Meet Our Team
Sara L. Stewart, RN, MSN
Executive Director, Board President
In 2008, Sara saw the need for fresh, barrier-free food in our community and decided to grow a garden. This spout of an idea has grown and spread throughout our region providing opportunities, resources, and life-long relationships. Her passion for connecting people to healthy food and each other keeps her striving to make this "outrageous" idea the standard everywhere. Contact Sara [email protected]
Executive Director, Board President
In 2008, Sara saw the need for fresh, barrier-free food in our community and decided to grow a garden. This spout of an idea has grown and spread throughout our region providing opportunities, resources, and life-long relationships. Her passion for connecting people to healthy food and each other keeps her striving to make this "outrageous" idea the standard everywhere. Contact Sara [email protected]
Katie Lane
Director of Operations
Katie joined Unity Gardens as an intern in 2021 and has since taken on the role of Director of Operations. She oversees all aspects of the day to day at Unity Gardens, including our full time staff, internship program, Giving Grove partnership, satellite gardens, and our main free-pick garden. She's always happy to talk gardening or fruit trees or rock climbing. Contact Katie [email protected]
Director of Operations
Katie joined Unity Gardens as an intern in 2021 and has since taken on the role of Director of Operations. She oversees all aspects of the day to day at Unity Gardens, including our full time staff, internship program, Giving Grove partnership, satellite gardens, and our main free-pick garden. She's always happy to talk gardening or fruit trees or rock climbing. Contact Katie [email protected]
Danny Davis
Assistant Director
Danny joined us in August of 2023 as a jack of all trades. Contact Danny [email protected]
Assistant Director
Danny joined us in August of 2023 as a jack of all trades. Contact Danny [email protected]
Emily Haluda
Educator
Emily was born and raised in St. Joseph County, and lives in the local community. She enjoys hiking, kayaking on the St. Joe river, mixed media art, family, and bluegrass music. Tommy Boy is her two year old dog. She graduated from Lake Superior State University with a bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation and an associates degree in Natural Resource Technology. She worked with the Cass County Conservation District, as a Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program Technician. Before then, she worked in summer camp programming, and child development.
Contact Emily [email protected]
Educator
Emily was born and raised in St. Joseph County, and lives in the local community. She enjoys hiking, kayaking on the St. Joe river, mixed media art, family, and bluegrass music. Tommy Boy is her two year old dog. She graduated from Lake Superior State University with a bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation and an associates degree in Natural Resource Technology. She worked with the Cass County Conservation District, as a Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program Technician. Before then, she worked in summer camp programming, and child development.
Contact Emily [email protected]
Hannah Bansen
Product Coordinator
Hannah joined Unity Gardens as an intern in 2023. She now keeps our products in stock, keeping inventory, making soaps, pouring honey, and much more. She still really likes transplanting tomatoes. Contact Hannah [email protected]
Product Coordinator
Hannah joined Unity Gardens as an intern in 2023. She now keeps our products in stock, keeping inventory, making soaps, pouring honey, and much more. She still really likes transplanting tomatoes. Contact Hannah [email protected]
Will Russell
Construction & Maintenance
Will is a union carpenter who joined us in August of 2023. who loves building opportunities with new people in the community and taking the time to help build further possibilities for children. He wants to give back one day at a time, one moment at a time, and one gift at a time. Will's goal is to connect communities with less opportunities to resources and possibilities to ensure everyone has potential for the future. Contact Will [email protected]
Construction & Maintenance
Will is a union carpenter who joined us in August of 2023. who loves building opportunities with new people in the community and taking the time to help build further possibilities for children. He wants to give back one day at a time, one moment at a time, and one gift at a time. Will's goal is to connect communities with less opportunities to resources and possibilities to ensure everyone has potential for the future. Contact Will [email protected]
Molly Carlisle
HR Manager
Molly has been with Unity Gardens since July 2022 and helps to promote a cohesive, supportive, and efficient working environment. She aids in the hiring of new interns and full time staff and she helps with harvest during the growing season. Molly loves growing food almost as much as she loves growing community. Contact Molly [email protected]
HR Manager
Molly has been with Unity Gardens since July 2022 and helps to promote a cohesive, supportive, and efficient working environment. She aids in the hiring of new interns and full time staff and she helps with harvest during the growing season. Molly loves growing food almost as much as she loves growing community. Contact Molly [email protected]
Selina Alcantar
Outreach and Events Coordinator
Selina is a South Bend local and recent graduate from Saint Mary's College with a degree in biology, with a concentration in environment, ecology, and evolution, and a minor in environmental studies. Selina's goal is to spread joy and the Unity Garden mission to all that want to listen.
Contact Selina [email protected]
Outreach and Events Coordinator
Selina is a South Bend local and recent graduate from Saint Mary's College with a degree in biology, with a concentration in environment, ecology, and evolution, and a minor in environmental studies. Selina's goal is to spread joy and the Unity Garden mission to all that want to listen.
Contact Selina [email protected]
Chad Bartalone
Chad Bartalone is a recent graduate of IUSB School of Social Work pursuing a graduate degree in clinical therapy. Prior to joining the team at Unity Gardens, Chad worked for the past twenty years as a firefighter and paramedic in the Southwest Michigan area and later for the South Bend Fire Department. He lives on the west side of South Bend with his wife Raquel and two children. Chad facilitates a men's support group here at Unity Gardens called "Contemplate" and is undergoing training to serve as the new beekeeper.
Chad Bartalone is a recent graduate of IUSB School of Social Work pursuing a graduate degree in clinical therapy. Prior to joining the team at Unity Gardens, Chad worked for the past twenty years as a firefighter and paramedic in the Southwest Michigan area and later for the South Bend Fire Department. He lives on the west side of South Bend with his wife Raquel and two children. Chad facilitates a men's support group here at Unity Gardens called "Contemplate" and is undergoing training to serve as the new beekeeper.
Intern Team
Ana Carmona
Ana is a current IUSB student majoring in Social Work. She wants to be a medical social worker once she graduates. She has a passion for helping others in her community. One of her hobbies is gardening; she hopes to learn and gain experience so she can have her own little garden in the future. Ana is also bilingual in Spanish!
Ana is a current IUSB student majoring in Social Work. She wants to be a medical social worker once she graduates. She has a passion for helping others in her community. One of her hobbies is gardening; she hopes to learn and gain experience so she can have her own little garden in the future. Ana is also bilingual in Spanish!
Katy Whittaker
Katy is a senior at Indiana University in South Bend. She's a social work major with a criminal justice minor. Katy loves learning about agriculture. She grew up doing 4-H and working with animals and is excited to learn about how the social work and agriculture worlds can combine to teach people how to provide food and animal products for themselves and their loved ones!
Katy is a senior at Indiana University in South Bend. She's a social work major with a criminal justice minor. Katy loves learning about agriculture. She grew up doing 4-H and working with animals and is excited to learn about how the social work and agriculture worlds can combine to teach people how to provide food and animal products for themselves and their loved ones!
Yvette Williams
Yvette has been a longtime supporter of Unity Gardens. She works in our Welcome Center to meet those who come in, share what we've got going on, and spends her extra time making products for the farmers market and learning about gardening.
Yvette has been a longtime supporter of Unity Gardens. She works in our Welcome Center to meet those who come in, share what we've got going on, and spends her extra time making products for the farmers market and learning about gardening.
Eve Morningstar
Eve is a South Bend native and a woman of the woods. She is a barefooter, forager, and lifelong student of nature. She is a budding herbalist and is interested in pursuing clinical and community herbalism. Eve is very passionate about holistic health and teaching others how to re-establish their connection with nature and re-wild themselves within a society that strives to hinder us from living in harmony with the natural rhythms of the earth. Through Unity Gardens, she hopes to foster a deep connection between people and plants within her community.
Eve is a South Bend native and a woman of the woods. She is a barefooter, forager, and lifelong student of nature. She is a budding herbalist and is interested in pursuing clinical and community herbalism. Eve is very passionate about holistic health and teaching others how to re-establish their connection with nature and re-wild themselves within a society that strives to hinder us from living in harmony with the natural rhythms of the earth. Through Unity Gardens, she hopes to foster a deep connection between people and plants within her community.
Mr. Randy Miller
Randy enjoys meeting new people, learning new things and loves to workout! his goal in life is to be a positive influence in the lives of others.
Randy enjoys meeting new people, learning new things and loves to workout! his goal in life is to be a positive influence in the lives of others.
Cheryl Langlois
Tobias Neil
Paige Waldron