FoodCorps

FoodCorps Service Members

Our FoodCorps Service Members are the charismatic leaders that bring so much life in and outside the classroom. They dedicate themselves to providing the most engaging and memorable experiences for their students, and strive to influence more nutritious lifestyles that are connected to our earth deeply. Within their service, they focus on three areas of service including: Hands-On Learning, Influence Nourishing School Meals, and Building a Culture of Health. Read more about our FoodCorps Service Members below!

Heavan Walker-Smith is an urban agriculturalist, community advocate and activist. Born in Newark, she has dedicated much time, effort and love to become a trusted resource within the community. Along with being a proud member of the Newark-based cooperative, Black Indigenous Immigrant Farmers United (BIFU), Heavan has done multiple clothing donation drives and free plant giveaways on her own. She wishes to follow in the footsteps of Fannie Lou Hamer, George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington, using agriculture as a form of resistance and liberation. Heavan Walker-Smith is honored to be chosen to teach our promising students of Newark Public Schools about nutritional education and gardening.   

Matthew Kloss believes that food, music and art are global commonalities that help bond us together. I have worked in each of these fields and I am very excited to bring my experiences together into a cohesive role at FoodCorps, The Greater Newark Conservancy and McKinley Elementary School.

Laura Aguirre is a 1st-year FoodCorps member at Mount Vernon and Thirteenth Avenue schools. She is a former literacy teacher in the Ironbound section of Newark passionate about connecting kids to the environment. Her role as a teacher showed her the impact of students’ physical and mental health on their education. After receiving her Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University, she started her journey to cultivate empathy, compassion, and mindfulness in students through lessons on gardening and cooking nourishing plant-based food. Laura envisions all students in Newark growing up with healthy minds and bodies and advocating for the same opportunities for future generations. When she is not dreaming of more green spaces, you can find Laura at home reading alongside her two adopted pitties and cat, practicing yoga, tending her garden, exploring plant-based recipes from around the world, or volunteering at the Newark animal shelter. 

Lovely-Abena Phillips was born, raised, and still lives in Newark, drawing on her rich background from Ghana, West Africa. Having seen firsthand the importance of growing your own food in both Africa and America, she understands how this practice benefits the communities around her. Originally starting her career in Fashion Styling and Merchandising, Lovely later discovered her true passion for agricultural education. Now, she’s pursuing another degree in Agricultural Education and Communication, eager to combine her creative skills with her dedication to sustainable food systems and education. As a mother, she has spent countless hours preparing healthy, delicious meals for her family and friends, always with garlic as her go-to ingredient. When she’s not cooking, you can find her tending to her home garden in Newark’s Ivy Hill/Vailsburg section, where she grows many of the vegetables her family enjoys. In her role as a FoodCorps Service Member at Greater Newark Conservancy, Lovely is committed to empowering students to explore the joys of gardening, healthy eating, and becoming active participants in our food system. Through hands-on activities, she aims to inspire students to make healthier food choices, appreciate where their food comes from, and foster a positive food culture that celebrates nutritious, culturally relevant foods. Lovely’s passion for food education drives her work in classrooms, gardens, and cafeterias, where she is dedicated to creating an engaging and impactful learning environment for all students. 

Isabella Olaguera is a 1st Year FoodCorps member partnering with Hawthorne Elementary School and 1st Avenue Elementary School. As a mixed-heritage person born in NYC, raised down the Jersey Shore, and now living in Jersey City, she has always enjoyed being surrounded by rich cultural diversity. From a young age, Isabella’s parents emphasized the importance of knowing where food comes from by staying on working farms and participating in the local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). They involved her in food preparation, especially traditional holiday meals, and allowed her to try food from all over the world so that she could appreciate the beauty in variety. Now, she hopes to share her passion for food with her students as a member of FoodCorps. After a decade working in the film and entertainment industry, Isabella is excited to embark on a career path that aligns so closely with her interests, values and priorities: eating, cooking, nature, education, community and the next generation! 

Check Out "Growing for Change: One School Garden at a Time" by Patrick Evans

Check Out This FoodCorps Spotlight on Bridgette Byrd

Check Out the Newman's Own Foundation Spotlight on Pablo Verissimo!

Check Out This FoodCorps FoodChat That Alumni Julia Sienkiewicz Held!

Check Out Our Growing for Change Presentation for the 2023 ANJEE Winter Conference!

FoodCorps Alumni

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Miriam Entin-Bell: '23-'24

Raised in Brooklyn and a recent graduate from Oberlin College, Miriam arrived at Greater Newark Conservancy excited to lead hands-on, rigorous, and joyful food education in students’ classrooms, gardens, and cafeterias. Miriam is passionate about community engagement, social justice, and working outside! Miriam’s goal wass to create opportunities for students and their communities to cultivate their own empowering and joyful relationships to nourishing and delicious food. 

Natalie McGrath: '23-'24

Growing up in Brooklyn, Natalie never thought she would end up farming, but after seven seasons of working on organic farms, she is grateful to have learned the value and joy of growing food in community. Natalie believes that all children must be given the space, resources, and guidance to become crucial agents within our food system. Sharing her love of growing food, cooking, and exploring our complex relationships with the food system is a top priority for Natalie. With the belief that food can be our greatest connector, she is eager to learn from her students as well. 

Pablo Verissimo: '22-'24

Pablo came to us fresh out of college from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, eager to begin his new journey in life. Although he started a tad later than everyone else, he immediately jumped into catch up mode as he prepared for his first lessons. He connected with his students like he has been doing this work for years, and that is evident in the cheers from students and staff that fill the classroom as he walks in. He ensured that what the students are learning in the garden correlate to what is being taught in their classes for a deep connection to their school curriculum. 

Bridgette Byrd: '22-'24

Bridgette has embarked upon a journey in supporting local Newark schools, providing experiential project-based learning dedicated to healthy kids, food nutrition, and food justice. In her role, she supports academic and social and emotional needs by collaborating with classroom teachers to build on classroom learning, often highlighting Farm to School lessons and utilizing the Conservancy’s nearby Hawthorne Ave. Farm. In the school cafeteria, classrooms, and even on the farm itself, taste tests are integrated to expand food access, exposure, and distribution. Outside is Bridgette’s classroom of choice! 

Julia Sienkiewicz: '22-'23

Julia travelled to Greater Newark Conservancy from Washington, DC where she came to finish off her final year of FoodCorps service! Despite living back and forth between Washington and New York, she managed to still have the energy to give her lessons all she had to make them super engaging for all her students. Her creativity and focus on social emotional learning created a safe space in her classroom and allowed students to fully engage in her lessons. Most of the wonderful photos taken during her service term were all her, as Julia also was a professional photographer and was able to capture so many amazing shots during her service.

Patrick Evans: -'20-'22

Patrick came to the Conservancy after spending a year working within the compost industry. His time post-college led him to start his own garden at home, where he eventually found a LinkedIn job application for FoodCorps. Since then, he has embedded himself in the Newark Farm to School movement as once he finished his service, he was hired on as the Farm to School Coordinator for Greater Newark Conservancy. He now works diligently with many schools across Newark in assisting with their Farm to School programs. 

Yaquanna Williams: '21-'22

Yaquanna jumped right into service with a huge smile and ready to make an impact. She had a deep passion for herbal medicine and her knowledge was reflected in her lessons as she connected her students to her spiritual beliefs! In college, her senior thesis in Africana Studies, Yaquanna examined how Black farming collectives across the African Diaspora nurture the land and local communities. She was inspired by Black farmers in her hometown here in Newark, New Jersey!

Deja Jones: '21-'22

Deja was an established Newark educator before she stepped foot at the Conservancy and her expertise in classroom management was a plus for her fellow service members. Deja is now a Co-Founder and Teacher-Leader at Honeypot Montessori, a nature-based Montessori school in Newark, NJ. We are so happy for Deja to bring the first Montessori school to Newark!  

Shannon Murphy: '19-'21

Shannon served right in the middle of the pandemic, yet that did not stop her from serving her community here in Newark. Whether she was making videos for her students to watch virtually or running an after-school (socially-distanced) garden club, she managed to keep busy during a bleek time. After her service, she continued to service her community as she was hired on as the Assistant Farm Manager, where she helped managed the Hawthorne Avenue Farm (over 3 acres of growing).

Javonne Alonzo: '17-'19

Javonne made a huge impact on her students and school community and having to take a bus to all her schools did not slow her down one bit. She finished off her service years strong and moved on to be the Team Leader for the FoodCorps New Jersey State Team. She continued to move up as her strong leadership skills were as clear as day and she would eventually become the New Jersey Program Coordinator, where she works closely managing and supporting her team of FoodCorps Service Members. 

Amaryllis Olivo Mockabee: '15-'17

Amaryllis is an experienced community advocate with deep roots with her work in Newark. She is currently the Green Energy Educator at Donald M. Payne Technical School in Newark, NJ. She recently received a Newark Grows School Gardens Mini-Grant from the Conservancy, where they had plans of ramping up the beehive production. 

Jamie Bruno: '14-'15

Jamie served a one-year service term under the mission to combat diet related disease and increase access to and knowledge about healthy whole foods within the elementary public school system. She continued to work within food systems and agriculture where in 2017 she helped co-find the Urban Agriculture Cooperative which is a food system development nonprofit dedicated to providing increased access to locally grown produce with a focus on equity and entrepreneurship in agriculture.