Koiner Farm is managed by a cooperative team, each bringing their own unique experiences and skill set to the farm.
MEET THE TEAM
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Kate Medina
Founder &
Executive Director
In addition to managing the business side of organization, Kate helps out at the farm with special projects and upgrades. Kate can be found at Koiner Farm on Thursday mornings and during field trips and events. As a former Biology professor, Kate is particularly interested in the potential to use urban farms as an living classroom and inspiration for project-based STEM education.
Contact: kate@ckcfarming.org
Hannah Sholder
Founder &
Deputy Director
As the Deputy Director, Hannah wears many hats for the organization - she manages all on-farm events , as well as internships & volunteerships, Hannah's background is in urban planning with a focus on land preservation and affordable housing. Hannah likes to share stories about her days working with Charlie Koiner, and is passionate about carrying on the practices and traditions of older generations. She can be found at the farms on market nights. Hannah is a Fulbright Scholar and graduate of Wellesley College (BA) and University of California Berkeley (MAs)
Contact: hannah@ckcfarming.org
Emily Sells
Head Farm Manager
Emily is an Indiana native with a BA in Environmental Science from Earlham College. Growing her own food has diversified her palate and expanded her love for cooking. She enjoys educating people about how farming has shifted over the past 50 years to support big agriculture, where the taste of food and health of the environment are an afterthought. Emily has hiked 500 miles of the Ap Trail and enjoys exploring the DMV network of park trails. She brings this crazy energy to CKC by overseeing all aspects of plant care.
Contact: emily@ckcfarming.org
Melanie Wright
Farm Educator 9-12
Melanie is a National Board Certified Teacher with a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Master's Degree in Secondary Education. With a deep-rooted commitment to both teaching and sustainable gardening/farming, Melanie has dedicated her life to nurturing minds and cultivating the land. As the Farm Educator for grades 9-12, Melanie is eager to blend her love for education and agriculture to inspire and empower the next generation of farmers. A native of Silver Spring and former teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools, Melanie is excited to support Loiederman School Farm.
Danila Sheveiko
Farmer
Growing up with daily chores on his grandma’s small subsistence farm, Danila appreciates the power of farm-to-table culture to transform diets, improve health, and reconnect people to the land. Danila’s mom, an accomplished gardener in her own right, introduced him to Charlie Koiner, and a tradition was born. After Charlie broke new ground all those years ago, Danila is following in his footsteps as the second farmer in Montgomery County’s urban agriculture program – bringing to CKC working knowledge of edible and medicinal native plants, ecosystem restoration, permaculture, mushroom growing, and beekeeping.
Jessie Sholder
Farm Educator K-8
Jessie is thrilled to bring her expertise as an educator to CKC. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Jessie has over 18 years experience as an elementary classroom teacher. She has certifications in Elementary General & Special Education and a Masters degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Jessie leads the K-8 farm field trip curriculum with local schools. She also works with the high school interns, and the Care Farmers at Koiner Farm.
Solange Dade
Volunteer Crew Leader
Solange is an avid plant lover! Her children, grandchild, and family members will attest that she spends most of her time either gardening, researching gardening methods, or thinking about gardening. She became a Koiner Farm Volunteer Crew Leader in 2024 and greatly enjoys the opportunity to further expand her gardening knowledge and to be around like-minded people.
Joan Kennedy
Volunteer Crew Leader
Joan is a skilled gardener and long-time neighbor of Koiner Farm. Joan works with several volunteer crews and they get more work done in one evening than most of us get done in a whole day. Find Joan at Koiner Farm on Sunday evenings.
Cris Weals
Volunteer Crew Leader
Cris is a retired and recovering lawyer with a love of gardening. Cris is originally from Ohio, but moved to D.C. about 35 years ago. Cris comes from a long line of plant lovers... his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all horticulturalists. He is happy to be able to continue their legacy and persue his own passions at Koiner Farm! Find Cris at Koiner Farm on Thursday evenings.
Evelyn Jemionek
Volunteer Crew Leader
Evelyn is Koiner Farm's most tenured volunteer. She started working for Charlie Koiner back in the early 2000's. Evelyn now manages the Koiner Farm harvest crew on Thursday mornings. Evelyn is also the inspriation and name sake of the annually awarded Evelyn Jemionek Volunteer of the Year Award bestowed upon a volunteer who exhibits exceptional commitment to the people and plants.
Our Team works alongside Volunteers, Interns, Board Members, Neighborhood Liaisons and passionate community members to ensure that the protected lands under CKC's stewardship are continuously serving the needs and wants of the local community.
This work falls into three core areas...
Food Production
Ag Education
Land Stewardship
...and requires an avenue for community participation and input at each level. ​
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(1) The Farm Management & Food Production Team was formed in 2019 and consists of professional farmers, volunteers and interns all working side by side to collaboratively care for the farm. They are responsible for taking care of all things related to the soil and crops. Issues, such as, what to plant, how to address soil deficiencies, how to naturally manage pest problem, and who will repair broken equipment, are solved collaboratively. To join the Farm Management Team contact hannah@ckcfarming.org (PLEASE NOTE: we maintain a waitlist of volunteers and interns for Koiner Farm, but we are trying to start a second farm!)
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(2) The Ag Education Team formed in late 2021 and is composed of professional farm educators, volunteers and advisors from the community. The Farm Education Team is responsible for fulfilling CKC's nonprofit education purpose. They manage the Field Trips Program, the Learning Hubs Program, the Kids'Corner Program and all on-farm and off-farm Workshops, Tours, and Conferences. The Education Team is seeking participation from active/retired/aspiring teachers. If you would like to contribute to the Farm Education Team contact kate@ckcfarming.org.
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(3) The Land Stewardship Team consists of East Silver Spring residents, who have come to known as the Neighborhood Liaisons of Koiner Farm. This dynamic team consists of community leaders who hail from diverse backgrounds and poses a strong desire to provide more equitable and functional access to healthy land and food for their community. The work of the Neighborhood Liaisons includes fostering relationships with renters, immigrants, and non-native English speakers, as well as with small local businesses (particularly minority-owned businesses, culturally significant artisans and musicians, and fellow nonprofits). The Neighborhood Liaisons help promote our SNAP/WIC benefits, recruit culturally relevant vendors for our Farm Market, and translate materials to Persian/Dari, Amharic, French and Spanish. To become a Neighborhood Liaison, please contact Hannah at hannah@ckcfarming.org.
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CHECK OUT OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FOR MORE KOINER FARM HAPPENINGS!