PERENNIALS: WE KEEP COMING BACK EVERY YEAR!
Stephanie Pal
(Executive Director)
Stephanie Pal BIO
(she/her/hers)
Why do you choose to work at Common Threads? Because I deeply believe in the organization’s mission. By teaching kids where their food comes from and making cooking fun, we can help kids develop a healthy relationship with food, which is tied to good health, improved confidence, feelings of empowerment and joy! Things ALL children should be privy to!
Favorite vegetable: Radicchio
One fun fact about me: I am Canadian and I speak French!
Emily Hie
(Education Program Manager)
EMILY HIE BIO
(she/them)
Why do you choose to work at Common Threads? After working with Common Threads as a classroom teacher for seven years, I saw the impact that seed to table education had for students from all walks of life. Gardening and cooking lessons help kids to see that food is more than just nutrition—it’s also culture, science, and medicine. Furthermore, food is community—it’s the easiest way I know to connect with people in our past, present, and future! I love raising my own child in Whatcom County, and my goal is that all children here will feel empowered to grow and eat delicious food.
Favorite vegetable: Garlic. I double it in every recipe!
One fun fact about me: I also taught martial arts for six years!
Cam McMaster
(Community Engagement)
Cam McMaster Bio
(he/him)
Carly Simpson
(Cooking Program Manager)
Carly Simpson BIO
(she/her)
Why do you choose to work at Common Threads? I believe that food education is a fundamental part of education that every child should have access to. In my background as a dietitian, it has been a joy seeing the excitement kids have when they’re able to experience food with their own hands – in the garden and the kitchen. They’re more willing to try new foods, they learn to enjoy fresh produce, and they develop a healthier relationship with food. The kids carry these experiences and skills with them throughout their lives, growing into resilient adults who are able to care for themselves, the community, and the planet.
Favorite vegetable: Roasted brussels sprouts
One fun fact about me: I like to weave in my free time!
Sarah Wheatley
(Garden Program Manager)
SARAH WHEATLEY BIO
Why do you choose to work at Common Threads? Food has been the center of community, family and friendship in my life since the very beginning. My mom proudly taught me family recipes and my best friend and I started a cookie company in fourth grade. We all thrive when we feel we belong, and I want to share that! I grew up in Bellingham, went to college in Santa Cruz, California, and have worked in El Salvador, Mexico, and India as well as several small towns in Washington and Oregon. In each of these places, I had the honor of sharing stories over meals and making friends in gardens, kitchens, forests and fields. I think food is a beautiful way to share our cultures with friends, neighbors and strangers. I worked in ecological science for a long time too, and I love gardening because we get to see ecological relationships up close and be part of them: plants, soil, critters and us. Other things I love include mountains, rivers, oceans, birds, playing music, building and fixing things, bikes, dogs, languages, bugs, and the kids who grace my life with their curiosity and goofiness.
Favorite vegetable:Varies seasonally. Snap peas, Sungold cherry tomatoes, Delicata squash, and shallots.
One fun fact about me: I built a tiny house!
ANNUALS: AmeriCorps Service Members join us each year as our boots on the ground
Tal Frank, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Tal's BIO
(They/Them)
What state did you most recently live in? California
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? I chose to work with Common Threads to further my joy in working outdoors, learning alongside youth. Being in an “outdoor classroom” allows me to immerse in a lively environment, where there is always something happening and opportunities for connection. I look forward to growing and changing with the seasons!
Favorite vegetable: Anything freshly picked from a vine
One fun fact about me: I witnessed an owl and a kingfisher over the water at Whatcom Falls
Ro Hyatt, AmeriCorps Food Educator
RO's BIO
(They/Them)
What state did you most recently live in? Washington
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? I chose to serve in this position because I believe in empowering the kids in our communities to create healthy and knowledgeable relationships with the food they eat, and by doing so, combating food insecurity and inaccessibility in our vulnerable communities. I also would like to share the creativity, agency, and fun in cooking, gardening, and discovering new aspects of food.
Favorite vegetable: Garlic, I’m quite passionate about it being in my food.
One fun fact about me: I helped deliver the first Covid vaccines to the Olympia area in December 2020 when I worked as a runner at FedEx.
Sabine Hopper, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Sabine's BIO
(They/Them)
Why do you choose to work at Common Threads? I chose to come to Common Threads because food and the outdoors are powerful grounding forces in my life. I love the sensory delight of smelling a tomato leaf and digging my hands into the soil. I revel in the surprise and delight of trying a new flavor combination and realizing that it is delicious- even if that experimentation sometimes turns out less than delicious combinations. For me, engaging your senses is kind of what it (life) is all about. I am so happy to be bringing those experiences to schools in my county to cultivate this sense of joy and wonder around plants and food and flavors in young people.
Favorite Vegetable: My favorite vegetable is the noble Onion.
One fun fact about me: A fun fact about me is that I love textile arts like sewing, crochet, knitting, felting etc. These crafts are very important to human history, and I love to introduce new people to them.
Mary Klingelhoefer, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Mary's BIO
(She/Hers)
What state did you most recently live in? Iowa
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? During university, I majored in global resource systems and environmental studies. I found that Common Threads’ values align with much of what I was learning and what change was needed in communities. I also just want to share my passion for gardening and healthy eating with others.
Favorite vegetable: Chickpeas
Olivia Luplow, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Olivia's BIO
(She/Hers)
Why do you choose to work at Common Threads? Food security and sovereignty was a key focus during my time in college, and I feel very strongly that food and food education is a pivotal way to bring about community strength and change. I’ve spent the past few years farming, which exposed me to the growing side of local food, and now I’m excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the educational aspect!
Favorite vegetable: Sweet potato!
One fun fact about me: I’m new to Bellingham – I just moved here from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!
Tess Reeber, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Tess' BIO
(She/hers)
What state did you most recently live in? Washington
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? I recently graduated from WWU with a degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Salish Sea Studies. I am passionate about connecting others to our local lands, ecosystems, and food systems. I am excited to be working with Common Threads to help build community resilience through food education and access! Being informed about where our food comes from allows us to make nourishing, and sustainable choices for ourselves, our land, and our community.
Favorite vegetable:Chickpeas
One fun fact about me: My favorite animals are orcas and I am a land-based whale watcher!
Eva Solvedad, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Eva's BIO
(They/She)
What state did you most recently live in? Washington
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? I recently graduated from Fairhaven College at WWU with an interdisciplinary degree in ecological philosophy, and I feel very strongly that one cannot live sustainably and mindfully on this Earth without first cultivating a relationship with the food one eats every day. Food connects us with our minds, our bodies, our community, the seasons, and so much more! Outside of work, you might find me foraging, fermenting, crafting, or making music.
Favorite vegetable: Cabbage
Clara Wallner, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Clara's BIO
(She/Hers)
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? Some of my most special memories from childhood involve being out in nature and digging in the garden, so much so that I went on to study plant and earth sciences in college! I graduated from Western Washington University this past year with my interdisciplinary degree in environmental studies, food justice, and sustainable agriculture. I believe that learning to grow your own food can be an empowering and impactful experience, and that access to healthy, nutritious food is a vital and necessary right. I’m so excited to get the opportunity to share my love for the outdoors and plants with kids, and to help foster confidence and positive memories in the garden for themselves!
Grace Wark, AmeriCorps Food Educator
Grace's BIO
(She/hers)
What state did you most recently live in? Washington
Why are you choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Common Threads? I am passionate about social justice and food justice is at the heart of these movements. Common Threads allows me to serve my community and encourage kids to connect with the land through gardening, which I have found very empowering personally. This position excites me because it is a way to take action towards increasing food access that can be felt tangibly in our neighborhoods and in our classrooms. I am looking to build lasting relationships with my peers, students, teachers and supervisors.
Favorite vegetable: Broccoli
One fun fact about me: I learned how to use a loom to weave fabric.
BOARD MEMBERS: THE SOIL THAT GROUNDS US IN OUR WORK
Board Members:
The soil that grounds us in our work
Ali Jensen – President
Ali Jensen BIO
Lindsey MacDonald – Vice President
Lindsey MacDonald BIO
Why do you choose to volunteer with Common Threads? I am passionate about supporting thriving and sustainable communities. I believe healthy food and food education for all is an important part of this equation.
Favorite vegetable: I know this is cheating, since tomatoes are a fruit, but I have to say it anyway! I love growing and eating tomatoes.
One fun fact about me:Once upon a time I rode my bicycle around New Zealand, but now one of the most joyful things I do is ride around town with my toddler.
Nolan Davidson – Secretary
Nolan Davidson BIO
(he/him/his)
Why do you choose to volunteer with Common Threads? Common Threads provides an experience that, as an adult, I looked back and wished I had experienced as a kid. Gardening, growing food, cooking food–cultivating a connection with what we eat–is a crucial skill that too often fails to get conveyed to kids in school (and not everyone has the luxury of learning these things at home). It’s an honor and a pleasure to work for Common Threads.
Favorite vegetable: My favorite vegetable is the source of everything that’s pure and good in the world–chips, french fries, and vodka–the noble, glorious potato.
One fun fact about me: My resume says I’m a licensed tug boat captain.
Maria Macpherson – Co-Treasurer
Maria Macpherson BIO
(she/her/hers)
Why do you choose to volunteer with Common Threads? All children should have the opportunity to learn the valuable skills of gardening and making healthy food choices. When children are exposed to the concept of growing their own food and making healthy choices, they become more connected to the food they eat and are more likely to develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Providing access to education about sustainable food practices and nutrition is critical in building a healthier future for our community!
Favorite vegetable: Broccoli
One fun fact about me: I spent 7 months traveling the country with my husband and dog living out of our teardrop trailer.