After 20 years in graphic design, Kelly returned to school to study sustainable agriculture and pursue her passion for food systems work. While in school she reconnected with a farmer friend and together they launched Tuk Muk Farm, a 1.5-acre regenerative farm specializing in Asian veggies and pastured pigs. Kelly built on that experience at Farmstand Local Foods managing procurement for Farm to Table, and now provides leadership and coordination for the Farm to Preschool partnership team. Kelly continues to be an avid gardener, as well as an enthusiastic cook and tenacious food systems wonk.

Elise oversees food procurement and weekly site communications for the Farm to Preschool program. She works at Farmstand Local Foods, a Seattle-based food hub that supports a network of local farmers who grow food using ethical and earth-conscious practices. For Elise, one of the highlights of this work is being able to facilitate connections between the farmers that provide amazing food for the program and the kids that get to enjoy this food. She believes in a local food system built to support healthy ecosystems, uphold farmer autonomy, and provide consistent access to fresh, delicious foods for everyone.

Tanya Fink (she/her) is a registered dietitian at Tilth Alliance and has been an educator on the Farm to Preschool team since October 2019. She has her Masters in Nutrition (MS) from Bastyr University and is passionate about functional and integrative nutrition, sustainable food systems, and helping foster joyful, positive relationships with food. In her free time she loves hosting shabbat dinners, making cheeseboards, playing with her dog Izzy, and exploring the outdoors.

Zabrina (she/her) is a Youth and Family Coordinator at Tilth Alliance and a garden educator on the Farm to Preschool team. She has passions for eco-literacy, food sovereignty and justice, building community, and reciprocity in the garden. She also enjoys guiding young learners through gardening and cooking investigations that help them create meaningful connections with the natural environment and food. In her free time, you can usually find her outside exploring, in the kitchen baking, or with her pets, Kumi the cat and Sandy the dog.

Sharon Siehl, Youth and Families Program Director, joined Tilth Alliance in 2013. Sharon has been involved with garden and outdoor education for 16 years as an educator, trainer, and organizer working with children, teachers, families, and community members in school gardens and outdoor spaces in Columbus, OH, Houston, TX and Seattle, WA. She is a co-Principal Investigator for the Learning in Places NSF research project, co-facilitates the School Learning Garden Network with Seattle Public Schools, and a co-leader for the Washington Farm to School Network. She is passionate about creating a just food system through food education programming, policy, and community work.

Bela Sanchez (they/them) is the Youth Food Educator on the Community Food Education team at Solid Ground. Bela is passionate about food as the connective tissue of human life, and is always imagining new ways to think about and experience food. Originally from Dallas, Texas, their interest in food was first sparked as an undergraduate student at the University of Washington. After earning their BA in Environmental Studies, Bela went on to receive a Master of Science in Environmental Studies with a Specialization in Food Studies from the University of Oregon. Their research focused on the intersections of food, culture, and identity in Mexico. When they don’t have their hands in the dirt or their nose pressed to the oven, Bela enjoys reading, walking with their dog Fava, and swimming in the ocean all year round.

Kerri has been with Tilth Alliance for four years, overseeing their food access programming that centers thoughtful sourcing & community impact. She comes with 20+ years culinary experience ranging from working in James Beard awarded kitchens, launching/managing a farmers' market, running culinary education at The Ecology Center, living and cheffing on a 60 acre organic farm in Oregon, owning a boutique catering business, working in food rescue and generally just loving to eat! Outside of work Kerri is the Board Treasurer for Delridge Grocery Co-op, an avid thrifter, decent stained glass artist and befriender of all cats.

Lexa manages the summer farm stand at Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands, co-manages Tilth Alliance's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, supports the year-round Good Food Bag food access program, and oversees Tilth's online Marketplace. In 2021, she also started a cut flower project at the farm. The heart of her job is to connect the community with the bounty of Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands and Washington's small, sustainable farms. Lexa has worked in community food systems for over 10 years, ranging from being hands on in the kitchen and field to designing local food policy. Her master’s degree in urban and regional planning focused on building more equitable food systems. In her free time, she enjoys cooking up and preserving the harvest, getting out to the mountains and waterways, and foraging for mushrooms.

Haley is the Program Lead of Nutrition Education at Chicken Soup Brigade, Lifelong. She is a Spanish-Bilingual public health professional passionate about health equity. Haley uses a Community-Based Participatory Programming approach and works to provide culturally relevant nutrition education throughout King County. She recently finished her Master's program at UC Berkeley in Health Policy & Management. She enjoys playing soccer, skiing, reading fantasy novels, running with her dog Lola, and listening to NPR in her free time.

Tansy (he/they) is a Daystall Farm Program Specialist at Pike Place and manages the market’s CSA program. This summer, Tansy is most excited to share fresh, seasonal produce with the Seattle community, and celebrate our hard working farmers. One of his core values is that food is an affirmation of the body and an informant to our identities. In other words, you are what you eat! He believes that the act of eating and cooking is not only a way of nourishing ourselves but also a way of revitalizing ancestral knowledge. He is keen on learning new recipes—old, new, or improvised—and is especially interested in blending East Asian flavors with local fare. On his day off, you might find him bouldering, building a new terrarium, or perfecting his water fried bun 水煎包 recipe.

Leika Suzumura is a nutrition educator (Nourishian) dedicated to uplifting health and well-being in her community. She has been working in South Seattle for 15 years, providing experiential opportunities for people to learn and share food traditions that support health, connect us to our community, and honor the land our food comes from. When Leika is not cooking and eating with the community, she can be found playing Capoeira or hosting an event at the Union Cultural Center where she and her husband are the Guardians, along with their two children.