I’ve been a board member for 3 years. GROW HUB is such a great representation of Gainesville, and what community can be. I tell people all the time, this is a magical place. I have yet to put in more than I’ve received. When I’m not volunteering at GROW HUB, I manage a fishing ranch out in Montana. I value family time, spending time outdoors, and getting dirty.
I am a native Floridian and field ecologist committed to promoting local biodiversity through the use of native plants in home gardens and landscapes. I have a MS in Interdisciplinary Ecology from the University of Florida where I studied the diversity of native bee communities in fire-maintained pine savannas. I started at Grow Hub in 2021, and have enjoyed working with the amazing staff, growing native plants, and helping with outreach and marketing to get the word out about this incredible place!
I am from Iowa and while graduating from Iowa State University with degrees in psychology, I began my college career as a horticulture major! I moved to Florida in 1980 and have worked in education and human services ever since.
Gainesville grown, I have a BS from the University of Florida in horticultural sciences with a specialization in organic and sustainable crop production. I’ve been in the horticulture field since 2008, and in 2014 helped create and teach at the Alachua County Public Schools Growing Educational Training (GET) program at the Farm to School to Work Hub (located on the same campus as GROW HUB!). At GET and GROW-HUB, I found that working with and sharing knowledge, respect, and friendship with individuals of all different sorts of abilities teaches invaluable lessons about what is really the “important stuff” in life. I joined GROW HUB in 2019 and can’t think of any other place I’d rather be!
I am a recovering/retired attorney. Most of my career was spent in-house with hospital systems, including 12 years at Shands. I’m enjoying spending my time outside, fishing and hiking, and puttering around the house, yard, and Grow Hub. There’s always plenty to do. I worked with the other original board members to form Grow Hub in 2015. Our mission was to create a place where adults with disabilities would be welcome to work and to show the valuable contributions they can make to the community. We have gone from “let’s give it a try”, to “this might really work”, to “we need to expand”. It has been an amazing trip. Caitlin is my daughter and a Grow Hub employee. To have found a place where she can have a paying job and be accepted and welcomed just as she is simply blows me away.
I am a retired special educator and board certified behavior analyst, having taught and supervised special education programs for 47 years in five Florida counties and at the University of the West Indies’ School of Hope in Kingston, Jamaica. Prior to being a special educator, I attended Eckerd College, the Universidad de Las Americas back when it was in Mexico City, and the University of Florida for a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, and some doctoral studies. I’ve been volunteering my support as a board member of GROW HUB since its inception as it’s an extension of my work in supervising transition services for youth with special needs in the public schools. I also currently serve on the board of the Gatorland Council for Exceptional Children.
I’ve worked 37 years for the School Board of Alachua County as a PE teacher, ESE teacher, Dean and now as the Transition Specialist, helping build the vocational training program for high school students getting ready to graduate high school and into the workforce. This work eventually led to the start of GROW HUB, bridging the gap for many students from high school to work.
I went to school at Sydney Lanier with Joan. I like making art at GROW HUB. I like gluing tiles. I have a cat at home. I enjoy watching TV. Mama’s hot sauce makes me smile!
I am from Ft. Lauderdale and moved to Gainesville 9 years ago. I was looking for a job and found out about GROW HUB and got a job. I really like it here. I like walking, watching Youtube and Netflix- I like everything!
I was born at Shands, and have lived in Gainesville my whole life. My mom is Gwen, and I have one older sister. At GROW HUB I like to plant flowers, pupil weeds, rake, do mulch, and work plant sales. I enjoy watering too. Ih art class, I like making birdhouses and stepping stones. I am making art at home too. I have a lot all over my bedroom. It makes me feel good.
I was born in Gainesville, and went to Westwood Middle School, Gainesville High School and Sidney Lanier. I like working at GROW HUB, because I love to help people. My favorite art activity is tie-dying shirts. I mostly work with Working Food’s seeds and gardens.
I Grew up outside Cincinnati, and refuse to ever live north of the Florida border! I like to crochet and learn about history. I listen to lots of audio books on all manner of history. I found the GROW HUB website and reached out to David about the possibility of working here. There are so many different things you can involve yourself in here! This is the first job I’ve had where I’m not afraid of the boss and have freedom to come up with new projects and make them a reality. Like growing a dye garden or a donkey garden. I do a lot of different things around here, mostly find Amy and see what she needs! We work together on sprucing up the facilities and infrastructure- painting, organizing etc.
I was born in Ft. White and have lived in a group home for three years. I met my friend Gwen in grade school. I enjoy making tie-dyes, mosaics and beads in art class. In my free time, I like to cross-hook and cook. My specialities are spaghetti and fried chicken. My favorite thing about GROW HUB is working with David Banes.
I was born here in Gainesville at Shands. I like to do yard work on the side as well as at GROW HUB, which is where I help the most. I love doing art. I love to help other people out.
I have a sister, and I like to play football. I like working with the seeds and trimming plants at GROW HUB.
I’m inspired by the challenge and color of art. I enjoy digital art and sublimation. I transfer images onto coffee cups, license plates and pictures, and who knows what else in the future. My favorite things to do at GROW HUB are making sales, trimming plants, and the art classes. Outside of work, I enjoy people, sports, trivia and volunteering at the Bucholz softball scoreboard.
I love to help Amy out with the donkeys, feeding them and walking them around. I love to do art also and make other people laugh.
I was born in Fernandina Beach, Florida. I’ve been working a long time in the landscaping/lawn service business, and that’s what I do here at GROW HUB too. I’ve been working here with Charles helping keep up the facilities, equipment, and maintaining the landscape
I like everything. I was born and raised in Gainesville. I keep the palace up around here. Sweep the floors and do custodial work. I like listening to music, I like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, and country too. I enjoy going out to eat, bowling, and visiting with my family and neighbors.
I was born and raised in Gainesville, and I am an FSU fan. I work at GROW HUB and do other landscaping on the side. I like weeding and mowing the best. In my free time, I like to ride my bike. I like making mosaics in art.
I was born at Alachua General Hospital in Gainesville. I have two daughters and four grandkids. My dog’s name is Cain, he’s a bad dog. I like working at GROW HUB, and enjoy pulling weeds and working with the seeds-cleaning them and packaging them.. When I’m not working, I love to cook. I’m good at frying chicken and fish.
I love drawing and enjoy the art at GROW HUB. My favorite part of coming to work is being around people and helping out. I enjoy hanging out with friends when I am not at work. I also enjoy taking dogs to the dog park. My new service dog is a gold retriever named Hepburn.
I am a registered Horticultural Therapist (HTR) with a background in psychology. I help oversee our vocational programming, staff development and youth programming. I started as an intern at GROW HUB in 2021 for my Horticulture Therapy certificate and then got hired part time to assist with all aspects of the nursery. Before GROW HUB I worked with memory care residents and in skilled nursing doing therapeutic gardening. I live in Melrose where I get to have lots of chickens, and my husband keeps bees.
I love plants, travel and cooking. I’ve been in the nursery business since 1983, with my former business Harmony Gardens. I’ve been working part time at GROW HUB since 2019 and love it here!
I’m from Hawthorne and have lived in Gainesville for about 4 years. I received the FNGLA horticulture certificate which has helped me at GROW HUB with all the plants. I have 5 dogs and a yard full of cats at home. I enjoy working with the donkeys. I like to crochet, listen to music, watch TV, and practice cooking. I really like working with the plants, although I haven’t figured out what they all are- I’m always learning! I’m currently building a Camelia garden at GROW HUB.