I contribute by helping people reconnect to cycles of care - between soil, food, community, and the planet - through composting. We launched Sunshine Community Compost in 2017 after I returned home to Manatee County following 17 years in the San Francisco Bay Area. What started as a few pilot projects to address food waste and depleted soil has grown into a community effort rooted in regeneration, education, and relationship-building.
I’m inspired by nature’s ability to heal itself, by people who are willing to participate in reciprocal systems rather than extractive ones, and by the many teachers who shaped my path: farmers, Indigenous leaders, engineers, social workers, permaculture practitioners, and community members past and present. Early experiences working alongside these experts helped me understand how waste burdens fall unevenly and how deeply people and planet are connected. My background in healthcare, community mental health, renewable energy, and regenerative agriculture reinforced the importance of keeping people centered in environmental work.
The problem I’m hoping to help solve is our culture of disposability, whether that's food, materials, land, or people. Composting is a powerful place to start. By turning food scraps into soil, we reduce waste, build healthy ecosystems, grow nutrient-dense food, and create spaces where community can take root.
Composting reminds me every day that healing is possible, one handful of soil, one conversation, one step at a time. Participating with nature keeps me grounded, mentally well, and deeply grateful to be part of something larger than myself.
I’m inspired by nature’s ability to heal itself, by people who are willing to participate in reciprocal systems rather than extractive ones, and by the many teachers who shaped my path: farmers, Indigenous leaders, engineers, social workers, permaculture practitioners, and community members past and present. Early experiences working alongside these experts helped me understand how waste burdens fall unevenly and how deeply people and planet are connected. My background in healthcare, community mental health, renewable energy, and regenerative agriculture reinforced the importance of keeping people centered in environmental work.
The problem I’m hoping to help solve is our culture of disposability, whether that's food, materials, land, or people. Composting is a powerful place to start. By turning food scraps into soil, we reduce waste, build healthy ecosystems, grow nutrient-dense food, and create spaces where community can take root.
Composting reminds me every day that healing is possible, one handful of soil, one conversation, one step at a time. Participating with nature keeps me grounded, mentally well, and deeply grateful to be part of something larger than myself.