The 21 Acres Team!

 Left to Right: front row: Debora Boeck, Kathy Kill, Dale Nelson, Gretchen Garth, Michele Lang, Joanne Hedou, Claire Thomas; back row: Laura Ruderman, Kirk Robinson, Clayton Burrows, Daniel Whitsell, Steve Dahl, Vince Carlson, Dave Muelheisen, Brenda Vanderloop.

Debora Boeck Ed.D.,
21 Acres Executive Director

The Board of Directors of 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living recently appointed Debora Boeck, Ed.D., as Executive Director.
     Boeck has led 21 Acres as facilitator and consultant providing expertise in organizational management and board development. She has been instrumental in putting into place partnership agreements, strategic plans and guiding policies.
     Debora worked in the education and non-profit fields for more than 30 years and is president of Educational Management Consultants, Inc.  She received her doctorate from Seattle University
in 1979.

Programs Committee

MaryAnne Adams, 21 Acres Native Plant Steward

MaryAnne can usually be found every Friday laboring in the Native Plant Garden at 21 Acres. A long-term dedicated volunteer herself, MaryAnne leads volunteer and student groups in maintaining and restoring an area that was previously overgrown with blackberries and invasive plants. She is an experienced gardener and creates beautiful metal objects that she offers at garden shows and farmers markets.

Clayton Burrows, 21 Acres Farm Manager

As Farm Manager, Clayton leads the 21 Acres and Growing Washington farm team in cultivating more than seven acres growing over 50 different varieties of  local food. The seasons change but Clayton's commitment to farming is year round. He has played a major role in restoring the farmland at 21 Acres from acreage previously overgrown with blackberries and invasive weeds.
      The 21 Acres community farm grows food for families, farmers markets, schools and hunger relief. 
     Clayton is the Director of Growing Washington and the Farm Programs Director with the Washington State University Small Farms Program.
 

Lila and David Chapman, 21 Acres Livestock Managers

Lila and David represent the Sammamish Valley 4-H, with support from the Sammamish Valley Grange,  providing daily care and love to our popular and hard working sheep and goats. Along with being active 4-H leaders in the community, the Chapmans have served for the past eight years as Extension Livestock Advisers, trained through the WSU program.

Steve Dahl, 21 Acres Volunteer Coordinator

Steve can be found just about any day, rain or shine,  at 21 Acres leading a youth or student group in any number of projects.  As Executive Director of Teen Northshore, Steve monitors and advocates on behalf of the needs of North Shore youth and their families; to promote recreation, education, life skills, employment, and training, in addition to other activities. Steve is a dedicated and committed volunteer with 21 Acres.
     He also serves as a youth liaison among businesses and schools, private as well as public agencies.

Vincent Felice, 21 Acres Agricultural Programs Manager

Vincent along with the Growing Washington farm team, is intent on making 21 acres a place to learn and grow as farmers, along with the community they educate.

Joanne Hedou, Grants Consultant

Joanne is an Environmental Planner who honed her fundraising skills at local non-profits. She came to 21 Acres in June of 2007 to offer assistance in grant writing and development and has found that her experience at these non-profits and her time spent on the original mapping and permit review of Critical Areas in King County have prepared her well to help build 21 Acres programs. In her view, 21 Acres will serve the local community well into the future and someday set the standard for communities throughout the US in regaining control of their local food systems. Joanne can’t believe how lucky she is to be part of this visionary organization!

Michele Lang, 21 Acres Project Coordinator

Shelley McIntyre, 21 Acres Volunteer

Shelley shares her background in nutrition and business consulting. She is also a Community Gardener at 21 Acres. Shelley is a volunteer with 21 Acres.

Laura Ruderman, Fundraising Consultant

Laura had the distinguished honor of becoming the first Democrat ever reelected to the 45th Legislative District, which encompasses several communities in east King County.
     Laura is an active leader in our community. Through her leadership, she has contributed to the success of federal initiatives to reduce poverty, encourage work, and provide opportunities to children in disenfranchised communities.

Brenda Vanderloop, 21 Acres PR & Communications Consultant

Brenda leads the 21 Acres marketing team developing stronger relationships in the community and effectively building a diverse audience promoting the many programs and activities within the organization. Brenda  also serves as webmaster and provides a wealth of knowledge  to 21 Acres having lived in the community  for twenty years. Brenda is a contract consultant with 21 Acres.

Brenda, sole proprietor of Vanderloop Communications, consults with a variety of businesses and organizations offering promotion and media services. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire in Communications/Broadcasting and Journalism.

Daniel Whitsell, 21 Acres Permaculture Consultant

To contact the Board of Directors, Programs Committee or Consultants e-mail: generalinfo@21acres.org.