Yemi Amu is the co-founder of Oko Farms and the Farm Manager at the Moore Street Farm. She directs all of Oko Farms' programs including education, design/build projects and community related activities. She has facilitated the creation and maintenance of 20 edible spaces (in NYC) at schools and community organizations including a rooftop farm in Crown Heights and a 1/4 acre farm at the Weeksville Heritage Center that included poultry and bees. In addition to her current work at the Moore St. Farm, Yemi is part of the NEBHDCo's (Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development) Community Healthy Food Initiative where she manages 2 farms that source the Golden Harvest Food Pantry. She has a Masters Degree in Health and Nutrition Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Gwen Schantz is an experienced urban farmer, a long-time sustainable food advocate, and co-founder of the Bushwick Food Cooperative & CSA. As the head of Brooklyn Grange’s Design and Installations division, Gwen creates and builds innovative green spaces for a diverse clientele, from schools and non-profit organizations, to private residences and commercial buildings. Gwen’s dedication to solving urban environmental problems through the installation of soil and plants. She is a registered General Contractor, an experienced Sustainability Consultant, and has managed dozens of urban garden and green roof design-build projects.

Felix W. Ortiz is the Assistant Speaker of the New York State Assembly. He was born and raised in La Playa de Salinas, Puerto Rico. In 1980, he became the first member of his family to move to the United States. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1983 from Boricua College and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from New York University in 1986. Assistant Speaker Ortiz currently serves as a member of the Ways and Means, Rules, Corrections and Labor Committees. Ortiz is nationally and internationally recognized as an elected official who is not afraid to tackle unpopular issues and forge solutions on behalf of the people he represents. His cutting edge legislation aims to not only improve the health and well-being of children, families and immigrants of New York State, but the health and well-being of the people of the United States of America.

Courtney Epton is a veteran New York City public school teacher. After teaching 3rd grade on the Lower East Side for 8 years, Courtney transitioned into the non-profit education world. Courtney envisions urban education systems infused with hands-on food and farm education. As Director of Education with City Growers, Courtney works toward collaboration, new program development and capacity-building programs for educators.

Jessie Kerr-Vanderslice is the Director of Grow to Learn, the Citywide School Gardens initiative for NYC. With over 650 public and charter schools in their network, Grow to Learn administers a school garden mini-grant program, provides educator trainings and technical assistance, and connects schools to greening and garden partnerships throughout the city. They support NYC schools to create educational spaces that are student centered, sustainable, and connected to the community. A passionate and committed educator, Jessie has worked extensively with after school systems, designed summer and expanded learning models, and managed professional development and coaching models for both informal and school-day educators. Throughout this work, Jessie has been committed to expanding educational opportunities for all students (and teachers) within and beyond the classroom- whether through the arts, on the sports field, in a science laboratory, or with a garden.

Ms. Zamora is a consultant in gender, education and development. She was born and raised in Bolivia, where she studied history, before earning a Master’s Degree in Education from Cambridge College in 2001. In Bolivia, she was founder of Fundación Carmen, where she created El Dorado: the Route of Fair Trade, a program that promoted sustainable development by training low-income women artisans in production and marketing. Prior to her work with Fundación Carmen, she coordinated the division of cultural events and volunteer programs in the Office of the First Lady of Bolivia. Manuela lives now in New York City with her husband and two children who attend public school. She is one of the founders of The Greenhouse Project.

Anastasia Cole Plakias is co-founder and Vice President of Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm. A published writer and photographer, Anastasia is a passionate and outspoken crusader for fresh, healthy foods and greener, more sustainable cities. After some years spent freelance writing for magazines, Anastasia landed in the offices of Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, where she took on projects ranging from event production, content creation, marketing and public relations, and of course, eating her way through the menus at New York City’s best restaurants. As a managing partner of Brooklyn Grange, she has run the business’ sales department, created its events program, and manages the farm’s communications and external affairs. She recently completed a book about the business, The Farm on the Roof: What Brooklyn Grange Taught us About Entrepreneurship, Community, and Growing a Sustainable Business (Avery Press, April, 2016).