Garden Site Coordinators serve as liaisons, educators, and support staff to enhance participating community members’ ability to establish, tend, and reap their garden spoils. These students also provide on-site informal educational support to community team members on a consistent basis informed by participant interests and best practices of other successful programs. These best practices relate to the specific age/cultural contexts of a given garden site team.
Allan Pearce, MS Candidate, Environmental Studies
Sustainable Development and Climate Change
Allan Pearce is attending Antioch University to further his education in Environmental Studies concentrating in Sustainable Development and Climate Change. Allan also hails from Michigan and received his B.S.E. from the University of Michigan in Materials Science and Engineering. After a stint as an engineer, Allan has been working and traveling all over the West Coast and Rocky Mountain states. Allan has worked for many organizations with interests ranging from farmer’s markets to solar power development to National Park use. In his free time, Allan loves to be outdoors hiking, biking, skiing, and also eating. He is looking forward to sharing a passion for local food and the connections that gardens establish.
Andrew Herrick, Science Teacher Certification
Originally from northern Vermont, Andrew received his BS while studying Plant and Soil Science at UVM and went on to manage a diverse vegetable farm for four years in Post Mills, VT. Besides farming, Andrew enjoys coaching soccer, teaching, learning, skiing, exploring, and promoting respect and kindness for all. As a new member of the Keene community, he is excited to share his passion for food and increase community resilience through equal access to healthy and local food.
Karen Alsen, MS Candidate, Environmental Studies
Karen grew up on the south shore of Long Island, NY and has spent the last few years living in Brooklyn. Karen is passionate about environmental justice and has worked extensively in low-income NYC neighborhoods, gardening and educating along the Bronx River. In 2010, Karen travelled to South America with a project called Encouraging Arts, a series of art, music and empowerment workshops. Karen is interested in community building at the intersections of food security, environmental conservation and art. She is currently on a path to receiving an MS in Environmental Education from Antioch University and is thrilled to be part of the CGC family.
Caity Stuart, MS Candidate, Environmental Studies
Caity Stuart is a graduate student at Antioch University in the Environmental Studies department concentrating in Environmental Education. Graduating with a BA in History and a cognate (self-designed minor) in Environmental Justice from Anderson University in Indiana, Caity comes to Antioch with a passion to make healthy and sustainable food more accessible to all people. Before coming to Keene, Caity created a new environmental program at her former university, played Park Ranger for the National Park Service in Virginia, and most recently designed environmental education curriculum for religious groups. If not studying, you can find Caity at the local farmer’s markets, exploring New England’s historic gems, eating delicious food, or sampling maple syrup. And of course learning more how to create food security in her community.
Faculty Advisors
Libby McCann, Core Faculty & Environmental Education Director, Antioch University New England
Joy Ackerman, Core Faculty & Director of Self-Designed Studies Concentration, Antioch University New England
