Executive Director

Rachel Alexander joined Giving Gardens of Indiana as Executive Director in 2014. She has been an avid gardener for 12 years and is passionate about organic horticulture and growing food in a sustainable manner. She spearheaded the campaign to install a community garden in Whitley County, Indiana, and she takes great joy in managing the garden and volunteers. She loves to visit markets and farms and supporting a local food network. Rachel has completed courses in 3 season gardening at IPFW in Fort Wayne, and courses from Growing Power in Wisconsin on microgreens and composting. Also, she has completed the Market Gardening Masterclass course from La Ferme des Quatre-Temps in Quebec, Canada. Before joining Giving Gardens, Rachel was the gardening committee leader for Whole Health Wellness Center. She is a member of the Three Rivers Fruit Growing Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 sons, listening to live music, and drinking a good cup of coffee.

Educational Director

Jessica has an educational background as a Forest School Director and Forest School teacher, Kamana Naturalist, personal training, yoga teaching, and natural movement, certified in nutrition, and thai yoga practitioner. She is the Outdoor Educator for TROY Alternative School for at-risk youth and currently homeschools her two teenage sons. She joined with Giving Gardens of Indiana as the Educational Director in the summer of 2019. She serves on the Tree Board in Columbia City. She is currently in Naturalist training through Wilderness Awareness School. Sharing her excitement for the world around us and nature with kids is what she loves to teach most. She is a teacher to the core!

Jessica has been in love with gardening since her, and her husband were married and has grown something everywhere since (even when traveling in their schoolie!). Her passion for hiking has turned her into a forager and hobby herbalist. Taking care of the natural world and educating others in this area is one of her top priorities. She tries her best to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and share that example with others. Because of this personal mission, she is the “Green Team” co-founder for the Ignite Group for their ultra trail running series, with a mission to help “Green” up the races so that there is less waste generated by the sporting events. That has also led her to be a local food advocate and share the importance of seasonal, local consumption in a sustainable way, because not only is it healthy for you, but it also supports the earth and the local community and families. Being a part of Giving Gardens as Educational Director is all of her dreams and experience rolled into one!

Lead Preschool Teacher

My name is Megan Romary and I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I currently live in Columbia city with my boyfriend and we both commute to work. I am working as a public school preschool teacher with a degree in early childhood education from Ball State University. I also have a master’s certificate in Nature-Based Early childhood education from Antioch University. My mom was an engineer and my dad owns an IT business that they both work at together now. I, fortunately, grew up in front of the St. Mary’s river on three acres, with parents who loved nature, and with that much property, there was no shortage of yard work. From the time I was little, my dad loved to show us deer tracks, take hikes back to the river, four-wheeler rides, tractor rides in leaves, etc., with my two little brothers. My mom is an ever-learning Gardner and planner of many tent camping vacations, state park hikes, etc. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized how fortunate I was to have two parents who both valued the outdoors. I had a very typical childhood growing up, going to a public school, watching probably too much TV and computer games, but having an outdoor space and experiences of play and imagination with a couple of neighbor kids was, I now realize invaluable and much of the reason I became a teacher and then became obsessed with teaching outdoors. It was grounding and I had a place to go when angry, confused, happy, thoughtful, bored, etc. As farm and forest families you see the benefits and I just want to encourage your impact on your children by valuing nature and taking part in this community. Looking forward to getting to know your children and hope you feel you know me a little better! Favorite color: Purple Favorite animal: Butterflies and cats and favorite thing about nature: Trees and their ability to heal and grow through adversity! Feel free to let me know your favorites and FYI I also love dogs but if I had to pick one…..sorry! lol

AM Assistant Preschool Teacher, Farm Hand

Shannon Clark was born and raised in Whitley County where she lives with her dog and four cats and husband. Shannon was educated as a nurse and feels most fulfilled when helping other people. She currently serves on the board of Camp Whitley, works with home bound individuals and runs her own cleaning business! She has three grown children but loves little kids, being outside and being a lifelong learner.

Assistant Preschool Teacher, Assistant Teacher Monday Farm & Forest School

Abby grew up in Columbia City, IN with her family. As a child she could be found working on arts and crafts projects and using her imagination to learn and play. She was a very curious child who loved to constantly be engaging with the world around her.

As a teen she helped take care of and raise her nephew. This helped shape her into the woman she is today. During this time she learned a lot about herself and discovered her love for helping others.

Before she joined the Giving Gardens she worked at a local art studio. During this time she discovered her true passion for children’s education and serving her community.

In her free time she can be found crafting, reading, crocheting and spending time with her family. She plans to further her education and earn a degree for teaching/ child development.

Since joining the this incredible program, Abby has gained a deep appreciation of nature and being outdoors. She loves the kids, the staff, and the community that comes with the Gardens.

Assistant Teacher Farm & Forest School

Kyle grew up in Columbia City, IN where he always loved being in the woods. He could be found building forts, playing in the creeks, and swimming in the local ponds and lakes. Kyle comes from a family of farmers and grew around all sorts of livestock. He was also a 10 year member of the Whitley County 4-H program. Kyle moved to North Carolina in 2007 and took a job as Counselor at an Eckerd Youth Alternatives Wilderness Camp working 24/7 in the woods with at-risk youth. He met his wife who was a counselor as well and moved back to Indiana to begin their family in which they have 3 children. He recently has become an Indiana Master Naturalist and is also a Wilderness Skills Practitioner trained through Campcraft Outdoors which he is also a product ambassador for. Kyle loves to pass on the skills he knows to all ages, children and adults and the ability to continue his learning of new skills and ways that have maybe been or are on the verge of being lost in this technological world. Kyle enjoys camping, hiking, woodwork, drawing, poetry, and reading. You can also find Kyle on his Instagram at @kyle.goes.wild.

Assistant Teacher Farm & Forest School

I grew up in urban Fort Wayne, playing in my father’s garden, spending lots of time in local parks. I have always been passionate and mindful about caring for our land. I earned my BA in Business at IWU, but my tree hugging ways stuck with me. I began my journey with Giving Gardens Farm and Forest School as a mother with my two children, and I just couldn’t bring myself to leave. I love the meaningful work of the farm, the conscientious team, the beauty of the earth, and the energy and wonder of the children. In my free time, I love to run in nature, dance awkwardly, do yoga, obsess over our weimaraner Mister, as well as hike and explore with my family. I’m so excited to continue to explore my own curiosity in the wild and learn alongside the children this year. I’m pretty certain that getting dirty and playing in the woods will be the best job ever!

Lead Teacher Little Willows, Caregiver & Me

Megan is a homeschooling mother of three daughters. She believes time in nature, a love of books, and quality time with caregivers is the recipe for a happy childhood. She is excited to combine all of those elements into the Little Willows program this fall. Prior to motherhood Megan used her Purdue degree in her role as an International Marketing Manager.

Lead Teacher Monday Farm & Forest School, Sub for all programs

 Amy grew up playing on a dairy farm and a pioneer corn farm in Indiana. Her dream is to get back to her roots! Her family moved to Columbia City in 2016 with their 2 oldest children, and welcomed their youngest a few months after they moved in. She homeschools all 3 of her children and supplement with Farm and Forest. She loves being outdoors and sharing her knowledge and learning new things. Some of her hobbies include gardening, foraging, hiking, fishing, gaming, and crocheting. She strives to help support the children and community through education and outdoor activities. “I truly believe in the message of Giving Gardens! I believe all humans should spend more time outdoors and learn about the world around them.”

Assistant Teacher Monday Farm & Forest School

Ash was born and raised in a small town in Lancaster County, PA and moved to Fort Wayne in July of 2022 to finally settle down in Columbia City with her husband and 2 kids. She owns a photography business- Wild Ashes Photography and occasionally hyper focuses on creating art projects. Usually you can find her in her kitchen, reading a book or staring at her plants outside. She loves being outside gardening, learning about plants, hiking, and just sitting and being in nature. As a kid she was always playing in the creek, making potions, or stomping in mud. She grew up always creating, always learning. She’s collected lots of hobbies along the way to being an adult and continues to add new ones to the bag. After having kids, she took a hands-on approach in their education and found a love for helping other littles, especially those who might need a little more support in learning life and social skills.

Curriculum Design & Development Coordinator, Assistant Teacher Preschool/Farm & Forest School

Tamara joins our team with a heart for this community of creativity and connection with the natural world and one another. She brings four decades of experience in a variety of educational settings and a Master of Arts in Child Study from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. A home educator of her three children now grown, she is currently enrolled in the Forest School Teacher Institute Certification program. She values stewarding our natural resources well and lives in a TRA Certified Green tiny house. Her love for nature has taken her to live & work at 6,000 ft above sea level at Mount Rainier National Park, as well as right at sea level in Oahu, Hawaii. She spent her formative years on her family's dairy farm, was a ten year 4-H member, and tended the family’s large garden in Whitley County. She’s enjoyed reintegrating into this community after living all over the US for several decades. She’s fond of books, yarn, and trails.