DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

Kerri-Simone is a seasoned communicator who specializes in telling stories that drive results. As a communication consultant, Kerri-Simone supported her clients in educating, influencing behavior, driving and managing change in target audiences. She developed and managed the delivery of communication strategies for several Fortune 500 companies including, Kraft, Allstate, Goldman Sachs, Wolters Kluwer and Supervalu. She also worked with clients in the healthcare and education industries, including her alma mater, Northwestern University. In the development space, she has supported organizations in telling their stories, growing their donor base and gathering resources that will enable them to work their mission and make an impact. Kerri-Simone is excited to support the mission and work of Evanston Grows as part of the Development team. kerri-simone.a@evanstongrows.org

ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER

Emily's passion for sustainable agriculture began during her time working with a CSA in Brewster, NY, and she's been committed to farming and eating seasonally ever since. After moving to Chicago, Emily brought her enthusiasm for sustainable practices to organizations like Green City Market and Growing Solutions Farm. Alongside her agricultural work, she’s also pursued a creative career as a freelance theater lighting designer and electrician.

Originally from Ohio, Emily studied Drama, French, and Spanish at Kenyon College. She spent her summers soaking up the sun (and occasionally the rain) as a program director at a summer camp, further honing her leadership and organizational skills.

BOARD MEMBER

Kim came to Evanston Grows from two paths: The first, by working with the wonderful volunteers at the Levy Center community gardens; and the second, by helping develop and design the website for EG. It was the second path that allowed her to really understand the amazing impact Evanston Grows has on our community and it led her to want to get more involved - especially with ways to spread the word about it’s mission. Kim has a background in art and design, getting her degree in Art History from the University of Michigan. She has worked in museums, art galleries, owned a retail store in Evanston and now consults in both interior and graphic design. She has been a resident of Evanston for over 25 years, and has volunteered with several Evanston organizations including the YWCA, Connections for the Homeless, the Garden Club of Evanston. She currently sits on the Garden Club of America’s Common Ground Committee, which seeks to foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Inspired by the amazing Evanston Grows gardens, she is attempting her own backyard garden and looks forward to sharing her harvest next summer!

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Mary comes to Evanston Grows with a background in community development, education, and non-profit management. Mary was first introduced to urban farming while working on a farm in California during her MA program in Urban and Environmental Studies. She has two decades of experience creating, leading, and managing programs in youth civic engagement, education, workforce development, and community development. Mary is honored to be working with Evanston Grows and its partners to change systems to increase health equity in Evanston and beyond. mary.c@evanstongrows.org

BOARD PRESIDENT

Jean Fies has a marketing background, which she employs to promote many of the great entities in Evanston. Integrating organizational skills she has honed from leadership positions with Willard and Haven PTAs, ETHS Boosters, and endless volunteer hours for the YWCA and a multitude of other organizations, Jean activated a production-oriented garden at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. This garden is not only the flagship garden of Evanston Grows but also the seed that inspired the collective.

BOARD MEMBER

Liz is a Director at WoW Studios, Whirlpool Corporation's in-house advertising agency, and is lending her 25+ years of advertising and marketing experience to our organization. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Liz has been an Evanston resident for more than 20 years, raising three Evanstonians who understand the importance of our gardens. Liz is proud of the impact Evanston Grows is having in our community and is excited about having Evanston and Evanston Grows serve as a model for other communities addressing food insecurity.

BOOKKEEPER

Natalie Joy comes to Evanston Grows with an educational background in accountancy and political science. Natalie began her career in nonprofit management, which has largely shaped her passion for community involvement and volunteerism. After pursuing a Masters in Accountancy, Natalie now works as a tax and financial accountant in the public sector. Natalie is excited to bring her skills to Evanston Grows and contribute to the mission of cultivating and sustaining health equity within Evanston.

BOARD MEMBER

Linnea is proud to be a lifelong Evanstonian, raised in the beloved 5th Ward. With a background in Finance and Information Technology, she currently works as an Analyst for the City of Evanston and lecturer at Oakton Community College. She is involved in her community and serves as an advocate for those who cannot find a voice.

BOARD MEMBER

Elacsha Madison is elevating the Evanston Public Library’s teen outreach efforts through her work from and beyond the library’s teen Loft space. She has brought an abundance of innovative STEAM programs and resources to marginalized communities, including building technology, DIY cosmetics, community gardening and more. Elacsha has a strong commitment to ensuring that all residents have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, learning that a lot of residents do not have the space to house a full garden bed, Elacsha developed a hydroponic program so that residents can grow their own food year round with very little space. Elacsha can be found out in the community driving the Book Mobile to help educate students about food justice and how they can grow on their own. At home, Elacsha has over 10 hydroponic machines and 2 garden beds in the front of her house that her toddlers and neighbors all help tend to. Although she is originally from Chicago, Evanston has welcomed her with open arms. Elacsha is also the 2023 receipent of the "I Love My Librarian Award". “Elacsha Madison is not just a librarian. She is first and foremost a community builder and friend to all she meets, and more than that, there’s nothing about this librarian that the community doesn’t love.”

BOARD MEMBER

As a semi-retired sickle cell disease pediatric nurse practitioner, Jocelyn has a deep understanding of the interplay between diet and wellness. With over 10 years of community gardening experience, she puts her skills and knowledge to use volunteering for Evanston Grows. Jocelyn is further enhancing her gardening knowledge as a UI Extension Master Gardener Intern. She coordinates the Emerson Square Garden and works with Matt and the team at the Vineyard Farm. EG’s active role in reducing food insecurity by providing “locally grown produce, nutrition education and building community connections” aligns with her beliefs that good nutrition promotes better health and every person should have access to quality food.

BOARD MEMBER

Eating locally produced food and supporting those who grow it is important to me. I have patronized the Evanston Farmers Market since its first year–Saturday morning at the market is my favorite time of the week. I helped start the Friends of the Evanston Farmers Market and was on the Board of the Land Connection. I worked on building the Edible Acre at ETHS, supported the start of the Talking Farm and have long been a member of the Civic Improvement Committee of the Garden Club of Evanston. I have always had a vegetable garden though now it is only an herb garden. Evanston Grows is dear to my heart in being able to provide produce to those with food insecurity. I’m a longtime Evanstonian– my husband, Tom, and I have lived in Evanston since 1967, and we raised our sons, Michael and Patrick, here. I was a part owner of a local travel agency and also taught at Nichols Middle School.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Lily has been a community member of Evanston her whole life, a factor that has nurtured her love for the community from a young age. Choosing to study at Northwestern to remain engaged in the Evanston community, Lily joined Evanston Grows as an intern in 2022, later transitioning to managing social media and creating content for the organization. In college, Lily has made it a goal to guide her fellow students and the broader Northwestern community to engage in the space in which they reside. She initiated the creation of a new community garden in partnership with EG and Northwestern, one of the many ways she has created bonds to bring together two traditionally opposed communities - all while remaining committed to caring for the place she will always call home.

BOARD MEMBER

Debbie O’Connor is a Human Resources Generalist at Quattro Business Support Services. Debbie brings experience not only in HR Administration, but Food Service, Transportation & Logistics, and Community-focused non-profit organizations. A lifetime Chicagoland native and Evanston resident, Debbie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Loyola University and an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts, Kendall College. In her free time, Debbie enjoys cooking with her family, traveling and volunteering, focusing on Nutritional Education at various schools and organizations throughout the Chicagoland area.

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

I am absolutely thrilled to be on the Evanston Grows team and hold a deep appreciation for its mission and collaborative culture. Farming Together-Feeding Community speaks to my core values around fostering connection. My life’s work has centered around connecting people with nature and with one another, and what better way to do so than by working the soil together and to witness together the wonder of plant life that in turn helps to nourish our neighbors and foster community. My background is in education and environmental education. I was the co-coordinator of the Washington School Garden, serving on the Steering Committee of SAGE (Schools Are Gardening in Evanston). I currently hold another part time position as program manager for It’s Our Future, a youth climate justice empowerment program and I understand the growing and distributing of local produce as critically important climate justice work, as food prices continue to rise due to climate impacts. I am the recent past President of Citizens’ Greener Evanston (now Climate Action Evanston!) where I relished fostering community connections, a role I savor at Evanston Grows as well. rachel.r@evanstongrows.org

DIRECTOR OF FARM OPERATIONS

Matt has 10 years of professional experience growing food in urban areas organically and sustainably. He has helped to design, build and manage many urban farms and garden sites throughout Chicagoland. He has extensive experience in designing and teaching Garden Educational Training Programs for youth and adults. Matt is the founder of Interseed, a company that works to empower communities to grow food efficiently, locally and sustainably. matt.r@evanstongrows.org

GRANT WRITER

A writer, educator and historian, Julia and her husband came to Evanston in 1986 to attend Northwestern. They later moved away, but returned five years ago because they still consider Evanston home. When she became a member of the Garden Club of Evanston in 2021, Julia met Ann and learned about the work that Evanston Grows is doing to address food insecurity in our city. She started helping with grant writing and was brought on board as development officer this year. Julia’s mother frequently talked about how, when she was young, her family grew their own food because they could not afford to buy it. They also regularly shared this homegrown produce with neighbors and with strangers who would show up hungry at the back screen door. Julia hopes that by working to support the mission of Evanston Grows she will help nourish people and build a stronger, more just community, and by doing so also continue a family tradition. julia.s@evanstongrows.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Laurell Sims (she/her) is a food systems strategist with a two-decade commitment to empowering communities through dynamic educational and job training initiatives rooted in urban agriculture. Currently, as the Executive Director of Evanston Grows, she continues her dedication to cultivating vibrant and healthy neighborhoods. Previously, Laurell co-founded and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Urban Growers Collective (UGC). Prior to UGC, she dedicated eleven years at Growing Power Chicago, as the Production and Marketing Manager following her role as the organization's Education Coordinator. Earlier in her career, Laurell directed Victory Program's ReVision House Urban Farm, providing training for mothers experiencing housing instability in Dorchester, MA.

A 2023-2024 Castanea Fellow, Laurell has completed fellowships with the James Beard Women in Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business. She also participated in the Bold Food Fellowship, collaborating with farmers from Uganda and Kenya through a State Department exchange to enhance urban farming programs. Since then, Laurell has led projects at urban farms in Port-au-Prince's Cité Soleil District in Haiti and across the United States.

Beyond her role at Evanston Grows, Laurell serves as the Treasurer for The Evolved Network's Board of Directors and has previously served on the boards of Slow Food Chicago, Green City Market, and Mentorship Pathway. In her spare time, she volunteers as a magician for Open Heart Magic, bringing joy and wonder to hospitalized children.

BOARD MEMBER

Susan Trieschmann is the former Founder and Executive Director of Curt’s Cafe in Evanston and Highland Park. She found her passion for sustainable foods from working with food insecure youth for 10 years and also by providing healthy food boxes for underserved communities during the 2020, 2021 pandemic. Although not a gardener herself she knows the benefit of healthy, homegrown foods from her over 50 years in the restaurant business. Her goal is to focus on aggregating the many vegetables that are grown in our yards and our community gardens and getting them to people that are challenged with food insecurity, and to also teach and support those in our community that feel empowered to grow and share their own food!

BOARD MEMBER

I am a local artist and yoga enthusiast with a lifelong interest in healthy food. Working with Evanston Grows and its path for growing and sharing healthy food in community has provided me with a route for learning ways to work towards health equity for all. Education and career-wise I am a true “generalist”, with a work history that spans clothing design, architectural product sales, and home care management for patients with dementia.