Garden Operations Manager and Site Coordinator Liaison

Sasha Timpson

Sasha grew up along the marshy coastlands of Maine, but has been enthralled by the Sonoran desert ever since they first moved to Arizona in 2011. Sasha enjoys spending time outside and getting their hands dirty, as well as facilitating connections between people and plants. They are committed to supporting the needs of their community and sharing the joy of gardening with others.

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.

Senior Accounting Manager

Cara Ryan

Cara moved to Tucson from Illinois in 1980. Cara and her husband, Sean, enjoy gardening at their home and spending time with our two granddaughters. She is also active in animal rescue and currently foster dogs for several local rescues.

BOARD CHAIR

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 TREASURER

Scott Feierabend

After serving four and one half years as Executive Director of the International Dark Sky Association, Scott retired to pursue a number of personal dreams and passions, including giving back to the nonprofit sector as a volunteer. Based in Tucson, Arizona, IDA is the world’s only non-profit organization whose sole focus is to reduce light pollution and its many adverse environmental impacts.

Scott, who has worked in the non-profit conservation environmental and advocacy community for 35 years, previously served as Executive Director of Audubon Canyon Ranch, a nonprofit conservation education organization dedicated to protecting lands in northern California through habitat preservation, public education and conservation science. During his four and a half years at ACR, Scott created long‐term financial health and stability for the organization and successfully negotiated the transfer of more than 3,000 acres of wild lands, more than doubling the nonprofit’s Preserve system.

Prior to his work at ACR, Scott served as interim Executive Director and conservation director for California Trout, headquartered in San Francisco, California’s leading nonprofit protecting and restoring California’s wild trout and steelhead. In his role as CalTrout’s Executive Director, Scott managed a multi‐million dollar budget, and was responsible for budgeting, strategic planning, and board governance.

Before leading the conservation work of California Trout, Scott served as Executive Director for the Marin Conservation League, a nonprofit working to preserve, protect and enhance the natural assets of Marin County, California.

Scott’s professional conservation career began in 1980 as an intern with the National Wildlife Federation, where he held a number of positions, including staff scientist, lobbyist, director and vice president. Following a 21‐year career with the NWF, Scott served as the director of conservation programs for The Nature Conservancy’s Alaska Chapter.

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 MEMBER-AT-LARGE

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-MEMBER-AT-LARGE

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.

Translator and Community Outreach Assistant

Esteline Niyunkuru

I was born and raised in Tanzania and came to Tucson with my family in 2015. I love gardening with my family and have been growing food since I was 5 years old in my hometown. I speak Kirundi, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, and English, and have studied to become a medical assistant in school. I love dancing, cooking, joking and being around people.