Board of Directors:
Madeleine Bell - President
Classroom in Bloom captured my attention when I realized what a magical role it plays in the Methow Valley, providing space for creative and integrated outdoor education, empowerment through the growing of food, and the integration of garden fresh foods into the lunchroom. I joined the board in 2019. My heart comes alive when I get to spend time in the garden, especially with my young children (7 and 3) in tow, seeing how Classroom in Bloom supports the health and non-traditional learning needs of MVE and LBHS students.
Erin Jenkins - Vice President
Our family moved to the Methow Valley in 2021 and as soon as our 3rd grader started to go to the garden the following spring, I jumped at the chance to tag along. Throughout that summer, we continued to enjoy opportunities to help out and just be immersed in the special world of this garden. Joining the board in 2022 presents an opportunity to contribute more deeply to all the behind the scenes work and I am thrilled to contribute. My favorite part about being in the garden with the kids is watching them gleefully chomp on food they might have scoffed at on the dinner table. It's also pretty satisfying to watch them take joy in hard work.
Susan Ernsdorff - Secretary
I’ve been volunteering with CiB since 2011 and on the Board since 2018. I think giving kids this CiB opportunity to learn and work together outside, over the seasons and the years, will have deep and long-lasting positive impacts in many ways. Even if people don’t grow their own food, it is so important that they know what it takes and place great value on farmland and farmers. I am excited to explore how we can increase the breadth and depth of our engagement with the Methow and Okanogan valleys.
Kristen Pearcy (KP) - Treasurer
One of my first volunteer experiences after moving to the Methow Valley in 2018 was at a garden work party at the CiB gardens where I saw first hand how the kids lit up and engaged with nature. New to the board as of 2021, I’m thrilled to bring a passion for horticulture and conservation and a background in project management to serve on the CiB board. I’m really excited about the recent infrastructure projects like the greenhouse and the upcoming root cellar that have opened doors to new opportunities and it is exciting to see how the program is expanding.
Anne Naney
My husband and I have lived, worked and raised our children in the Methow Valley since 1984. After volunteering in the garden at Classroom in Bloom for several summers, I joined the CiB Board in 2021. Gardening and being outdoors is a focus of my life and I want children to be exposed to this joy. I hope that having the experiences of growing and tasting fresh food and learning in an outdoor environment will give them an appreciation of the natural world which will lead to their desire to preserve it as they become adults.
Molly Filer
My family has been in the Methow for seven generations, and I recently returned with my husband after living in Seattle for 8 years. I joined the board in 2022 and it's thrilling to be part of an organization that shows kids the joys of being tied to the land and the seasons, and helps them cultivate a sense of belonging to this beautiful Valley. I work as a mental health counselor with adults and teens and see the garden as an extraordinary vehicle for individual and community healing.
Sonja Knudson
Plants and kids have always been my jam. As a career K-12 substitute teacher, I enjoy spending time with kids of all ages, and also appreciate the variety and flexibility of a job that has allowed me to balance work, recreation, and raising our two boys. Before moving to the valley full time in 2018, I spent over a decade leading school-age field trips in botany, forest and wetland ecology, and northwest ethnobotany at the UW Washington Park Arboretum. Now I enthusiastically join school groups in the CiB garden, learning alongside them about the more agricultural side of horticulture and enjoying the aha! moments as students experience the plants and food and wonder of the natural world that nurtures our bodies and souls. I am excited to help move the CiB board forward with its mission, sinking my shovel deep into the soil of this community.
Aaron Studen
I started volunteering with CiB in 2018 to support the greenhouse project and joined the Board in 2019. I have a lot of experience and a varied skill set that I can use in my volunteering: construction and materials handling, and also gardening and food prep, and finance. It is so great to see the expanding capacity of the CiB garden and now with the root cellar we will have the ability to store much more for winter use, and increase the CiB produce used in the school cafeteria.
Kelly Bolinger
I moved to the Methow Valley with husband, daughter and our dog in 2017 and have played an advocate roll in many organizations since then. My background in science, love for healthy food and sports, and my daughter’s garden time with her 3rd grade classroom brought me to Classroom in Bloom. As a board member, I feel lucky that I am able to use my skillset managing volunteers and owning a business to help the organization grow. I also love learning more about my own garden while helping the children at their school farm.
Eva Anashandsley
Coming!
Advisory Council:
Mac Shelton, Alisa Malloch, Tracy Sprauer, Chuck Russell, Anaka Mines!
ALumni members - board of directors:
Katie Leuthauser, Beth DiDomenico, Brad Halm, Jonathan Stratman, Tracy Sprauer, Geva McAdow, Rebecca Shoup, Jennifer Ramsey, Keri Miles, Nicole Ringgold, Jennifer Schumacher, Alexa Whipple, Tom Venable, Kathy Williams, Katharine Bill, Mac Shelton, Kelly Grayum, Danielle Michelletti, Bruce Honsinger, Erica Blakey, Janelle Delfino, Mark Wenzel, Tyler Slostad, Sandi Scheinberg, Kristi Laguzza-Boosman, Sue Koptonak.
