Kathleen was born and raised in Prescott, where she discovered the joy of gardening in her grandmother’s backyard. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of helping harvest sugar snap peas and eating raspberries right off the bush. It’s important that she grew up not only knowing where her food came from, but also the individuals who so lovingly cultivated it. This experience led her to become involved in the food movement and continues to inspire her to share the joy and wonder of gardening with her own children. Kathleen served in the inaugural class of FoodCorps service members on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation teaching gardening and nutrition to elementary students in the isolated community of Cibecue. She was a FoodCorps Fellow for the following two years, growing the non-profit’s programming in Arizona and supporting service members across the state.

Growing up in Los Angeles, JB was a city boy — raised on convenience, rarely considering how healthy or unhealthy food was. His mother and grandmother taught him how to cook using taste and smell. His grandmother had a garden and made everything from scratch, instilling in him a love of cooking. JB hadn’t been to a farmers market until he moved to Gilbert. After visiting the market there and others while traveling, he began to recognize the quality of real food. He began researching food systems and growing practices and changed the way he shopped. JB moved to Arizona in 2007 to attend ASU, where he received a degree in sociology in 2011.

Samantha is a world traveler that has found herself rooting into the Prescott community for the past five years. As PFM’s Market Events Coordinator, she is excited to get to know her local farmers and businesses on a deeper level. When not outside in the garden or hiking, you can find Samantha studying yoga, ayurveda, breathwork, and connecting with nature. Samantha has a deep passion for taking care of the body and believes that food is medicine. She is super excited to join the team and help make community events at PFM come alive.

Gabriel’s insatiable curiosity about the workings of the natural world, combined with the joy he experiences from working with people in outdoor settings, has rooted him in Prescott in a way that he can only describe as “organic”. He is passionate about sustainable food systems and he believes he’s learned more in his garden than in any classroom he’s ever been in. When he’s not elbow-deep in a compost pile or working at the farmers market, you probably won’t find him at all, because he’s likely high off the ground, dangling from whichever rock has recently caught his attention.

From his stomping grounds in rural Pennsylvania, Zach was raised surrounded by small farms, beautiful trails, and passionate communities. He is interested in all aspects of sustainability and loves being part of community-scale solutions. A trained geologist from Penn State, Zach loves being outside to work in the field but also reserves an introverted spot for diving deep into data. He is extremely grateful and excited to be part of PFM to contribute to the Prescott Community Compost Program. Outside of work, you may find Zach on long trail runs, reading philosophy, or jamming to heavy metal.

Annie is a community-focused person who works to improve the world she inhabits on a daily basis. She grew up on the East Coast surrounded by greenery and regular rainstorms. When she moved to Prescott a few years ago she was stunned by the incredible and unique biodiversity that Arizona has to offer, as well as the many community organizations and initiatives. She is grateful to have such an amazing local market to shop at and was delighted to volunteer on Sundays at the community compost site. Her devoted volunteering turned into a staff position with the compost project where she enjoys exploring the wonders and wisdom of our natural world and community. She loves the sweet smell of compost and constant good company. One of Annie’s favorite parts about working with Prescott Farmers Market has been discovering her love of radishes!

Kaolin was born and raised in Dewey, just 18 miles down the road from Prescott. She has fond memories of a rural childhood spent outdoors, complete with raising cows, harvesting over-sized zucchini from the garden, and following her parents on hikes and river trips all over Arizona and the Southwest. After an early career in environmental regulation and consulting in Austin, she returned home with a desire to reconnect with her roots and keep things simple. Connecting with what sustains us, our food, is as simple as it gets. A passion for all things healthy for humans and the planet brought her to PFM. Supporting local farmers and businesses and collaborating with the community is a step she’s excited to take. When she’s not doing community outreach for PFM, you can find her hiking in the Verde Valley, swimming in Sedona, rock climbing in the Granite Dells, or teaching yoga.

Rebecca grew up in Prescott, AZ roaming her neighborhood with her brother and other neighborhood kids, getting into all sorts of old-fashioned trouble. She basically lived at the square during high school and would eventually go on to Prescott College and to the understanding that Prescott is a very special place. Rebecca is passionate about systems work and sustaining local communities led by community leaders and changemakers. Local food is a natural connector and community benefit that she is grateful to be a part of.

Melinda was a former small business owner and understands the value local businesses add to their communities and the challenges they face trying to deliver their passion in the form of products and services. Local businesses, and the community they create, are a critical piece of the human puzzle. They need all the love and support we can offer. She relocated to Yavapai County from California to be the manager of the Food Hub pilot program. Working with a group of wonderful people who are equally committed to trying to make the world a better place is what excites Melinda about working at PFM.

Marie is a third generation Prescottonian and loves that she can serve “Everyone’s Hometown”. Supporting local businesses, farmers, ranchers and producers while fostering education and a sense of community is what brought her to PFM in early 2019.

In addition to a myriad of regular duties, since mid 2020, she also coordinates PFM’s Feed Your Neighbors (FYN) program. Using charitable tax credit donations she purchases fresh produce from our local farmers and with the help of dedicated volunteers, delivers it to food banks, food pantries and directly to those in need. You’ll often hear her speak of the FYN “triple win” – donors essentially get their money back by letting PFM use their tax credit instead of the State, our farmers are paid full price for their product, and those in need have access to local fresh vegetables. It’s a triple win for our community; money stays local, food stays local, and your neighbors are healthfully fed!