Jill Jacklitz joined CGW as the Executive Director in the Spring of 2010. She has worked in progressive nonprofits as a direct service provider, lobbyist, and manager. Most recently she taught social policy, community and organizational development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work. Jill currently serves on the Dane County Food Council and the Board of the Farley Center for Peace, Justice & Sustainability. She lives on the near east side of Madison with her partner, two children, and two dogs. When she's not at CGW, Jill can often be found in her kitchen cooking up scrumptious meals from her CSA box or baking elaborate cakes.
Staff Directory
Kate Sullivan
Associate Director
Kate Sullivan joined CGW as the Associate Director in the summer of 2011. For the last 18 years she has worked as a community development practitioner, writing grants and managing programs/projects on behalf of local governments and organizations in Wisconsin. Kate entered the not-for-profit arena as a VISTA volunteer in Iowa City, Iowa, and later earned her master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the UW-Madison. A native of Virginia, Kate is fond of the Blue Ridge Mountains but adores the abundance of lakes and open space in Wisconsin. She lives on the north side of Madison and is a proud Troy community gardener. When she is not dreaming about her next trip to Ireland, Kate is spending time with family and friends, cooking and enjoying the outdoors.
Claire Strader
Farm Manager
Claire Strader is the Farm Manager for Troy Community Farm and the Director of Madison FarmWorks. She has worked in organic agriculture for 16 years as both a farmer and an educator and has been with us at Troy since 2001. During that time she transformed our farm from an abandoned weedy parcel into a highly productive, organic vegetable farm serving CSA, farmers’ market, and wholesale outlets. Claire also grows food on her Madison lawn, keeps bees in her backyard (in addition to the farm apiary), and likes to dance with her homemade-irrigation-pipe hula hoop.
Jake Hoeksema
Assistant Farm Manager
Jacob Hoeksema is the assistant manager for Troy Community Farm. He loves to grow food for other people and has been doing so professionally for seven years now. In addition to farming at Troy, he also lives in the cohousing community with his wife and two-year-old son. In the winter Jake can often be found pursuing his other passion: sleeping outside in the cold.
Julie Engel
Farm Crew Leader
Julie Engel is the Farm Crew Leader at Troy Community Farm. She has farmed since 2005, starting with livestock, then dairy sheep, and moving onto vegetables in 2009. When she’s not hanging out with vegetables and people at Troy, she works on “The Coney Garth,” as she calls it, which is how she raises meat rabbits on grass without cages. She was recently awarded a SARE grant to continue working on this project and hopes to spread the habit of eating more rabbit. She also loves to cook, a direct result of working with fabulous ingredients. And ride her bike.
Nathan Larson
Education Director
Nathan Larson, Education Director, has worked as a garden and nature educator for the past ten years. He currently develops, coordinates and evaluates urban farm and garden programs for pre-K-12 students. He also writes curriculum and provides professional development for school teachers and community educators. Nathan is a Senior Outreach Specialist in the Department of Landscape Architecture at UW-Madison and member of the Wisconsin Farm to School Coalition. Nathan lives with his wife and daughter at Troy Gardens. He believes that the best way to begin protecting our natural world is to find daily joy in outdoor work and play - steady conservation is rooted in love.
Elizabeth Gering
Youth Grow Local Coordinator
Elizabeth Gering, Youth Grow Local Coordinator, has been with Community GroundWorks since the spring of 2009. She focuses on supporting community-based youth gardening projects at schools, community gardens, and community centers in the Madison Area and in Wood County. Elizabeth is dedicated to connecting youth to the land so that they may create healthy, sustainable communities in the future. When she is not digging in the dirt, she can be found dreaming up her future homestead or practicing the art of Aikido.
Megan Cain
Program Manager
Megan Cain is the Program Manager for the East High Community Farm and Madison FarmWorks. She has been involved in gardening and farming for the last 9 years. Her diverse experiences include working in a market garden at an eco-village in Missouri, re-designing a garden at a bed and breakfast in Hawaii, and creating the Kids’ Garden at Troy Gardens. Her passions revolve around growing food and teaching others how to get their hands dirty in the garden. When it gets too cold to garden, Megan retreats to her mosaic studio to create art, teach classes, and work on public art projects.
Amber Gray
Natural Areas Coordinator
Amber is the Urban Natural Areas Coordinator at Community GroundWorks. She joined the staff in July 2011 and is excited to join the community and take care of the land. Amber received an Environmental Studies Certificate and B.S. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since then, she's explored New York, Idaho, and Wisconsin while involved in environmental education and interpretation, land and water management, and clean energy. Coming back to her alma mater, you can find her enjoying the terrace and taking advantage of Madison's amazing natural areas.