Staff

 
 
 
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Emily Richardson, ACTING DiRECTor/ Youth Programs Director (She/Her/Hers)

Emily has been interested in agriculture and food issues since she was a child growing up in rural Maryland. She earned her degree in Environmental Studies from Washington College and then worked for Colchester Farm CSA before moving to DC in 2008. In her first years in DC, she worked for several organizations in the non-profit sector and volunteered with urban farming projects, including helping to lead field trips at Common Good. After volunteering on the farm, she was excited to join the staff in early 2014. She can be reached at emily (at) commongoodcityfarm.org

 
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Foster Gettys, Farm Production Manager (HE/They)

Foster discovered their love of farming as an Environmental Science major with a concentration in Agriculture and the Environment at the University of Maryland-College Park. After getting into hands-on growing as a co-manager of the UMD Rooftop Community Garden and as an intern at the Neighborhood Farm initiative in DC, they never looked back. After leaving UMD, Foster managed a local native plant nursery in Alexandria, VA for four years before jumping into farming full time as an assistant manager at Owl’s Nest Farm in Upper Marlboro, MD and at Potomac Vegetable Farms in Purcellville, VA. They are excited to return to farming in DC as the Common Good City Farm’s Farm and Production Manager for a 3rd year. They can be reached at foster (at) commongooodcityfarm.org.

 
 
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Kailasa Aqeel, Communications & Events Manager (she/they)

Kailasa Aqeel is a creative advisor working and organizing in DC. She serves as a community connector, helping people bring their visions to life by providing creative solutions and logistical support.

In her own practices she recognizes the value of establishing unity through sharing wellness resources and gathering to enjoy fresh, healthy food. Kailasa is passionate about bringing power back to the community by making information and quality resources accessible to those especially with historically marginalized backgrounds. Her efforts and collaborations are very much driven by her personal responsibilities as a mother, a dedicated artist, an advocate for wellness, and a community builder. For more information about Kailasa, click here. Kailasa can be reached at kailasa (at) commongoodcityfarm.org.

 

Jaime Gage, Farm Educator (She/her/hers)

As a budding farmer, herbalist and bee keeper in training Jaime’s interest in agriculture was ignited during the height of the 2020 pandemic. Jaime enjoys cooking, holistic medicine, and teaching young people all about the beauty of this earth. Jaime can be reached at jaime (at) commongoodcityfarm.org.

 

Juan Laster, LEAF EDUCATOR

Juan served on the Board of Directors for Common Good City Farm for five years. Although her term ended she continued to serve as a volunteer when needed.  She grew up on a farm in the mountains of West Virginia and loves getting her hands dirty.  Juan has a plot next door in the LeDroit Park Community Garden and lives in Bloomingdale. She is a senior citizen advocate, loves trying new recipes that are plant-based, and listening to jazz.  After years of involvement, she officially joined the Common Good staff in Fall 2019.


nhaomie Douyon, LEAF EDUCATOR (SHe/Her/Hers)

Nhaomie initially started volunteering on the farm in 2017 and was excited to join the Common Good staff in Summer 2021. She has a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Behavioral and Community Health. She has always had passion for hunger and homelessness which has led her to continuously engage in community initiatives. She enjoys learning about agriculture, healthy eating habits, and how to grow and maintain a garden. With the knowledge and skills gained, she plans to add healthy habits to her personal life and expand her knowledge with the long term goal of running her own non profit homeless transitional shelter that would incorporate health education and access.


 

Skye Sivoné Ellis, Assistant Market Manager (she/they)

From childhood, Skye’s imagination, curiosity, and empathy activated a sort of natural revolution in her that has only stirred with time. Since then, they’ve been focused on reaching for a more holistically healthy and just world for as many people as they can, especially those most likely to confront the brunt of environmental racism. Skye is a steward and student of the buzzing life around her, and considers her work, activism, artistry, and scholarship to be fruits of the same tree. She loves eating, feeding others, cooking over wood fires, writing, spending full days outside in all kinds of weather conditions, and most of all, listening for the exchange of stories that happens across cultures and tables.

 

Ani dailey, Community engagement & Market Manager (she/hers)

Ani is a Community Advocate of LeDroit Park Kelly Miller housing development. Her primary focus is cultivating a safe space of collective  care, support & access to resources for the community to heal & grow. She got involved with food equity at the beginning of the pandemic when she witnessed several elder neighbors be disproportionately affected by compounded neglect & scarce resources. She partnered with CGCF and Mutual aid to provide core necessities including access to fresh food, groceries, and mutual care to neighbors. This initiative became a consistent source of connection and support that evolved into making space for more resources and overall communal well being. Her passion for serving and consistent efforts ultimately led to her current role as the Community Engagement & Market Manager at Common Good City Farm.

Prior to her current role in the community, she started a business, called Moi Essentials. Her business began as a whole family, wholistic self care healing journey to address her family’s wellness needs. As a result of her son developing a digestive autoimmune disease it became imperative that she found the best products for her family topically & internally. Her desire for products with simple, nontoxic, pure ingredients that catered to her family's unique needs became an arduous process of researching and crafting products herself from herbs, balms, butters & tinctures.

 

Farmer Sage, Farm Assistant (she/her/hers)

Lauren is a forager, herbalist, and educator who is passionate about rewilding disturbed lands. Lauren takes a personal interest in the intersections of indigenous and early American cultural and spiritual relationships with plants. She is training to become an urban agroforester. In addition to working as the Farm Assistant at Common Good City Farm, Lauren is a budding garden designer. She serves on a grassroots team growing food forests in the region.