Alameda Backyard Growers is a community-driven organization powered entirely by volunteers. Serving on our board of directors is a pivotal role for dedicated individuals who share our passion for growing food and living sustainably. We currently have openings on our board and warmly welcome applications from anyone interested in contributing to our cause.
If you're intrigued by the prospect of joining our board, we invite you to learn more about the responsibilities and opportunities involved by clicking here. To apply, please click here. We will continue to review applications until all positions are filled.
Thank you for considering this exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference in our community through Alameda Backyard Growers!
Dena Andersen, the granddaughter of Georgia and Idaho farmers, was active in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) in high school and attended U.C. Davis (Go, Aggies!) A 25-year resident of Alameda, she has lived in numerous places and can embarrass herself and others in several languages. Following 35+ years of employment in a variety of laboratories, she is currently dabbling in retirement while happily sharing her experiences of worm bins and raising chickens. She also works compost and grows a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dena is the co-coordinator of Project Pick and our Filing Secretary.
Claude Bartholomew's love for plants started at a young age on his family's dairy farm in upstate New York. Growing up surrounded by rich farmland, he developed a passion for nurturing plants and sharing fresh produce while working at a neighboring family's vegetable farm. Claude now works at SF State University as the University's Curriculum Coordinator, overseeing the curriculum process from proposal to implementation. As a volunteer with Alameda Backyard Growers, he enjoys connecting with fellow garden enthusiasts and soaking up all the knowledge they have to share. When not digging in the dirt and sharing plants, you can find him walking his pup around Alameda or at the nearby dog park, exploring the local hiking trails, or volunteering at one of the many opportunities organized by ABG. As part of the ABG Board, he looks forward to cultivating a greener future together. Claude is currently serving as Board Treasurer.
Marcus Carini's introduction to gardening was with his parents in his San Diego backyard as a kid. Growing up with hippy parents, a chef-dad, and an Italian immigrant family made growing food and family mealtime a priority at home. This way of life has carried forward into raising (and feeding) his family here in Alameda. After 14 years as a partner at Double Six Design, a boutique branding studio that works mostly with packaged food brands, Marcus decided to trade computer time to spend more time out in the garden. Marcus founded Newfound Foodscapes in 2021, with a mission to build a more resilient local food system and expand equitable access to fresh local food by converting landscapes into foodscapes. Core to his mission is teaching local families how to grow their own nutrient-dense food and sharing his passion for gardening with anyone willing to get their hands dirty. Marcus organizes our Educational Meetings and Workshops.
Shayla Duda has lived in the Bay Area her whole life, but moved to Alameda with her husband and two children in 2016. She joins Alameda Backyard Growers with a lifelong love of gardening and a commitment to building community around her interests and passions. She recently completed a permaculture design certificate at Zaytuna College in Berkeley, and she is eager to share knowledge, recommendations, and enthusiasm with fellow gardeners. Her vision for Alameda is one of neighborly abundance - where people grow, share, and thrive together. With a background in education and years of experience working with children and families, she brings both practical knowledge and a collaborative spirit to her growing journey. In her own garden, Shayla is a devoted moon gardener. Though she often says, “I haven’t met a flower I didn’t love,” she has a special fondness for glowing white blooms that light up her evenings outside. She’s also nurturing two 10 foot rows of asparagus, patiently waiting for the three-year harvest cycle, and has recently established a tomato patch, which she hopes will reseed year after year.
Amy Kalkstein, while not a gardener, is passionate about is minimizing food waste and helping her community. She has been an active volunteer with Project Pick since early 2020 and also volunteers with the Alameda Food Bank. She enjoys being able to be part of helping fresh fruit not go to waste and getting the food into the hands of those in need. Amy has lived in Alameda since 2008. Previously she spent a year living on a small farm in New Zealand. Looking back, she wishes she had taken the time to learn about the host family’s vegetable garden that the host father seemed to effortlessly maintain. By day, Amy now works with an education company to help teachers and student digitally access educational resources. Amy is the Lead Coordinator of Project Pick.
Marla Koss inherited her love of gardening from her parents, but didn’t start gardening until she grew up and moved to Alameda. Here, the unamended sandy soil made it ridiculously easy to work in. So, over time, in went any number of roses bushes, tomato plants and a scattering of fruit trees. Which of course led to an excess of backyard produce. When her friend Amanda Bruemmer co-founded ABG in March, 2010, suddenly there were other locals to compare notes with. And eventually there was Project Pick as an outlet for her bounty. Marla is a founding member of ABG's board and its Community Events and Outreach Committee (CEOC). In 2016 she oversaw ABG's development of Project Tree in partnership with the Alameda Sun to bring more fruit and shade trees to Alameda yards. Marla has run Fruit Tree Pruning and Tree Care Workshops and written articles for ABG's monthly column in the Alameda Sun. She also grows flats of tomato, veggie, herb and flower starts every year for ABG’s Spring Plant Sale. Marla currently volunteers in the orchard at APC’s Farm2Market and answers the occasional gardening question on Quora. She’s also the current ABG Board Vice President and co-lead of the Community Event & Outreach Committee (CEOC).
Sarah Miller believes in blooming where you are planted. Committed to community, equity, local food access and sustainable agriculture, she joins the Alameda Backyard Growers Board after completing an organic farm apprenticeship at Cloud Mountain Farm Center, Alameda County Master Gardener program, the UC Master Beekeeper exam, and is in her fourth-year with San Francisco Bee Cause. Sarah currently works for Alameda Point Collaborative's Farm2Market where she is an Assistant Farm Manager, as well as Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project in East Oakland as a Operations Manager. Sarah is excited to be working with ABG to support the behind the scenes operations of the organization. She hopes that her experience and enthusiasm will contribute to the continued experiential learning of others in her community. Sarah helps ABG with social media.
Jillian Saxty is an independent graphic and web designer who has lived in Alameda since 1995. She is also the Communications and Development Director for the Alameda Education Foundation. She joined Alameda Backyard Growers in 2010, helped form it into a non-profit in 2012, ran ABG’s Project Pick until last year, and is currently serving as Recording Secretary for the Board. In her spare time she loves gardening and taking care of her fruit trees, and doing anything she can to make Alameda the greenest little town in America!
Liz Warmerdam is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of personal gardening. Originally from upstate New York, Liz is used to short but mighty growing seasons. As a kid, one of her fondest memories is eating warm summer cucumbers straight off the vine and picking strawberries from nearby fields to make jam with her mom. One can only imagine her delight in moving to Alameda (over 25 years ago) with its nearly year-round growing season. Recently, Liz made the bold move of pulling out her entire front lawn in order to plant a vegetable garden. Taking a cue from her family’s French heritage, she planted what’s called a “potage”, also known as a year-round kitchen garden, carefully chosen for its southern exposure. While the passion is there, Liz is still working on the patience needed to properly plan and tend her neighborhood-friendly plot. When Liz isn’t gardening, she is enjoying retirement from working 25 years in local government, several of which were here in the special island of Alameda. She is the President of the Board.
