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 to the Director
Danny joined us in August of 2023 as a jack of all trades. Contact Danny [email protected].
Assistant to the Director
Danny joined us in August of 2023 as a jack of all trades. Contact Danny [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]
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]
Eve Morningstar
Horticultural Lead
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.
Horticultural Lead
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.
Randy Miller
Volunteer and Intern Coordinator
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. Contact Randy: [email protected]
Volunteer and Intern Coordinator
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. Contact Randy: [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.
Paige Waldron
Tobias Neil
Intern Team
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!
Taylor Hill
Taylor Hill is an intern with Unity Gardens. She is interested in how we as humans can work with, and for, our environment, rather than against it. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Landscaping at Ivy Tech, and enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking, and animals.
Taylor Hill is an intern with Unity Gardens. She is interested in how we as humans can work with, and for, our environment, rather than against it. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Landscaping at Ivy Tech, and enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking, and animals.
Cheryl Langlois
Donna Rock
Donna is working on her Masters of Social Work. She likes to travel and hang out with friends and family, especially her beagles and cats. She loves helping others when she can and loves to see people smile! She has a close relationship with God and has faith in herself and others.
Donna is working on her Masters of Social Work. She likes to travel and hang out with friends and family, especially her beagles and cats. She loves helping others when she can and loves to see people smile! She has a close relationship with God and has faith in herself and others.