Staff
Charlotte Rodina, Director, she/her
A love for food and being outside led Charlotte to gardening and farming. She started out her farming journey by lending a hand on her uncle’s market farm near Pittsburgh, PA and then spent a year working on sustainable farms, learning different styles of farming, in Italy and Scotland. An AmeriCorps position led her to Knoxville where she managed the Center for Urban Agriculture and started a school garden at Pellissippi State Community College. Charlotte believes everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy foods and is grateful to demonstrate the empowerment that comes with gardening at Beardsley Farm.
Sarah Heizenroth, Education Coordinator, she/her
Sarah’s first experience in the garden happened as an AmeriCorps member in Austin, TX. She immediately fell in love and spent much of her free time volunteering in community gardens and establishing a garden at her service site where she supported young adults experiencing homelessness. That passion for growing and sharing food led her to work on a teaching farm, a few small scale organic production farms, and volunteer with a variety of organizations working to foster food security in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Sarah is excited to be able to promote food justice and education with Knoxville’s community.
Maryl Burke, School Gardens Coordinator, she/her
Maryl loves all things outdoors, gardening, and children. She has spent many years in Montessori classrooms and finished AMS Montessori training. Maryl feels blessed to be able to combine her love of being in the sunshine and eating delicious, fresh, farm food with her passion for hands-on education in her role at Beardsely. She believes all children benefit when they have opportunities to engage with natural systems and the life cycle of their food and is happy to be able to share this with children in public schools around Knoxville.
Riley Douglas, Community Garden and Distribution Manager, she/they
Riley is an artist and maker in Knox County. Her practice delves into the history of Appalachian craft and building natural dye gardens. She is a Board Member of the Museum of Infinite Outcomes and a certified Master Gardener from The University of Tennessee, specializing in growing, harvesting, and manipulating dye plants. Riley's personal and professional practices focus on a maker's role in creating sustainable methodologies and lifestyles. During the pandemic, she took on a new project of serving AmeriCorps with low-income and elderly housing to teach garden-to-table gardening and creative workshops like dying with kitchen scraps, container gardening for limited time or mobility, and gardening for your health. With Beardsley Farm she is excited to grow Knoxville's Community gardens. She believes that communities- like gardens- best thrive with engagement, diversity, and a deep understanding of the rituals of biomes and life cycles.
Lia Bevins, Farm Manager, she/her
Lia was very young when she first trampled through her grandmother’s garden in Southwest, VA. Here, she grew to appreciate nature while hiking through the Blue Ridge Mountains, picking buckets of raspberries every summer with her family, and starting a garden of her own. Lia has experienced the healing abilities of growing food and spending days digging in the dirt and hopes to help others enjoy these benefits as well. After two years working on a CSA farm she is excited to work at Beardsley Farm helping to promote food security within Knoxville.
Mary Woody, Special Projects Coordinator, she/her
Born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Mary moved to the Knoxville area in 2015. After serving two terms as a CAC AmeriCorps VISTA (2018-20) she was hired on as a Special Projects Coordinator, helping Beardsley with tasks ranging from grant writing to CRM management. When not enjoying time with her husband and dog in their gardens, you’ll either find Mary with her nose in a book or her head in the clouds. She has held her Private Pilot Certificate since 2004 and enjoys flying single-engine aircraft in and around East TN.
Sweet William, Director of Reception and Rodent Control, he/him
Sweet “Willie” Willam adopted Beardsley Farm in 2020, when then AmeriCorps member Connie Flachs and Sarah Heizenroth recognized his exceptional skills and were able to persuade him to join the team. Willie is quick to welcome each volunteer, enjoys showing off the farm with guided tours, serves as delightful entertainment when he scales the greenhouse or demands fresh water from the fountain, and is a beloved addition to our team. Look for his likeness on our Beardsley Farm t-shirts with custom artwork by Beardsley AmeriCorps alum Emma Vieser.
AmeriCorps Members
CAC Beardsley Community Farm would not be where it is today without the service of its AmeriCorps members. Since 1998, Beardsley has been staffed with anywhere between two and eight of these full-time volunteers. Our AmeriCorps members assist in the daily management of the farm, run educational outreach programs, and work with volunteers.
Mak Harmon, AmeriCorps Member, they/them
Mak is a food justice activist from East Tennessee. Growing up in Appalachia, they have always felt a strong connection to our shared natural world. In 2021, they decided to combine their passion for feeding people, creating equitable communities, and ending food apartheid to become a farmer/gardener. They are dedicated to the collective effort of decolonizing our food systems and restoring food sovereignty by engaging in sustainable agriculture, helping others access fresh produce, providing people with the tools to grow their own food, and building strong communities of mutual aid and support. Throughout their year with Beardsley, Mak hopes to deepen their knowledge on the interconnectedness of plant, animal, and human life, meet lots of new friends from across Knoxville, and, most importantly, feed their neighbors.
Melise Elliott, AmeriCorps Vista Member, she/her
Melise is an artist and metalsmith originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. She cherishes and values connections with the community around her and enjoys getting her hands dirty with any craft and project. The longer she spends in Appalachia, the more drawn to grassroots action and living she is. At Beardsley she is excited to learn about sustainable agriculture, bridging the gap within our food systems, and to get further involved in the Knoxville community.
Jodie Johnson, AmeriCorps Member, they/them
Jodie believes that everyone deserves access to delicious, nutritious food. They are excited to learn alongside the children in the school gardens as they discover the wonders of East Tennessee plants and food systems.
Emily Weathers, AmeriCorps Member, she/her
Emily is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and recent escapee from the clutches of Starbucks Coffee Company. She enjoys film photography, listening to music, hanging out with her homies, and spending time in nature! Seeking a fresh start from the vicious cycle of her previous job, Emily is excited to see what this year has in store for her. Learning new skills, helping her community, and working in the great outdoors is exactly the kind of work she’s been looking for and Beardsley offers that and more!
Giuliana Castillo, AmeriCorps Member, she/her
Giuliana is a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she studied Economics and Plant Sciences. In this americorp position she hopes to expand her agricultural knowledge and become more familiar with Beardsley’s educational and food distribution programs. Giuliana loves to spend time outside and learning all things related to plants and soil.
Parker Owens, Americorps Member, he/him
Parker is from Caryville, Tennessee and is a recent graduate from Maryville College with a degree in Health and Wellness Promotion. He works closely with Beardsley Farm supporting and maintaining their community gardens across Knoxville. Parker is excited to learn more about gardening and is interested in learning how community gardens can help alleviate food insecurity and support the health of our local community members. Some of Parker’s passions include running, photography, and 3D printing.
