Our Staff & Board
The Youth Garden Project relies on a team of people to carry out our programs & events, grow the garden, and achieve our mission. The core of this team includes four full-time staff members, one AmeriCorps VISTA member, seasonal apprentices and interns each year, and dedicated volunteers serving as our Board of Directors. Find out our more about the staff, interns, and board of YGP below.
Interested in joining our team? Check for job openings.
Meet Our Staff
Kaitlin
Executive Director
Kaitlin joined YGP in 2010 for to serve as an AmeriCorps member and later as the Program Director. In 2018, she returned as the Executive Director. Kaitlin believes strongly in the garden’s unique ability to be used as a teaching and learning tool for people of all ages and subjects of all varieties.
Julie
Youth Programs Director
Julie made her way to Moab in 2014 to intern with YGP and later became the Youth Programs Director in 2015. Julie believes outdoor spaces naturally encourage hands-on and exploratory learning.
Emily
Outreach & Development Coordinator
Emily first joined the YGP team as a Farm Intern in 2017. She later returned as the Outreach & Development Coordinator in 2020. Emily sees the garden as a valuable place for people to foster meaningful relationships to our local environment, our food system, and with each other.
Sarah
Produce Manager
Sarah first joined YGP as a Farm Intern in 2020. She returned the following season as YGP’s Farm Produce Manager. Sarah sees local food as a valuable tool in nourishing our community’s health and resiliency.
Nikki
Farm Manager
Nikki just recently made her way to Moab to be YGP’s Farm Manager. Nikki is passionate about the connection of cultivating soil and cultivating community, and believes the garden provides the best space to encourage these experiences.
Meet Our AmeriCorps Members
Olivia
Seed to Table Educator
Olivia joined YGP in September 2020 as the Seed to Table Educator through AmeriCorps State. She is excited to connect with students through hands-on learning and meaningful discussions. She is passionate about ecology, food justice, and garden-grown produce.
Jessie
Garden-Based Curriculum Specialist
Jessie joined YGP in October 2020 as the Garden-Based Curriculum Specialist with Americorps VISTA. She believes that the garden provides endless opportunities for kids to connect with their food, their planet, and their community, and is excited to continue learning and growing alongside them.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Desiree Westfall
Chair
Physician Assistant, Moab Regional Hospital
Anne Clare Erickson
Vice Chair
Sales Director
Makeda Barkley
Assistant Director, Moab Arts and Recreation Center
Jen Sadoff
Treasurer
CEO, Moab Regional Hospital
Tim Graham
Soil Scientist, Retired
Nan Marquardt
Secretary
Psychologist, Retired
Bruce Keeler
Goat Herd