Grow Dat Staff
Julie Gable
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Considering herself a country girl, originally from a small rural township sixty miles south of Chicago, Julie Gable loves being around people and can be the “class clown” at times. Her passion to help others, being a team player, and organizing tasks at hand, is the reason she loves working in the non-profit sector. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications/Public Relations from Illinois State University and has 30+ work experience years in marketing, public relations and development. Julie’s passion stretches even further as the wife of a pastor and mother of two sons, using her spare time to share in church activities, serving others in the local community, using creative skills to create printed programs and monitoring the media/sound system at church. She is thrilled to be a part of the Grow Dat team and to let others know of its mission of youth leadership.
Callie Rubbins-Breen
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E: callie@growdatyouthfarm.org
Growing up in rural Vermont, Callie's first jobs involved working on farms, experiences she would say were the catalyst for her continual interest in food justice and food education. Callie graduated with an Urban Studies degree from Columbia University and moved to New Orleans soon after that. For almost a decade Callie has centered her work around the power and joy of hands-on culinary training and has worked in various capacities around issues of urban food access, nutrition, hospitality, and culinary education. She believes deeply in youth education taking a vibrant, holistic approach to successful learning and is committed to upholding the Grow Dat VISIONS model.
Leo Gorman
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Leo Gorman earned his BA in Anthropology and Latin American Studies from Tulane University in 2000. He worked for three years in Mexico and Colombia with Witness for Peace, working with partners to educate U.S. citizens about the impacts of free trade policy on civil society and the environment. He earned his MA in History at the University of New Orleans in 2009 and has co-authored several published articles and book chapters on indigenous rights, popular education and immigration. Leo taught social studies at Warren Easton High School and ran market gardens near Xavier University in New Orleans. He has interned multiple seasons on three organic vegetable farms and is thrilled to be part of a project that merges his passions for experiential education, social justice and sustainable agriculture.
Kevin Connell
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Kevin Connell is an educator from Valparaiso, Florida. He started out in education as a paraprofessional for students with special needs, and has since taught social studies and science in NYC, English in Indonesia and Tanzania, and adult education in New Orleans. At Grow Dat, Kevin mostly teaches others about teaching, sharing his interest in popular education techniques and interdisciplinary, place-based instruction with the Crew Leaders and Assistant Crew Leaders who facilitate our programs. He believes that creating liberatory educational space is a key for building a just future. Kevin co-facilitates the VISIONS model and he holds a masters from Teachers College. Outside of Grow Dat, you'll find him cooking, working in the yard, or plotting his next visit to the beach.
Kaya Jones
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Hailing from the sunny landscapes of Florida, Kaya attended college for environmental studies and it was during her college years that she cultivated a profound passion for nurturing the Earth while growing her own food. Kaya’s heart thrives at the intersection of environmental stewardship and food justice, and she is devoted to sharing knowledge and fostering a sustainable future. Currently, she finds boundless excitement in her role with GDotG and the community-driven initiative. In her free time, you'll often find her strolling through nature, immersed in a captivating book, crafting delightful surprises for friends, or whipping up delectable treats in the kitchen.
Alex Sanders
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Alexander Sanders was born in Louisiana but moved to Tennessee after the hurricane. After a few years Alex moved back to New Orleans to finish school. As a junior attending G.W. Carver Collegiate high school he found his first job at Grow Dat. As a Crew Member working in the field and learning about sustainable agriculture he fell in love with the life of agriculture. He returned to Grow Dat to complete another year as an Assistant Crew Leader to help teach youth like himself about the importance of agriculture and social justice. In his third year with the organization Alex took on the role of Farm Fellow which has now transitioned to the position of Assistant Farm Manager. In the future Alex hopes to continue the lifestyle of agriculture and start his own recycling company.
Travis Cleaver
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E: travis@growdatyouthfarm.org
Travis Cleaver is a landscape architect and former business owner. Travis moved to New Orleans in 2002 from his family farm in West Virginia, and is happy to again take part in the farm life at Grow Dat. He studied architecture and permaculture design through Tulane University, and in 2007 started the landscape architecture firm EcoUrban Landscaping. Travis's work at EcoUrban focused on sustainable design and installation, native and edible plants, and forward-thinking water management, all of which Travis draws from in his work maintaining and expanding Grow Dat Youth Farm. Travis also enjoys carpentry, welding, drawing, hiking, live music and all manner of outdoor activities.
Jonshell Johnson
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E: jonshell@growdatyouthfarm.org
Jonshell has been working to transform her hometown of New Orleans since she was 15 years old and working passionately for education equity after Hurricane Katrina. Now, 5 years later, she finds herself demanding change through the scope of ensuring that her neighbors have access to affordable and culturally appropriate food. She serves as Crew Leader for the second time and finds that her experience at Grow Dat has further ignited her passion for its mission. Jonshell is a mother and identifies as an adult ally who inspires program participants to create positive change in their communities.
Learn more about education opportunities on the farm by visiting our Field Trip page!
Sara Smith
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Sara Smith was born and raised in New Orleans. She attended Benjamin Franklin High School where as a sophomore, she was introduced to Grow Dat. Sara was hired as a crew member for the 2015 Leadership Program and has continued to work with Grow Dat holding various roles since. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a Bachelors in Food Studies and Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sociology. Through working on the farm, Sara developed a deep love for growing food and working towards a future New Orleans where food sovereignty is achievable and is extremely excited to be back on the farm working with the youth program.
Kate Thorpe
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Kate was born in New Hampshire and spent much of her time growing up camping, hiking, swimming and exploring the diverse natural sceneries throughout New England. Seeking warmer weather, Kate moved to New Orleans in 2014 after graduating with a degree in history from University of New Hampshire and then attended University of New Orleans for graduate school in Public Administration. For the last near decade, she has been working in the service industry, as a sommelier and event planner, while also volunteering on local campaigns and community organizing. Though farming and growing vegetables is new to her, her work in wine sparked a significant interest in natural and sustainable agriculture and equitable labor practices and she can be found off work sipping and reading in her apartment full of leafy plants
Glen McKinney
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Glen is a New Orleans native from Gentilly, and started at Grow Dat as a crew member in 2018. He returned as an Assistant Crew Leader, helping to facilitate the Leadership Program, where he deepened his understanding of farming and discovered a love of teaching. Now, Glen runs the CSA and even drives the tractor in his role as Farm Farm fellow. At Grow Dat, he loves seeing people’s relationship with the land grow. Outside of Grow Dat, Glen enjoys skating while wearing cool glasses, painting, drawing, and reading fantasy and sci-fi. He also volunteers teaching 3-D printing at the New Orleans Career Center. In the future, Glen wants to go into education, possibly becoming a science teacher.