Staff Members
Ben Goodrich, Executive Director
Sorrell Redford, Education Director
From cooking to growing, to delivery and stocking shelves, Ben has vast experience in food production. He is passionate about all aspects of our food systems as well as soil conservation, drought resiliency, and supporting the next generation of food producers.
Previously as Production Manager, Ben focused on improving efficiencies and quality of our school garden grown produce. In 2020 he helped transition the project to it's own 501(3)(c) and work closely with staff and community members to begin the next chapter of MSTFP.
As Executive Director, Ben is looking forward to continually working closely with staff and community partners to maintain a high level of programs, distributing exceptional fruits and vegetables, teaching the importance of soil health, all while providing enjoyable hands-on opportunities to students, teachers, and community members.
Sorrell started at MSTFP in August 2021 and is excited to begin her journey as the Education Director. Sorrell has over ten years of teaching experience in private schools, public schools, preschools, and environmental education centers.
Sorrell has always been passionate about nature and studied Natural Resources Management with a concentration in Environmental Communication at Colorado State University. She returned to graduate school and gained a Masters in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado Denver. The combination of education and environmental stewardship is what first drew her to MSTFP.
She believes the school gardens are an asset to the school communities and she hopes to use her skills to inspire and educate the AmeriCorps service members and garden coordinators while strengthening relationships amongst all stakeholders in the community.
Sorrell was born and raised in Norwich, England. She moved to Colorado in 2007 and it has become home. She lives in Mancos with her husband and two dogs. In spring and fall, she enjoys rock climbing and gardening. In summer she enjoys paddle boarding and hiking in the La Platas and in winter she skis at Purgatory and beyond.
AmeriCorps Service Members
Melissa Saye,
AmeriCorps VISTA
From seed to plate, Melissa has worked with regional farms + gardens + ranches to learn more about (high altitude) food cultivation, homesteading skills & sustainable practice. She is excited to unleash her talents, learn new skills to cultivate relationships & build capacity while creating lasting impact. Looking onward, Melissa now seeks to apply her multifaceted skill set in nonprofit management, fund development, volunteer engagement, collaboration and business development.
Lizzie Powers,
AmeriCorps Direct Service
Lizzie is originally from Massachusetts, and decided to join AmeriCorps and more specifically the Montezuma School To Farm Project due to her love for the environment and wanting to help others.
Daniel Eacrett,
AmeriCorps Direct Service
Daniel moved to Colorado from Central Texas. He is passionate about agriculture, education, and giving back to the community. He hopes to learn many new skills and make new friendships during his time with the program.
Connor Hollis,
AmeriCorps Direct Service
Connor, from Broomfield, CO, brings his background in environmental science. He is looking forward to sharing his advocacy for youth through working with local communities to increase environmental awareness and creativity skills.
Sophia Anderson,
AmeriCorps Direct Service
Sophia Anderson is originally from Mystic Connecticut but has spent the last four years at Union College in Schenectady New York. Her senior thesis was an investigation on food insecurity in the United States and potential ways to combat it which sparked her interest in Montezuma School to Farm Project.
We are hiring
AmeriCorps Direct Service
If you are interested in working with us, please follow the link below.
Board of Directors
Clara Martinez, Ph.D.
Board President
Cultural and Education Anthropologist, specializing in the revitalization of Indigenous language and culture and culturally relevant pedagogy.
Hispanic Yaqui Mestizo
Jim Patton
Vice President
Jim’s passion for making nutritious foods available to all continues through his work with MSTFP. Jim is retired and enjoys hiking, snow skiing, bike riding, swimming, and most of all, baseball with his grandson, Rowan.
Katie Russel, Ph.D.
Board Member
Manager and Research Scientist for the Southwestern Colorado Research Center with Colorado State University. A passion for food equality, nutrition, education and youth engagement make her enjoy her time working with MSTFP.
Gregory Felsen
Board Treasurer
Greg is currently in the position of serving the public as an Expanded Rural Engagement Specialist in the area of Accessible Education. Throughout his career he has focused on providing impactful community development projects for all members of our society, which is why he loves being part of MSTFP.
Board of Directors at our annual strategic planning session January 2023
Katri Rittenhouse
Secretary
Katri has been a board member since the spring of 2020 and also works with MSTFP as a Garden Coordinator. Katri is an Academic Interventionist at Southwest Open School in Cortez, Colorado.
Kit Connally
Board Member
Kit runs a local motel in Mancos Colorado and has two grandsons who regularly participate in garden programming and summer programming with MSTFP. Kit feels it is essential that every child understands where their food comes from, which is why she is involved with MSTFP.