PRESIDENT

Born into a family that grew most of their own food, Beth learned early the value of fresh locally grown produce. Summers were spent picking and canning fruits of their labor to support them through the winter. Beth is a Registered Nurse with project management experience related to health-related research projects. She serves as a board member on two non-profit boards, and is also an active member of the Oregon City community where her children and grandchildren reside. Now retired, Beth loves spending time with her grandchildren, gardening, playing in the dirt, growing flowers, fruits, & veggies.

VICE PRESIDENT

Laureen (she/her) is a farmer and business owner who has had two decades of experience in agriculture and natural resources management. She has served in positions with state and federal departments of agriculture in Arkansas, Maryland, California, and Oregon, and has been appointed to time-limited research positions with the University of Arkansas (B.S.) and the University of Vermont (M.S.). Project management, building harmonious teams, and open communication have been key components of her professional work. Laureen believes in strengthening community through participation and engagement and she has been an active volunteer in the communities she has lived.

TREASURER

Toni (They/Them) grew up with a strong love for nature, animals, and growing food. Toni has fond memories of gardening with their grandma and planting potatoes every spring from the peelings. Toni always had a kitchen garden growing up so when they moved to their apartment here in Portland they knew they would have to find a creative way to keep the tradition going. Toni spends most of their summer days tending to their container garden of mostly heirloom tomatoes and peppers. Growing up Italian, good food has always been important to them and nothing beats a home grown tomato! Toni was also an active member of their local FFA Chapter & 4H club as a teen with a focus on agribusiness and environmentalism. Toni joined HOEC as a volunteer in an effort to learn more about orchard care to help their family with their small orchard on Toni's parents homestead. When Toni is not traipsing through the gardens or working for the orchard, you can find them most often cuddling fur babies at their job or on walks with their Great Pyrenees, Couscous.

SECRETARY

Erica (they/them) grew up near Oregon City, where they remember harvesting squash with their mom, careful to avoid prickly vines. One of their favorite spots was a grape and blackberry thicket. Looking back, it maybe wasn’t the best long-term planting, as it grew enormously with each year. But they found joy in hunting under the leaves for berries and grapes. Erica holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication from Oregon State University. They have previously served as Parliamentarian on the NRLCA Junior board. Erica is talented in planning and management, currently working toward a certification in project management. They find fulfillment in working as a caregiver for disabled adults. Erica is dedicated to increasing access to nutritious foods, permaculture, and native edibles.

CO-SECRETARY

Jean (she/her) has worked in the agriculture equipment industry for many years, overseeing multiple projects and stakeholders. She holds an MBA in sales management, and works as a Product Manager for a local company, which involves marketing, training and development. Over the years, Jean has been an active community volunteer and fundraiser, both for HOEC and other local organizations. When not volunteering with HOEC, she loves to spend time with her family in her her yard and garden, working on projects around the house, taking long walks, hikes and bike rides, and learning new skills.

DIRECTOR

Ann Amato (she/her) is a horticulturist with a background in publishing, arts management, teaching ESL and social work. She studied natural sciences and English literature at Lewis & Clark College, then earned a BA from Portland State University with a double major in English literature and art history. At 18, she published the book Ancient Forests and Western Man: A Pictorial History of the West Coast. Currently, Ann is the Production Manager at Secret Garden Growers in Canby OR, and is a part-time Propagation Assistant at Little Prince of Oregon. She's finishing an AAS degree in Horticulture at Clackamas Community College. From 2016-2023 she was a part-time Seed Propagator at Cistus Nursery. Ann is the former President of the Mount Hood Gesneriad Society. She's been featured on Garden Time TV, in Wonderground (formerly The Planthunter in Australia), and on many podcasts. When not at work she can be found cooking, tending to her community garden plot, gardening at home, shopping for or collecting/cleaning seeds, or else out in the field botanizing with friends and colleagues. Ann also loves to read and write, and has been blogging at Amateurbotannist.com for 17 years. 

DIRECTOR

Neamhain (pronounced Neh-vin) (He/They) is an amateur gardener, a home cook, and a writer with a passion for community, food access, and education. Their current work is in data entry and research. He has previous experience working in caregiving, animal care, food services, and non-profit fundraising and activism. In their spare time, Neamhain likes to play games with family, go for long walks with their dogs, read, write, meditate, and drink tea.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tonia (she/her) is a long time community educator and experienced Horticulturist. She shares her skills as a part time faculty member for the Horticulture department at Clackamas Community College, where she first earned her AAS in Horticulture, and is the owner of Fruitscapes - an edible landscape design and consulting company. Tonia first became interested in fruit production when she took a fruit and berry course in 2010 that sparked a deep dive into the wonderful world of fruit-growing. She began working in the Arboretum as an intern that same year, and in 2012 she assumed the role of Orchard Manager. She has since dedicated over eleven years to the space, teaching the community about growing organic fruit at home. This project would not be possible without Tonia’s amazing commitment to the space, the programming, and all of the volunteers. She cannot wait to welcome new students through the HOEC gates!

ORCHARD ASSISTANT

Adeetje has been a horticulture worker since 2011, when they were introduced to farming through the kitchen and fields of The Farmer and the Cook in Ojai, California. They are an alumnus of UCSC’s Center for Agroecology apprenticeship. It has been their pleasure to work with plants and the public at botanic gardens, farms, vineyards, orchards, and gardens across the so-called United States, and in Iceland. They can also be found cracking hazelnuts and admiring insects as an Orchards Lab assistant at OSU’s North Willamette extension farm. Adeetje is a printmaker, potter, book designer, and goat milker. (Image credit: Xanthe Bouma)

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING SPECIALIST

Ada (she/her) carries a lifelong passion for plants of all kinds, whether it's growing them or learning more about what makes certain plants unique. Ada studied at the University of Wyoming and obtained a BS in Agroecology with minors in Horticulture, Soil Science, and Sustainability. After college, she came back home to the PNW and worked in the hops, craft beer, and ornamental plant industries. Most recently, Ada managed farmers markets with Portland Farmers Market where she also created and helped manage digital marketing content. In her free time, you can find Ada backpacking in the Cascades, biking around Portland on Pedalpalooza rides, and cooking up seasonal veggies in her kitchen.

WEBSITE & DATA SPECIALIST

Haley (she/her) is an advocate for access to education and resources with a personal commitment to promoting community involvement in healthy food systems. Through her work with HOEC, she is excited to use her data analysis and strategic communication skills to further educational programming and community engagement on the orchard. Haley works at Clackamas Community College Foundation contributing to initiatives that impact students, build partnerships, and drive philanthropic impact. She particularly enjoys projects that support environmental and natural resource management programs. Her passion for plants is reflected in her home garden, community garden plot, and volunteer projects around the Portland area.