree in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley and has had a lifelong love of science. She is passionate about bringing garden-based education programs to students in the Bay Area. She loves to garden with her daughters, travel, hike, and cook cuisines from around the world.

FARM MANAGER

Natasha is passionate about using small-scale food systems and education to address food insecurity and sustainability. They hold degrees in Agroecology and Education from UC Santa Cruz, and have spent the last five years working in gardens, on farms, and teaching about where food comes from and how it is connected to community and the environment. In their free time, Natasha enjoys swimming, camping, exploring local nature, reading, and crafting.

FARM PROGRAMS MANAGER

Sara Neale has a bachelors degree in Communication Theory from the University of Toronto and is currently pursuing an Early Childhood Education certification. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family exploring all the treasures this area offers. Sara loves working with kids and hopes to encourage a love of learning and respect for our environment that will last a lifetime.

BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER

Wiebke Michels joins The HEAL Project after teaching high school Spanish in San José for many years. She holds a masters degree in Educational Studies, Spanish, and Physical Education from the University of Hamburg, Germany, and a teaching credential from San José State University. She is excited to work with a team that shares her keen interest in sustainably growing food. In her spare time she enjoys the outdoors and tending to her garden.

GARDEN EDUCATOR

Alexa is a recent UC Davis graduate with degrees in Sustainable Agriculture and Women's Studies. She holds a certificate in Applied Agroecology from MESA's (Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture) program and has worked as a horticulturist at Filoli and Western Hills Garden. She deeply believes in the power of food to bring people together and spark social change and is very excited for her role as a garden educator! In her free time, Alexa loves all types of dance and working on knitting projects. 

FARM EDUCATOR

With over 20 years of experience in the education field, Chris has had the opportunity to work and share his passion for learning about and preserving the environment with students all across the country. His teaching experiences have taken him from Georgia to Alaska, Ohio, and Connecticut before finally settling in California. In addition to gardening, he and his partner enjoy reading, raising a small flock of chickens, and spending time relaxing with their cats.  

GARDEN EDUCATOR

Jen has been teaching elementary age children for 20+ years in a variety of settings. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She believes gardens are powerful spaces for learning, connection, and well-being. In her spare time, Jennifer loves hiking, yoga, travel, live music and a cozy movie night at home.

GARDEN EDUCATOR

Joanna Durand is an El Granada resident who attended local schools Farallone View, Cunha, and Half Moon Bay High School. She worked as a nurse for many years and became involved in the PTO at Farallone View. For Joanna, it is a joy to work with students and teachers in the outdoor classroom instilling healthy living habits and respect for our environment.

GARDEN EDUCATOR

With a bachelor’s degree in Botany from San Francisco State University, Kat strives to inspire her students with curiosity and enthusiasm as they explore the spaces around them, much like she had felt the first time she fell in love with nature during a 3rd grade field trip. Her teaching style combines core concepts of animacy, an appreciation for all living organisms, and an emphasis on native ecosystems, with that of regenerative farming and self-sustainable practices. Outside of the classroom, she loves to write, draw, go on hikes, hang out with her kitty, and busy herself with DIY projects.

GARDEN EDUCATOR

Lauren has enjoyed all things gardening since she was a child. Now that she has children of her own, she has equally enjoyed sharing her love of gardening with younger generations. She believes it is important for us to understand how our food grows and the effort it takes to grow it, while enjoying the process and being outdoors. In her free time she enjoys caring for her own garden and chickens, volunteering in the classroom, reading, knitting, and trail running.

FARM & GARDEN EDUCATOR

Dr. Rachel Restani grew up on the coastside and is now raising her elementary-school daughter on the coast, too. Previously, Rachel taught high school mathematics in Watsonville and Fairfield. Now, she supports TK-12 teachers, nationally and internationally, with implementing math language routines and problem-based lessons in their classrooms.

FARM & GARDEN EDUCATOR

Rachelle deeply believes in the power of connecting folks of all ages (especially kids!) to nature and how to grow their own food. She’s from the East Bay, but has recently moved back to California after many years spent living abroad in the Caribbean, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the UK. Rachelle has plenty of experience working within the food system, including farm work, landscaping, garden education, and a recently completed postgraduate program in Applied Ecology. When she’s not gardening, Rachelle enjoys rock climbing, slacklining, cold plunges, and trail runs along the coast.

CO-CHAIR

Jason has a master’s degree in nutritional sciences and currently works as a clinical dietitian at Sequoia Hospital. He has a strong involvement in community nutrition, working with Head Start, Seton Coastside Medical Center, Healthy San Jose State, and founding a sustainable foods student group at SJSU.

CO-CHAIR

Mary received a Bachelor of Science in horticulture with a minor in biochemistry from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Mary has worked in the ornamental horticulture industry since 1980. She has been an investor in the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company since 2004, and is currently the Director of Marketing

SECRETARY

Kerry has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cornell University and a master’s degree in television production from Boston University. Through volunteering at her children’s elementary schools, she got involved with starting school gardens and saw first-hand the positive impact they have.

TREASURER

Dianne is a native Californian who has lived on the coast since 2014. An avid gardener and beekeeper, Dianne’s keen interests in sustainable agricultural practices and environmental education align with The HEAL Project’s mission and objectives. She works for a global leader in biotechnology as a project manager and holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated systems with emphasis in organizational management from Arizona State University.

Lorin has focused on food systems change for 20+ years. She currently leads FutureTable, a B Corps impact advising firm, following a role leading the global food team at the World Economic Forum and earlier positions with Harvard University, Save the Children in Uganda and USAID. Lorin holds a BA from Brown University and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard. She delights in the cypress groves, sourgrass and community of Half Moon Bay, where she lives with her husband and young daughter.

Kristi has experience leading large scale projects as an engineering program manager. She is very active in volunteering with her child’s school, where she focuses on expanding outdoor education opportunities. She is an enthusiastic home gardener. She holds a bachelors degree in English from The University of Georgia.

Kelly has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from San Francisco State University. A  volunteer in her three kids’ schools, she fell in love with marine biology and was a docent and board member for the Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Preserve. The HEAL Project appeals as it teaches children the value of good nutrition and spending time outside. With grandchildren who play a big part in her life, Kelly hopes to relay this message to them and to many others.

Margaret is a program designer based at Stanford University’s Sustainability School but working globally. She helps environmental and sustainability researchers build partnerships with communities, government agencies, and non-profits so that together they can co-design solutions on complex issues. Her interest in The HEAL Project links back to her first job as a high school teacher in Philadelphia, identifying community projects where kids could get practical field experience. 

Clare has a master's degree in public policy and nonprofit management, and is currently working towards a certificate in horticulture through UCLA. She is passionate about plants, growing food for her family, raising chickens, cooking, and eating well. With a background in the education sector and nonprofit fundraising, Clare is excited about supporting The HEAL Project's sustainability and strategic vision. Clare is also a yoga instructor at Swell Yoga.