Community Outreach and Education Manager

Jessica Paul

Jessica has been with the Community Gardens since 2014. She has been the garden technician, the gardens manager, administrator, and is now excited to devote more time as the garden educator for our Kids in Gardens program. She has been teaching children and adults in our garden communities for many years, helping to make our gardens learning labs for students of all ages. She is also an Arizona Master Naturalist, educating our entire gardening community on how we are connected with our larger Sonoran Desert Region.

BOARD TREASURER

Parker Filer

Parker Filer grew up playing and working (also snacking. a lot.) in the backyard gardens of his parents and grandparents in western Pennsylvania. Fond memories of harvesting green beans, tasting homegrown watermelon, canning tomatoes, beets and applesauce, and pickling cucumbers, are what motivates his service on the CGT Board of Directors. Parker began studying plant science and food production at Yavapai College in Prescott, AZ in 2001. He later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Hawaii and a Masters degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development form Cornell University. He currently works at the University of Arizona in the Cooperative Extension service as an Assistant Agent of Horticulture where his duties include supporting the Pima County Master Gardener program and Pima Smartscape program.

BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

Natalie Shepp

Natalie Shepp has been with the Community Gardens of Tucson since 2009, when she started the Highland Vista garden in her neighborhood park. She held the position of Site Coordinator for ten years and then joined the CGT board in January 2021. Natalie is also the Senior Program Manager for Outreach and Education for the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ), where she leads efforts to improve air quality and environmental sustainability in Pima County. Over the last decade, she has worked extensively with young people and adults, coordinating health and wellness education through the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension’s 4-H programs, including the Tucson Village Farm. Natalie graduated from the University of Arizona with a BS in Environmental Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Public Health.

BOARD PRESIDENT

Gillian Paine-Murrieta

ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

Brittany Guerrero

Brittany Guerrero recently joined Community Gardens in 2022. She brings over 7 years of nonprofit experience in community engagement, company collaboration, professional development, fundraising and project management. Brittany received a BA in Sustainable Community Development from Northern Arizona University and has since worked with the Community Food Bank as well as a number of neighborhood grant-funded projects. With a passion for gardening, Brittany is committed to creating a resilient local foodshed and ensuring that community members have access to healthy food options.

BOARD SECRETARY

Jen Thorn

Jen started gardening with CGT when she and her teenage daughter rented a plot at the Shay-Shay Garden in 2021.  Her service with CGT is inspired by a love of gardening and the belief that gardens bring people together in a positive way, something she has witnessed while working as a “garden mom” in her children’s school gardens and as an educator with Tucson Village Farms.  As a physician and a passionate believer in the concept of One Health (the interdependency of human, animal and environmental health), she believes that gardens are important places for health and well-being.  Jen currently works as a pathologist and is pursuing a master’s degree in Public Health with a One Health emphasis at the University of Arizona.  She graduated with an MD from Loma Linda University and a BA in Business Administration from Pacific Union College.  In her free time, she can be found gardening, cooking, hiking the Arizona trail with her kids, volunteering with local groups that better the Tucson environment and supporting her children’s school, music and sporting events.

BOARD-MEMBER-AT-LARGE

John Brown

John Brown has been part of the Tucson community for over 38 years. As a longtime Farmers Insurance Agent, he has learned both interpersonal and marketing skills which he uses to assist the CGT in growing its community. Having joined the board in October 2022, he enjoys sharing the mission of the CGT with Tucson residents and businesses.

John loves fresh air and sunshine. Some of his favorite activities are mountain biking, running, hiking, backpacking, and camping. Other volunteer activities include hiking and biking trail clean ups. He also enjoys cooking with a variety of vegetables, especially ones that improve gut health, brain function, and reduce the risk of cancer. His passion for healthy eating makes him appreciate the CGT even more, since it makes fresh and healthy vegetables more accessible.

BOARD-MEMBER-AT-LARGE

Cassandra Wensel

Cassandra is a Midwest transplant to Tucson and has been active in sustainable lifestyles here for 30 years. Relocating to the Sonoran Desert was transformational and eye-opening for her understanding of the importance of water and land stewardship. Cassandra was active in creating the Keeling Neighborhood Park and Keeling Community Garden during her time as a Board Member with the Keeling Neighborhood Association. She is a retired teacher and curriculum development manager for elementary education and is actively a writer, poet, artist, and healing arts practitioner. As a 500CYT yoga instructor, some of the primary forms of healing she offers are adaptive and accessible yoga and meditation with an emphasis on reconnecting to nature. She volunteers teaching mindfulness to youth groups. Recently having installed rain water harvesting to her home garden, Cassandra is interested in helping bring these practices to the Community Gardens in the future. She enjoys the music, art, culture, microbrew community, camping, hiking, regional food enthusiasm, and amazing diversity that Tucson has to offer and is happy to serve the community by sharing the joys of gardening.

BOARD-MEMBER-AT-LARGE

Walter Brown

I am a native Tucsonan.   I live in Tucson with my wife and also have two adult sons who live in Tucson.    I am a local realtor with over 30 years of sales experience.   I have always had an interest in plants (growing plants and sustainable vegetation).  I have researched chronic illnesses and have found that inflammation (a process common in chronic illness) can be lessened and controlled through a diet rich in plants.  I would like to increase outreach to underserved populations improving and promoting their ability for self-care in relationship to health by access to nutritious food.

GARDEN OPERATIONS MANAGER

Alexis Avalos

CGT is thrilled to introduce Alexis Avalos, our new Garden Operations Manager! She comes to us with training and experience in regenerative farming, horticulture, and providing garden & compost education. In her prior work, she developed a program to teach children the joys of gardening! Alexis brings experience in community building and working with people of various backgrounds. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. Alexis is also a floral and ceramic artist and brings an extra layer of creativity to our team! Her passion for working in and growing connections in the gardens will build our community all whilst troubleshooting irrigation leaks and sustaining the gardens! Please join us in welcoming Alexis!