Meet the Board
Read about our board members! Many of our staff are also board members, read about them on the Meet the Staff page!
Allison Pratt-Szeliga
Allison grew up chasing salamanders, skipping stones, and building bridges in a ravine behind her childhood home in Upstate New York. As an adult, she still loves to play in the dirt. Allison is currently the Corn Breeding Program Manager at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI). Prior to her time at MFAI, she worked in Niger, West Africa as an Agriculture Extension Agent with the Peace Corps on issues of food security, value added agricultural products, and with field crops of sesame, millet, and sorghum. Previously she co-managed approximately 30 acres of organic urban and suburban community gardens at Capital Roots in Upstate New York. She now uses her home vegetable garden as a setting to teach her young children how to grow food, respect nature, watch insects, make mud pies, and play in the dirt.
Allison is a Board Member.
Rebecca Rohrer
Rebecca has always loved the natural world. This love resulted in a childhood spent outside exploring the kettles of Southeastern Wisconsin and eventually lead her to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point where she earned a biology degree. This was followed by a Masters in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
After nursing school she spent time organic farming, milking both cows and goats and raising many types of fowl: chickens, turkeys, geese and guinea. She also invested in her community with the opening of a family farm to table cafe.
Most recently she spends her time raising her three children working to also provide them with a childhood immersed in the natural world. She is honored to be part of the Board of Humble Oak bringing to life a vision to benefit the community and the environment.
Rebecca is a Board Member.
Chanda Droske
Chanda has a passion for learning and helping others. As a small-town kid, she played outside daily and has come to appreciate the importance of connecting with the earth as an adult. Today, Chanda is a local farmer, mother, and artist. Her degree in Fine Arts Ceramics and Art Education led her to working with children as an elementary art teacher for several years. She has taught art to people of all ages in public schools and community education classes. Since becoming a mother, her focus has shifted to raising her son, Leon. Her passions include growing organic food with her family, making pottery, and going on adventures with Leon. She and her husband continue to develop a small farm where they offer fresh, homegrown, organic food to their local community.
Chanda is a Board Member.
Ross Wiemer
Ross Wiemer lives in Burlington with his wife, Jenni, and children Reid and Jolene.
Ross has degrees in Secondary Education and Biology from Valparaiso university, where he was also a 4-year letter winner in Football.
Ross started his professional career as a high school science teacher and now works as a Sales Manager for an accounting & finance services company.
Ross is in involved in the Burlington area community through LifeBridge Church as well as being a co-owner in Burlington Coffee Company.
Ross is a board member.
Matthew Sylvester-Knudtson
Bio and pic coming soon!!!
Matthew is a board member.