CO-PRESIDENT

Born into a family that grew most of their own food, Beth learned early the value of fresh locally grown produce. Summers were spent picking and canning fruits of their labor to support them through the winter. Beth is a Registered Nurse with project management experience related to health-related research projects. She serves as a board member on two non-profit boards, and is also an active member of the Oregon City community where her children and grandchildren reside. Now retired, Beth loves spending time with her grandchildren, gardening, playing in the dirt, growing flowers, fruits, & veggies.

CO-PRESIDENT

Jean (she/her) has worked in the agriculture equipment industry for many years, overseeing multiple projects and stakeholders. She holds an MBA in sales management, and works as a Product Manager for a local company, which involves marketing, training and development. Over the years, Jean has been an active community volunteer and fundraiser, both for HOEC and other local organizations. When not volunteering with HOEC, she loves to spend time with her family in her her yard and garden, working on projects around the house, taking long walks, hikes and bike rides, and learning new skills.

VICE PRESIDENT

Jason Schmidt is an avid home gardener who discovered HOEC in 2021. While searching for opportunities to transform their grassy lot to a productive garden, Jason began volunteering with the Community Orchard Team and soon learned of all the great variety of fruit trees and shrubs that would be perfect for the conditions at his property in East Portland. Jason enjoyed volunteering at plant sales and talking with others who were looking to make the same changes as well. After several years volunteering and taking workshops, Jason joined the HOEC board as Vice President in September, 2025. Outside of gardening and horticulture, Jason brings years of non-profit experience both as an employee and board member working with watershed councils, community tree organizations, and environmental advocacy organizations. He received his Masters from Portland State University in the Leadership in Ecology, Culture, and Learning program with an emphasis on Watershed Management and Education. Jason currently works with the City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services where he provides technical assistance and education to property owners, managers, and landscapers in best management practices for stormwater management. Jason is excited to bring his experience to HOEC to help further its mission and connect with others in the community.

TREASURER

Matthew is a life-long gardener. In addition to a dozen years co-owning and running restaurants as well as volunteering and serving on the boards of numerous environmental and community-based organizations, he served as Executive Director of NetCorps, an Oregon-based nonprofit, for ten years, and currently works as Executive Director of Columbia Insight, a regional nonprofit focused on independent environmental journalism. He lives with his wife in Portland and spends much of his free time helping grow fruits and vegetables, as well as rewild acres of planted forests, on a small farm in Yamhill County.

SECRETARY

Erica (they/them) grew up near Oregon City, where they remember harvesting squash with their mom, careful to avoid prickly vines. One of their favorite spots was a grape and blackberry thicket. Looking back, it maybe wasn’t the best long-term planting, as it grew enormously with each year. But they found joy in hunting under the leaves for berries and grapes. Erica holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication from Oregon State University. They have previously served as Parliamentarian on the NRLCA Junior board. Erica is talented in planning and management, currently working toward a certification in project management. They find fulfillment in working as a caregiver for disabled adults. Erica is dedicated to increasing access to nutritious foods, permaculture, and native edibles.

DIRECTOR

Ann Amato (she/her) is a horticulturist with a background in publishing, arts management, teaching ESL and social work. She studied natural sciences and English literature at Lewis & Clark College, then earned a BA from Portland State University with a double major in English literature and art history. In 2025, she completed an AAS degree in Horticulture at Clackamas Community College. Currently, Ann works full-time as a Propagation Assistant at Little Prince of Oregon. Before that she worked at Cistus Nursery and Secret Garden Growers. She is a former President of the Mount Hood Gesneriad Society. Ann loves to read and write, and has been blogging at Annlovesplants.com for 18 years. At 18, she published the book Ancient Forests and Western Man: A Pictorial History of the West Coast. She's been featured on Garden Time TV, in Wonderground (formerly The Planthunter in Australia), and on many podcasts. In 2025 she was included in The Spirited Garden: Creative Private Retreats. When not working she can be found cooking, gardening at home, shopping for or collecting/cleaning seeds, or else out in the field botanizing with friends and colleagues. 

DIRECTOR

Jennifer grew up in a home with a garden and has a lifelong love of food. She brings a background in project management and process improvement from her work at a local area hospital, where her focus is on improving systems, collaboration, and outcomes in service, quality and community well-being. She currently volunteers with the OSU Master Food Preservers, which has deepened her interest in food education, sustainability, and addressing food insecurity. She is excited to join the Home Orchard Education Center board, where she will contribute her organizational and strategic skills while helping build partnerships with local community-centered organizations. She is particularly passionate about expanding access to orchard education and working collaboratively to connect this work to meaningful solutions to expand equitable access to healthy food in the community.

DIRECTOR

Neamhain (pronounced Neh-vin) (He/They) is an amateur gardener, a home cook, and a writer with a passion for community, food access, and education. Their current work is in data entry and research. He has previous experience working in caregiving, animal care, food services, and non-profit fundraising and activism. In their spare time, Neamhain likes to play games with family, go for long walks with their dogs, read, write, meditate, and drink tea.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tonia (she/her) is a long time community educator and experienced Horticulturist. She shares her skills as a part time faculty member for the Horticulture department at Clackamas Community College, where she first earned her AAS in Horticulture, and is the owner of Fruitscapes - an edible landscape design and consulting company. Tonia first became interested in fruit production when she took a fruit and berry course in 2010 that sparked a deep dive into the wonderful world of fruit-growing. She began working in the Arboretum as an intern that same year, and in 2012 she assumed the role of Orchard Manager. She has since dedicated over eleven years to the space, teaching the community about growing organic fruit at home. This project would not be possible without Tonia’s amazing commitment to the space, the programming, and all of the volunteers. She cannot wait to welcome new students through the HOEC gates!

ORCHARD ASSISTANT

Adeetje has been a horticulture worker since 2011, when they were introduced to farming through the kitchen and fields of The Farmer and the Cook in Ojai, California. They are an alumnus of UCSC’s Center for Agroecology apprenticeship. It has been their pleasure to work with plants and the public at botanic gardens, farms, vineyards, orchards, and gardens across the so-called United States, and in Iceland. They can also be found cracking hazelnuts and admiring insects as an Orchards Lab assistant at OSU’s North Willamette extension farm. Adeetje is a printmaker, potter, book designer, and goat milker. (Image credit: Xanthe Bouma)

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING SPECIALIST

Joey is a filmmaker, minister, and multigenerational family farmer based in Elmira, Oregon. Along with his wife Madison and their three children Saoirse, Thaddeus, and Valor, he is establishing a permaculture orchard featuring over 100 fruit varieties. Joey enjoys backpacking in the Cascade Mountains, making cider, and practicing faithful land stewardship in the Willamette Valley.

WEBSITE & DATA SPECIALIST

Haley (she/her) is an advocate for access to education and resources with a commitment to promoting community involvement in food systems. Through her work with HOEC, she is excited to use her data analysis and strategic communication skills to further educational programming and community engagement on the orchard. Haley works at Clackamas Community College Foundation, contributing to initiatives that impact students, build partnerships, and drive philanthropic impact at the college. She enjoys projects that support environmental and natural resource management programs. Her passion for plants is reflected in her home garden, community garden plot, and volunteer projects around the Portland area.