For the past six years Lisa Packard has been the director of a school garden program for the Highlands Center for Natural History, a non-profit environmental education center. She now brings her skills and leadership to Newforest as Executive Director.  Lisa grew the Highlands Center program from a modest one-school concept to an award-winning science program at six public schools in three districts that engages 2500 children, 100 teachers, and 25 volunteers.  The program is now recognized as a hub for school gardening in the Prescott, AZ region.

David Wessels is a gardener who sees the garden as an analogy for community. He continues to explore social ecology, environmental justice, economics and botany through working with people and plants. David holds a BA in Religion from Oberlin College in Ohio and received his permaculture design certificate in 2009. He has worked in various farms and gardens across the land, most recently at Red Planet Vegetables and Front Step Farm in Providence, RI.

From 2004-2011 Lindsay Skibba worked as an elementary teacher at Morse Memorial in Brooks.  While teaching, she enjoyed working on various outdoor projects with her students.  She also helped provide outdoor education to After School Program students and members of Morse Memorial’s Green Team. Currently, Lindsay also works as a Behavioral Health Professional with Sequel Care of Maine.  She earned her degree in Elementary Education from Luther College.