Staff/Faculty Directory

Program Assistant
vschlege@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3240

Vanessa joined CASFS in 2017. She is the lead of Zoom and all things technological at CASFS and serves as a key liaison for communication and operations amongst CASFS programs as well as the main contact for the CSA project and produce stand. Vanessa is grateful to be a part of the farm while supporting its work towards sustainable and equitable food systems.

Farm Garden Manager
christof@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3375

Christof has been involved with CASFS since coming to Santa Cruz as an apprentice in 1994 and has been a staff member since 1999. Christof has extensive experience in nursery management, propagation, vegetables, and specialty cut flower production. He is especially interested in nutritionally dense crops, small-scale grain production, the cultivation of small fruits, and creating a learning/growing environment where everyone can thrive. He holds a BA in Asian history from Reed College and an MA in equity and social justice in adult education from San Francisco State University.

Editor & Communications Specialist
eefoley@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3376, (831) 459-1835

Erin earned a BA in world literature and cultural studies at UC Santa Cruz where she became interested in organic farming, gardening, and food systems issues through classes and internships at the campus farm and gardens. After graduating, she worked on farms in Santa Cruz County and abroad before deciding to pursue a career in communications. Although she has traded farm life for an office desk, she is happy to be involved with advancing a sustainable, just food system.

Food Systems Education & Research Program Specialist
tgalarne@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3248

Tim works as a Specialist for the University of California focusing on farm to institution, social justice, and student education. He actively supports regional, statewide, and national efforts that intersect with food, social equity, and community development. Mr. Galarneau is a co-chair to the UC system-wide Basic Needs Initiative. In addition, he is a board advisor to the national movement non-profit, Real Food Generation, advancing a student driven higher education effort to address systemic inequality in the food system. Tim received his B.A. in Community Studies (with an emphasis and agroecology and social justice) and Intensive Psychology, while his M.S. focused in Food Systems and Society.

Basic Needs Coordinator
fmge@ucsc.edu
(831) 247-0695

Hay Barn Events Coordinator
hharris2@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3762

Being born and raised in the San Lorenzo Valley has given Heidi a deep love and appreciation for nature and a keen awareness of how important it is that we take care of it. Heidi spent many years as a floral designer working on a variety of events, and as an obsessed flower lover and enthusiastic gardener, managing the Hay Barn events for CASFS keeps her steeped in gratitude that she gets to work in such a beautiful place with such dedicated colleagues.

Assistant Director of Finance, Planning, and General Operations
jlenth@ucsc.edu

Jessica's background includes working as part of senior management for non-profits throughout the Bay Area, including Oakland Based Urban Gardens (OBUGs), where she helped put gardens on under-resourced school campuses. Jessica holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She currently serves as the Board President for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County, and in her spare time Jessica enjoys showing her partner all the best scenic hikes in Santa Cruz and tending to their garden.

Grants Coordinator
alindsey@ucsc.edu
(831) 566-3779

Ann is a half-time staff member working remotely on grant proposals, reports, fundraising appeals, and other efforts to help bring in support for the Center’s programs, Farm, Garden, and staffing. Ann previously lived in Santa Cruz and worked with the Apprenticeship Program, but now lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

Alan Chadwick Garden Manager
orin@ucsc.edu

Orin has managed the Alan Chadwick Garden since 1977, and is an instructor for the CASFS Apprenticeship Program as well as UCSC undergraduates through classes and internships. Orin also teaches workshops and writes extensively on horticultural topics for the general public. His special interests lie with fruit trees (stone, pome and evergreen), garlic, roses, the weather, and baseball.

Farm Garden Assistant Manager
kmmatsus@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3375

Kellee (they/she) is a Yonsei, fourth generation queer Japanese-Chinese American, born and raised in Los Angeles. In LA, Kellee worked with community food security projects and worker rights campaigns to advocate for worker rights across the food system, before moving to Santa Cruz to pursue further training in agriculture. Kellee’s background is in anti-death penalty work, education, youth empowerment work, and community organizing. Kellee’s work focuses on building a movement towards seed sovereignty as a means of cultivating community health and working for collective liberation. Kellee serves on the board of directors at the National Young Farmers Coalition, and organizes with the Asian American Farmers Alliance.

Assistant Cooperative Extension Organic Production Specialist
joji@ucsc.edu
831-459-2178

Research & Education Coordinator
dmparr@ucsc.edu
(831) 359-8710

Social Science Research & Education Specialist
jperez@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3235

Jan has been with CASFS since 2001, conducting academic and applied social issues research regarding fostering a more sustainable and just food system. Her current work focuses on utilizing participatory research, program evaluation and self-assessment in the interest of learning and critical reflection in order to foster social change and transformation for a more equitable and sustainable food system. She received her M.S. in adult education from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Director
Professor, Environmental Studies
Alfred and Ruth Heller Chair in Agroecology
sphilpot@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-1549

Stacy is an agroecologist interested in community ecology, ecosystem services, urban agroecology, and interactions between agriculture, conservation, and farmer well-being. Stacy has worked for more than 20 years to understand how farm management and the landscapes surrounding farms influence diversity of insects, plants, and birds on farms, and the ecological interactions among species. She has worked in tropical agroforestry systems in Mexico and Indonesia, annual cropping systems in Nicaragua, and in urban agricultural systems in Michigan, Ohio, and California. She has written more than 140 research articles and book chapters.

Cowell Coffee Shop Food Supervisor
jschmitt@ucsc.edu
(707) 684-0237 (c)

Brooks is a UCSC alumnus who grew up in the tiny town of Boonville, California. During his tenure at UCSC, he worked in the CASFS Farm Garden and studied the Classics, with a focus on ancient fermentation practices and the momentum of knowledge across Western civilization. In 2010, he founded the Boonville Cider House, a nationally distributed hard apple cider brand. In 2015, following the company's sale, he started Bruxo Food Truck, a shapeshifting mobile culinary project based in Santa Cruz. Today, at CASFS, he sets out to help address campus food insecurity, teach and learn about sustainable and culturally relevant foodways with campus partners, and frame the incredible produce that is grown on the CASFS farm and gardens in as many unique ways as possible.

Ag Technician
dstimpso@ucsc,edu

Dave enjoys food production, preservation, preparation, and of course consumption of all he and his family make. 

Assistant Field Manager
bwalker3@ucsc.edu

Brent is a graduate of the CASFS Apprenticeship Program and joined the staff in 2017 to help manage the production fields at the UCSC Farm. After his Apprenticeship training, Brent worked at Phat Beets and Planting Justice in the East Bay.

Field Production Site Manager
kyogg@ucsc.edu
(831) 588-1377

Kirstin first came to Santa Cruz in 2005 as an Apprentice in Ecological Horticulture at CASFS and joined the staff in 2015 to manage the tractor cultivated fields. Having owned an operated her own mixed vegetable farm in the Santa Cruz area, Kirstin is focused on the nuts and bolts of small scale vegetable production; healthy team management, crop production and post harvest handling for high quality nutrient dense food, and thoughtful community based marketing that works toward healthy food access for all. Kirstin is most excited to use her own farming skill and experience to help students develop the background and tools to vision and execute their own projects.