Kate Doherty is a California native who is dedicated to living a peaceful and sustainable life. She has had a love of nature from a young age, and entered the farming world after college through WWOOFing in the Santa Cruz mountains.  The experience of living off the land in a permaculture setting changed her direction in life and paved the way for her true calling. Over the next decade she became immersed in the world of regenerative agriculture and managed organic farms, installed backyard gardens, taught horticulture classes, and became a certified Master Gardener and Permaculturist.

She then furthered her love of good food by becoming an Integrative Nutritionist, and got the chance to pursue her two passions in tandem at Calaveras High School, where she taught nutrition and agriculture. She served on school garden and wellness committees, and elevated children’s access to healthy food as well as their connection with the environment. Wild fermentation, foraging, animal husbandry, dancing, and making music are also some of her other passions!

Kate feels most fulfilled when she can share her knowledge of how to be in harmony with the earth and our own bodies, as human and environmental health go hand-in-hand. She is excited to be part of School Garden Network and to continue to help spread awareness of sustainable food systems to children and the greater community.

Megan has been working with preschool children for over 17 years and is the Executive Director of Tree House Hollow Preschool in Sebastopol. She has a BA in Environmental Studies with a focus in Outdoor Leadership, and a Minor in Early Childhood Education from Sonoma State University. Megan has a theatre and gardening background, and interests in education, the environment, sustainability, and helping young people become good stewards of our planet. One of her greatest joys is helping children learn to identify plant and animal species and marvel at them!

In her personal life, Megan enjoys doing outdoor activities with her husband and two children. They love to hike, wild forage, garden, geocache, and enjoy all of the beauty of Sonoma County. Megan is passionate about young children having access to gardens and garden programs, and intends to help as many schools as possible actualize school gardens and green spaces.

Misty is a Mom, Rancher, Writer, and an Herbalist in the Vitalist tradition. She and her husband Jon own and run Freestone Ranch, tending the land with the help of a herd of grass-fed, grass-finished beef cattle in Sonoma County. Misty is also a past member of the Sonoma County Food System Alliance and the Biodynamic Association of Northern California, and a current student member of the American Herbalists Guild. Her garden is wild and untenable, woven into the meshwork of life.

Amber has been living in Sonoma County for almost 20 years. She has a BA in Humanities with a focus on Sustainable Agriculture from New College of California, and is a certified Nutrition Educator and Consultant. She has been able to blend her passions and work in both fields, bringing healthy food to people whilst educating them on lifestyle choices that benefit both the earth and their own health. In 2007—while working as a School Garden Coordinator at Steele Lane Elementary School—Amber discovered School Garden Network and was proud to serve on the board from 2007-2012. She was active in many aspects of the organization and was head of the School Food Committee. Amber took a step back for a few years to focus on starting a family with her husband, but has since returned. She now has two beautiful children and a bountiful garden that she loves watching her kids grow up in.

Jay has spent over five decades creating play systems for children. In the ’70’s he formed a team creating Build Your Own Playgrounds throughout the Bay Area and had a one-person exhibition at the DeYoung Museum. In addition, he created School Yard BigToys, Landscape Structures Play Boosters, Little Tikes Kid Builders, many products for Kompan, and the apparatus for Gymboree Play and Music. He was also a board member of Magical Bridge Foundation.

Jay lived on Tomas Creek Ranch - an intentional community outside of Forestville - for 15 years. For the past 40 years he has lived on a three-acre farm above Graton, where he raises sheep, chickens, grows berries, and tends a 50x100 ft kitchen garden (on a well that produces only 2.5 gals per minute!). He is also one of the founders of the Sonoma County Go Local Co-op, and has been an active member of the Healdsburg Sunrise Rotary Club where he is currently the chair of the club’s Community Service and Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group.

Jay has been very concerned with children’s safe use of technology and is currently developing a system that allows children to play popular games such as Minecraft on playgrounds. He blogs at Playground Guru.