Meet Our Team

Amber Albee

Northside Farm Manager

Amber Albee (she/her) is the Farm Manager at our Northside Farm. Amber began her journey with Shalom as a Farmer in Residence back in 2017. Before that, she worked with and for farmers around the globe, striving to deepen her relationship with the plants that sustain us, and the farmers who sustain them. Amber graduated from the University of Connecticut with a dual degree in Agriculture & Resource Economics and Human Rights. Amber holds boundless gratitude for the family members who harvested wild blackberries and foraged mushrooms alongside her in her youth, helping to pass on a deep reverence for the earth. All this and more has intertwined to create a profound desire to work towards creating a food system that serves everyone and is rooted in respect, justice, and equity. While off the farm, Amber can be found cruising around town on her bicycle or relaxing with a warm cup of tea.

Arin Burke

Volunteer and Education Coordinator

Arin (she/her) is the Volunteer and Education Coordinator at the Powhatan Farm. She has worked on and off with the organization for the last 7 years. During the time she wasn’t working with Shalom, she was traveling through Europe and North Africa, eventually settling for two years in the south of Spain. During her time abroad, Arin taught full time in a public school and spent her free-time volunteering at a nearby vegetable farm and farmer’s market, drinking rioja and dancing to reggaeton. These days, when not dreaming about vegetables or far away lands, she can be found doing something she’s good at (like cooking spicy meals or thrifting the perfect pair of jeans) or practicing something she’s not (like tacking her little, blue sailboat or throwing anything symmetrical on a potter’s wheel).

Marc Charbonier

Farmer in Residence

Marc (they/them) is so happy to be returning to the Shalom Farms team as a Farmer in Residence again this season. Having studied Sociology and Environmental Science at William & Mary, Marc believes that all forms of social injustice manifest within our food systems and wants to be a part of building alternative systems that are rooted in justice, community well-being, and a mutually beneficial relationship with the earth. Marc’s favorite things are well-loved couches, long hugs, sunlight shining through the leaves, and staring at the moon. At any given moment, you can probably find them dyeing their hair bright colors or searching for Richmond’s best lavender latte. They love people and the earth, and see their work at Shalom Farms as a wonderful way to be caring for both.

Carena Miles

Northside Volunteer & Education Coordinator

Carena Miles (she/he/they) is the Volunteer and Education Coordinator at Northside Farms. She would describe herself as a quiet old soul with a subtle Leo ego. From Fredericksburg, Virginia, her dedication to land stewardship and food sovereignty grew from time spent outdoors roaming her grandparents’ rural farm land. The great granddaughter of a Black sharecropper, Carena lends a valuable knowledge of the historic inequity, survival, and joy amid Black farmers and growers. She has a M.A. in Food Studies from NYU, a B.S. in Biology from Hampton University and a Farm School NYC alum. A recent resident to Richmond City, Carena is having a blast digging through the thrift stores, learning the history of her neighborhood (Jackson Ward), and finding her community in RVA.

Steve Miles

Director of Farm Operations

Steve Miles (he/him) is the Director of Farm Operations for Shalom Farms. He has over 20 years of horticultural experience with his primary interest being in regenerative methods of production. He studied Religion at VCU and has a Masters of Theological Studies from Vanderbilt Divinity School. Steve and his wife, Amanda, have three boys: Eden, Asher, and Ezra. When he’s not on the farm, Steve enjoys spending time with his family, reading post-apocalyptic novels, and listening to music that Amanda doesn’t really like. He also enjoys riding mountain bikes, training for mountain bike races, reading magazines about mountain bikes, listening to podcasts about mountain bikes, working on mountain bikes, and dreaming about mountain bikes.

Bryce Miller

Powhatan Crew Leader

Bryce (he/him) has been working with Shalom for five years, beginning as a volunteer, then intern, Farmer-in-Residence, and now as Crew Leader. With a passion for serving others and providing welcoming spaces for people to connect, Bryce is looking forward to providing food for people to enjoy with others. Off the farm, Bryce is affectionately referred to by his family as the human garbage disposal, and is passionate about cooking and eating food! When he isn’t in the kitchen, you can find him playing soccer or a variety of sports, activating the dreamatorium, or enjoying a drink with friends. He is looking forward to meeting you and having a good time while working hard in the dirt!

Seyra Whitney

Powhatan Farm Manager

Seyra (she/her) is the Farm Manager at the Powhatan Farm. She has been with Shalom Farms since starting as Farmer In Residence in 2016. Seyra oversees hoop house production and produce distribution, and loves systems and problem solving. Seyra enjoys trying out new techniques for growing in the hoop houses and is always working to improve yields. When not at the farm, Seyra enjoys hiking, camping, swimming in various bodies of water, and cooking up a storm.

Hannah Wittwer

Director of Volunteer and Education Services

Hannah Wittwer (she/her) is the Director of Volunteer and Education Services at Shalom Farms. After finishing college, Hannah spent 5 years teaching preschool, milking cows and working on an organic vegetable farm. She earned her Master of Science in childhood education and NYS teaching certification in 2015, and is thrilled to work with Shalom Farms in a role that allows her to facilitate exciting learning experiences on a working farm. She hopes to contribute to a more just food system by supporting the development of positive attitudes towards sustainable agriculture and healthy food. Off the farm, Hannah can be found knitting, baking, playing with clay, and hiking with her terribly cute and terribly behaved hound dog.

Paul Xu

Powhatan Packing Coordinator

Paul(he/him) is the Powhatan packing coordinator. During his 6 years in the tech industry he always desired work that felt more contributing to a community. In 2021 he started working on a farm to fill that desire, and hopes to continue in the field for as long as he can. In his free time Paul enjoys rock climbing, biking, and cooking for people.

Leigh Salvucci

Farmer In Residence

Leigh was born in Baton Rouge, LA but grew up here in Richmond. Leigh graduated from Open High in 2020 with a love for the earth that grew from co-leading Open’s Environmental Club. Shalom has helped Leigh narrow that passion down to farming and Leigh is thrilled to be the Farmer in Residence – Agricultural Specialist for the 2022 season.

Melissa Hudson

Northside Production Coordinator

Melissa Hudson (she/her) is the Northside Farm’s Production Coordinator. Hudson first fell in love with farming as a Shalom volunteer in 2015 and has been working in the dirt ever since. She studied Sociology at William & Mary and uses this background to inform her work, pursuing a more just and equitable food system. Off the farm, she can be found playing around in the darkroom, taking trivia too seriously, and binging audiobooks.

Sharon Blount

Racial Equity Committee Chair

Sharon joined the Board of Directors for Shalom Farms in 2019, after becoming aware of their work through Union Presbyterian Seminary (where the Northside Farm is located) and the avid support of both the seminary and her church, Second Presbyterian. The mission and values of Shalom firmly align with her own beliefs and desires to provide equitable access to good food and nutrition education to those in our community who are often denied those basic needs. Her board service includes serving as past chair of the Programs Committee and as the current chair of our new Racial Equity Committee where she leads the organization’s strategic initiatives to become an anti-racist organization. Sharon retired as a senior manager in the Internal Revenue Service after 31 years of federal service. These days, in addition to her work with Shalom Farms, much of her time is devoted to endeavors with Union Presbyterian Seminary, Second Presbyterian Church and The Presbyterian Outlook, where she serves as Board Chair. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, is an avid reader and loves to travel. She continually seeks out ways to incorporate service, creativity and a healthy lifestyle into retirement living.

Darren Broughton

Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair

Darren first became involved with Shalom Farms through volunteering. With a passion for building healthy communities, he wanted to further his support of Shalom Farms. He joined the Finance Committee in 2020 and the Board of Directors in 2021. Darren now serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and Treasurer. Darren is Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Altria Client Services, providing legal support to Altria Group Inc.’s operating and service companies. Since joining Altria in 2009, he has provided legal support in a variety of areas including sales, marketing, distribution, and brand and trade channel integrity. Darren and his wife live in Midlothian with their three active children, and as a family, they focus their volunteer efforts primarily in areas involving the food system, volunteering at a variety of local organizations.

Eric Clay

Eric Clay is a Senior Program Officer at the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, and joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2022. Eric manages the Foundation’s extensive health and wellness portfolio by serving as the content coordinator for multiple support organizations. He graduated from the University of Virginia, with a bachelor’s degree in Education. After graduating he completed 1 year of community service as an AmeriCorps member in Washington State, where he received an outstanding service award. In various senior leadership positions, Eric has championed the needs of marginalized communities. Outside of the office, you will find Eric hiking the trails of central Virginia.

Sam Davis III

Sam’s commitment to serving families that lack access to fresh, nutritious food and other essential resources prompted him to work with the Shalom Farms’ board and staff on a volunteer basis before joining the board in 2017. In his 5 years as a board member, Sam has chaired both the Fund Development and Finance Committees. Having served as an advisor to family enterprises, family offices, foundations and nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years, Sam recently moved to the next phase of his life and has turned his energies to two other life-long passions: contemplative spirituality; and social justice. While completing work on a book he has titled “The Seeker’s Path,” he participates in multiple contemplative prayer groups and continues to serve on the boards of small nonprofit organizations focused on social justice and racial equity.

Tamara Young-Elmore

Tamara Young-Elmore is a community garden advocate and entrepreneur, and joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2022. Tamara is a Founding Member of the Hotchkiss Community Garden (an early partner of Shalom Farms), where she continues to spearhead fundraising, volunteer coordination, community garden workdays, and rolls up her sleeves to help with everyday upkeep of the garden. After 20 years in the Hospitality Industry working in Operations, Sales, Event Planning and Information Technology with Marriott International, Tamara started garden consulting, has published two e-books for home gardeners, and runs the Tam In The Garden platform that includes over 10,000 active followers. Tamara is a dual degree graduate of Johnson & Wales University where she concentrated in Culinary Arts (AAS ‘94) and Food Service Management (BS ‘97).

Johanna Gattuso

Board Chair

Johanna Gattuso is honored to serve as Board Chair for Shalom Farms. She has been on the Board since 2019. Her interest in Shalom Farms started with volunteering with her church youth group at Shalom Farms’ first farm in Goochland, then with the Produce Prescription Program through the free clinics, as a registered nurse and clinical program consultant. She serves on several committees, and is a Master Gardener/Lead Volunteer. She holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and has worked on several wellness programs, including: Commonwealth Care of Virginia; Million Hearts; Healthy Communities Action Grant in Petersburg; and Richmond City Health District. Epiphany Lutheran Church members know her as a pre-K teacher. She loves spending time with her husband, grown children, beagle-mix pup, and at the library.

Nancy Leake

Executive Search Committee Chair

Nan has served on the Board of Shalom Farms since 2015. She most recently chaired the Executive Search Committee and has previously served as Chair of the Fund Development and Farm Committees. Nan also serves on the The Maxwelton-Lachlan Foundation (“TMLF”), which provides summer camp scholarships to needy youth, and on the UVA Real Estate Committee, a volunteer group of alumni with expertise across the real estate industry. Prior to her retirement from Partners Group, Nan was a Partner of the firm and founding member of the private real estate investment team. Nan also serves on several other Boards and investment committees, including the Virginia Retirement System Investment Advisory Committee, VCU Investment Management Company, Blue Earth Capital and Hodes Weill & Associates. Nan is active in timber investing, regenerative agriculture and land management in Central Virginia. She resides on her farm in Goochland County with her husband and two dogs.

Devin Lipawsky

Development Committee Chair

Devin Lipawsky has been a Board Member of Shalom Farms since 2019. After he graduated from the University of Florida, Devin began his career at Capital One where he is currently an HR leader overseeing teams responsible for hiring, developing, and retaining great people. Devin has had a long standing passion around the availability of sustainable healthy food options. Shalom Farms’ mission and impact on food insecurity inspired him to join the organization. Devin believes that we all have the ability to make a difference in the food industry through our choices. Devin lives in the West End and enjoys spending time with his daughters, outdoor activities, and exploring the local dining scene during his free time.

Helen Ragazzi

Helen Ragazzi has served on the Board of Shalom Farms and the Programs Committee since 2021, lending her experience to our work of addressing food insecurity with nutritious food options, as a key step in helping folks in our community lead healthier lives. She is an MD and has been board certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics since 1994. She has lived in Richmond since 1999 and has worked clinically in a variety of settings including academic, private practice and a mobile health clinic for the uninsured, and has served on several boards for work related to health equity. She received an award from the AAP for her asthma quality improvement work and an honorary fellowship from VCU Department of Pediatrics for her community service. Her current work involves helping people reduce lifestyle risks and manage their chronic conditions through behavior change and education about proper nutrition, and she is a committed volunteer to Crossover Health Ministries. In her spare time, she enjoys sun, sand, biking, and traveling with her husband.

Steve Russo

Farm Committee Chair

Steve joined the Board in 2022, after five seasons as a lead volunteer at Shalom Farm’s Powhatan farm site. Steve has spent his entire career in the commercial real estate investment and finance industry, both with larger commercial/investment banks and most recently forming his own company. Steve holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech. He currently lives in Midlothian, VA with his wife, two daughters and two dogs. Interests include yoga, farming, music and anything on the water.

Patricia Sauer

Programs Committee Chair

Tricia is a community volunteer with an interest in sustainable gardening, helping create public landscapes that enrich the community, and the preservation of historic landscapes. She has served on the Board of Shalom Farms since 2018, bringing her interest in finding ways to help others gain access to healthy food to her current role as chair of the Programs Committee. She has served as President of Tuckahoe Garden Club, on the Board of The Garden Club of Virginia and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Capital Trees. Tricia is a graduate of Queens College in Charlotte, NC. She and her husband, Conrad, have two daughters and five grandchildren. In her spare time she enjoys traveling to see her family, cycling, photography, gardening, and always cooking the next healthy meal.

Whitney Van Der Hyde

Whitney joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2018, and most recently chaired the Fund Development Committee, bringing her talents and fundraising expertise to help ensure that all children and families have the opportunity to access nourishing food in our community. As a mother of young children, Whitney is drawn to the importance of healthy nutrition and its impact on the whole child including their academic and social outcomes. Whitney has over a decade of professional and volunteer experience in development at several health and human organizations in the greater Richmond area, including the World Pediatric Project and St. Joseph’s Villa. Whitney has a degree in History and Political Science from James Madison University.

Jennifer Wicker

Jennifer joined the Board of Shalom Farms in 2021. She currently serves as Senior Director of Policy and Government Affairs for the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA), where her primary focus is behavioral health policy. Jennifer has over 15 years of experience in government relations at the local and state level; prior to joining VHHA, she served as the legislative director for Governor Terry McAuliffe and the policy analyst for the Secretaries of Health and Human Resources, Education, and Commerce and Trade. Jennifer currently serves as a board member for the Randolph-Macon College Society of Alumni, the Randolph-Macon College Multicultural Alumni Advisory Council, Mental Health of America – Virginia, VCU Pauley Heart Center Advisory Board, and Shalom Farms. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia and a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.