Board of Directors:

Erin Jenkins - 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.

Anne Naney - Vice President

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.

Kelly Bolinger - Secretary

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.

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.

Madeleine Bell

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.

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.

Kathy Borgersen

I am second generation Methow with a background in teaching, counseling and catering - a perfect fit with Classroom in Bloom. I love that in the garden “you have the opportunity to plant a seed of something special to the heart, mind and spirit of your children". I feel that our garden at Classroom in Bloom is unique and it is exciting to be a part of this organization that cares enough to prioritize our youth. I grew up feeling nurtured by our community and it feels great to give something back in this way.

Eva Aneshansley

I am currently the junior high and high school music teacher at Liberty Bell; I grew up in Chelan WA, and ended up here in the Methow Valley after working in Maine post-college on an organic farm. I was first introduced to CiB in 2022 when I helped teach summer camps. It was during that week of camp that I fell in love with the garden and the magic it provides for our students and community. Witnessing the joy on the faces of the children who benefit from all of the hard work that goes into the garden was incredibly inspiring. I love having the opportunity to teach music in the valley and is so excited to be a bigger part of the garden and this community by serving on the board.

Katie Overbeck

I have lived in the Methow Valley for 10 years. I have 3 kids, all grown and out of the house now. I enjoy the outdoors and any play that comes with it. I have always loved digging in the dirt and growing things. My hobby garden at home provides delicious food for my family and a quiet place to connect with mother earth. I look forward to being a part of this amazing program with so many amazing people. I feel honored to serve my community in this capacity.

Joe Downing

My family moved to the Methow Valley permanently in 2020. Along with our son Ryker, we immediately found a deep passion for Classroom in Bloom. I've coached and mentored a number of youth programs and know how amazing the garden is for our children and community. I have been in and around the garden for a number of years and now I am privileged to become part of it. I'm a small business owner and have experience in a lot of different trades and skills that I hope to contribute to.

Advisory Council:

Mac Shelton, Alisa Malloch, Tracy Sprauer, Chuck Russell, Anaka Mines

ALumni members - board of directors:

Susan Ernsdorff, 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.