Our Team
Our Team
Jo Ann Baumgartner
Executive Director
Jo Ann is the author of many publications on the intersection between biodiversity conservation and agriculture, including beneficial birds, the conservation mandates within the National... Read more
Shelly Connor
Deputy Director
Shelly has worked in the sustainable agriculture field for more than 20 years, including working with the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides and working... Read more
Ashley Chesser
Communications Director
Ashley is an avid gardener and advocate for creating healthy habitat on farms and in community spaces. She brings over ten years of previous nonprofit... Read more
Jen Paludi
Program Associate
Jen has extensive experience planning and implementing conservation practices throughout California to enhance, conserve, protect, and restore land, water, and soil resources. Prior to joining... Read more
Courtney Tchida
Midwest Program Associate
Courtney brings over 20 years of experience as an organic farmer, community organizer, educator, researcher and collaborator. She played a pivotal role in founding and... Read more
Stephen Pryor
Technical Advisor - Entomologist
Stephen brings expertise in natural enemy insects and their habitat to provide technical assistance for growers to implement conservation plans and on-the-ground projects. His background... Read more
Nick Filannino
Technical Advisor - Ecologist
Nick has a background in ornithology, working on multiple breeding bird surveys and bird banding studies. He supports WFA programming through a variety of tasks,... Read more
Tenaya Bearmar
GrizzlyCorps Fellow
GrizzlyCorps is an AmeriCorps program designed by Project Climate at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment. This program works to promote regenerative... Read more
Consultants
Tony Fleming
Naturalist, Geologist and former Organic Inspector
Jody Padgham
Bookkeeper