Our community garden is as much about community as about gardening. Like-minded people get along well. Everybody brings something to it, and together it is better than one person’s contribution. Our membership is as diverse as the flowers and produce we grow, with people from all walks of life coming together to work in harmony towards a common goal.
At Garner Grows, it’s not “All work and no play”! In addition to all the hard work involved in maintaining the garden, we also engage in regular social gatherings. There’s casual conversation around the firepit after a day spent tending to the garden, as well as more organized and planned events like Potluck Dinners or group Field Trips. When you become a member of Garner Grows, you will grow not just food and flowers, but fellowship as well.
Board Of Directors
Martin Petherbridge
Board Chair
Martin@garnergrows.com
Martin is the Leader at Garner Grows that acts as our public speaker. He was instrumental in helping to represent us when petitioning the Town of Garner to provide our garden with a new plot of land right in the heart of Garner, so that members would have easy access!
Maggie Tubillejo
Founder &
Board Secretary
Maggie@garnergrows.com
Her given name is Mary, but she prefers to be called “Maggie”, and she has been with the garden since 2010 when she originally founded it! A self-proclaimed introvert, Maggie says she started the garden as a way to meet new people and it was successful beyond her wildest dreams!
Pam Bonilla
Board Treasurer
Pam@garnergrows.com
Pam has been a member of the garden since 2013 and quickly took on a leadership role. She is also our Procurement Specialist; meaning she has a knack for finding garden supplies cheaper than dirt, or even for free! She also hosts one of our satellite gardens, where she helps to nurture the seedlings that will supply our garden.
Staff
Tammy Kennedy
Chief Executive Officer
Tammy@garnergrows.com
Tammy Kennedy has been a member since 2010 and was the first leader after Maggie. The plant geek of the group, she enjoys learning about any and all plants – the odder the better and is happy to share said knowledge if you ask. But, she’s a talker, so you’ve been warned! She also enjoys planning the crop rotations and raising butterflies. She feels the best part of the garden is the family that the members become.
Layla Bonilla
Chief Operating Officer
LaylaBonilla@garnergrows.com
A Garner resident born and raised, Layla joined Garner Grows in 2014, and took on their current role in 2019. Their work securing grant funds was critical in funding our relocation to Thompson Road. Permaculture enthusiast and lover of all things livestock, Layla is your go-to person for questions about small scale animal care and homesteading. Layla is our plant geek in training, so if Tammy is not available to answer questions about plants, Layla can help as well.
Juliette Rouse
Chief Information Officer &
Website Administrator
Juliette@garnergrows.com
Although her family has been part of Garner Grows for more than a decade, Juliette officially joined in 2022 as our Web Admin. She processes all memberships and serves as our new member liaison. She also acts as our unofficial tech support. Her friends and family call her Jette, and she often jokes that she has a “Jette” black thumb, and is more comfortable with the technical aspects of Garner Grows than with the actual gardening!
Jen Heath
Arbiter of Code of Conduct
JenH@garnergrows.com
In order to facilitate a safe and comfortable environment for our rapidly growing membership, we have drafted a Code of Conduct. We have also created a new position on our staff: Arbiter for Code Of Conduct. This position is held by Jen Heath. If at any time you feel that another member or leader has behaved inappropriately, Jen will act as an impartial (and anonymous if you choose) mediator for the situation.
Advisory Board
Pete Kennedy
Jessica Jordan
Jackie Parker
