STAFF
Fiona Benjamin
Associate Director
Fiona has a degree in Sustainable Agriculture from UC Davis. She started with THP as a Farm Educator and became the Farm Manager before taking on her new role. As a native of the coastside, she is grateful to have the opportunity to share her passion for healthy eating and the environment with her local community.
Judy Curtis
Communications Manager
Judy Curtis has a background in music and art history & 30 years' experience in technology and life science PR. For her, working with THP to promote healthy lifestyle education and raise awareness of the joys of eating, cooking, and growing our own food sustainably is a valuable investment in our youth, our local community, & society at large.
Alex Baumgarten
Farm Educator
Alex is a Half Moon Bay local who attends Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for dairy science. She has a passion for the outdoors, sustainability, and working with kids of all ages. Alex strives to create an inclusive environment for children to explore where their food comes from and how everyone can take part in taking care of our planet.
Sara Neale
Farm & IGP Educator
Sara has a bachelors degree in Communication Theory from the University of Toronto and is currently pursuing an Early Childhood Education certification. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family exploring all the treasures this area offers. Sara loves working with kids and hopes to encourage a love of learning and respect for our environment that will last a lifetime.
Piper Trautwein
IGP Educator
Piper Trautwein has a background in animal care and zoo and aquarium education. She has taught STEM science to elementary and middle schools students throughout the Bay Area, encouraging environmental literacy and stewardship with a side of fun. Piper studied Anthropology and Social Sciences at Cal Poly and she brings her experience working with wildlife and getting majorly dirty to The HEAL Project!
Amy Bono
Executive Director
Amy joined The HEAL Project in March, 2015. Amy holds a B.A. in Psychology and Biology from UC San Diego. She brings more than two decades of youth environmental education and extensive coastside community leadership experience to the organization.
Donya Foley
Farm Programs Manager
Donya received her degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems from UC Davis, sparking her passion for outdoor environmental education. She started with THP as a farm educator and now directs all farm programs. Donya is passionate about spreading agricultural and nutritional education to children of all backgrounds in a hands-on setting.
Julie Mathiasen
Farm & IGP Educator
Julie has a degree in Horticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Prior to joining The HEAL Project, Julie worked as an Educator with UC Elkus Ranch. She also works as After School Director at an elementary school. Julie has a passion for teaching children where their food and fiber come from.
Katie Filar
Farm Manager
Katie is happy to be taking care of the farm that helps educate coastside kids about where their food comes from. Growing up in Pacifica she discovered that the seeds to lifelong learning are found and watered outdoors. Katie puts her UC Berkeley degrees in society & environment and professional forestry to work at The HEAL Project farm. She intends to go to graduate school one day for design to bring her love of arts and crafts to their full potential.
David Ruettiger
Farm Assistant
David Ruettiger’s grandparents were farmers; his parents had a huge vegetable garden and raised chickens. David says that farming is in his blood. He is a board member of Pacifica Gardens, and also does private gardening and landscaping. David is a retired government social worker and owned his own costume shop for 25 years.
Emily Cheng
Garden Programs Manager
Emily received her degree in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley and has had a lifelong love of science. She is passionate about bringing garden-based education programs to students in the Bay Area. She loves to garden with her daughters, travel, hike, and cook cuisines from around the world.
Wiebke Michels
Business Operations Manager
Wiebke joins The HEAL Project after teaching high school Spanish in San José for many years. She holds a masters degree in Educational Studies, Spanish, and Physical Education from the University of Hamburg, Germany, and a teaching credential from San José State University. She is excited to work with a team that shares her keen interest in sustainably growing food. In her spare time she enjoys the outdoors and tending to her garden.
Matthew Spigelman Sustainability Intern
Matthew has a bachelors in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. He grew up on the coastside and is driven to apply his engineering mindset to sustainability and conservation at his home. Matthew is passionate about ensuring a safe and clean environment for future generations of coastsiders.
Emily Phelps
IGP Educator
Emily has a background in outdoor adventure, a Bachelor's degree in psychology from UC Santa Cruz, and runs outdoor after-school programs. Passionate about healthy child development, she is excited about fostering the next generation of adventurous environmental stewards by offering organic learning opportunities to the students at Kings Mountain Elementary.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Evelyne McCleland
Chair
Evelyne is a sustainability-focused marketing leader, inspired by organizations with a positive influence on the environment and the communities we live in. With a marketing career spanning various industries including renewable energy, electric vehicles & geospatial technology, she is an expert in building brands and launching impactful products & programs that improve our planet.
Sherine Elamad
Sherine is an innovative leader and community builder with ten years of experience impacting change in various roles in the non-profit sector. She has experience in nonprofit development, strategic partnerships, program & project management, community outreach and event management & execution.
Mary Oldham
Mary received a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture with a minor in Biochemistry from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Mary has worked in the ornamental horticulture industry since 1980. She has been an investor in the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company since 2004, and is currently the Director of Marketing.
Erin Tormey
Erin is the proprietor of Irish Ridge Ranch. She is the founder of The Coastside Farmers' Markets, an inaugural member of the San Mateo County Food Systems Alliance, sits on the Technical Review Committee the CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and is a founding member of The HEAL Project.
Jason Mousel
Co-Chair
Jason has a master’s degree in nutritional sciences and currently works as a clinical dietitian at Sequoia Hospital. He has a strong involvement in community nutrition, working with Head Start, Seton Coastside Medical Center, Healthy San Jose State, and founding a sustainable foods student group at SJSU.
Kerry Bitner
Kerry has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Television Production from Boston University. Through volunteering at her children’s elementary schools, she got involved with starting school gardens and saw first-hand the positive impact they can have.
Dianne Kavanagh
Dianne is a native Californian who has lived on the coast since 2014. An avid gardener and beekeeper, Dianne’s keen interests in sustainable agricultural practices and environmental education align with The HEAL Project’s mission and objectives. She works for a global leader in biotechnology as a project manager and holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated systems with emphasis in organizational management from Arizona State University.
Kelly Huber
Kelly has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from San Francisco State University. A volunteer in her three kids’ schools, she fell in love with marine biology and was a docent and board member for the Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Preserve. The HEAL Project appeals as it teaches children the value of good nutrition and spending time outside. With two grandchildren who play a big part in her life, Kelly hopes to relay this message to them and to many others.
Kristi Gillis
Kristi has experience leading large scale projects as an engineering program manager. She is very active in volunteering with her child’s school, where she focuses on expanding outdoor education opportunities. She is an enthusiastic home gardener. She holds a bachelors degree in English from The University of Georgia.
Lynn Watson
Treasurer
Lynn has been a flight attendant for 25+ years. Her flexible work schedule has allowed her to get an MBA & become involved with the Coastside community. She has served on the boards of a family business, Hatch Elementary PTO & Coastside Children's Programs.
Lucy Wicks
Secretary
Lucy has a strong background in community organizing, PR, and government affairs. She has led community-wide efforts to improve the livability of local communities in the Bay Area and increase local civic involvement. Lucy works within Stanford University’s Office of Government Affairs and is deeply committed to THP’s mission of educating youth about the connections we have to our food, our health, and the environment.
BOARD EMERITAE
Julie Hosfeldt
Julie is a registered dietitian, and has spent her 30+ year career with the San Mateo County Public Health Nutrition. Her concerns about children's health and the environment led her to co-found the Hatch School Garden in 2000, and The HEAL Project in 2005. Julie served on THP's board for 9 years. Julie loves how THP encourages kids to have FUN while learning the connection between healthy food and a healthy planet.
Denise Phillips
Denise has admired The HEAL Project since the day her kids came home from school and told her excitedly how they had tasted kale that day and loved it! Their enthusiasm for their THP classes was infectious and Denise served on THP’s board for 7 years. She appreciates the fun approach to learning embraced by THP and wants to do what she can to make sure more kids get that same opportunity.
Beth Loof
Beth received a B.S in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in botany from CSU Chico. She has worked as a lab technician, restaurant manager and inside-sales and support tech person before staying home with her two boys. Beth has always loved the outdoors. She is often outside running, bicycling or working in her own garden.
Maureen Perron
Maureen is a retired registered dietitian. In 2005, while working with the Coastside Health Committee with connections to the San Mateo County Department of Public Health, Maureen, with Julie Hosfeldt, received grant funds from Kaiser Permanente to address the health needs of low income students in schools on the coast, and so HEAL was born. A few years later, after being renamed The HEAL Project (THP), again through the agency of the County Health Department, the land and partial funding for THP to develop the San Mateo County School Farm was made available to serve students from across San Mateo County. Maureen's involvement with THP and seeing the programs grow over the years has been a great gift.