Staff & Board
Staff
Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director
Email: rebecca@cityblossoms.org
Over a decade ago Rebecca was asked if she would like to do a small gardening project with a group of kids in a local community center. From that point on she grew to see urban gardening as a way to combine her interests in art, community participation and everything green. Since then Rebecca has worked with children and youth of all ages. Rebecca has a BA from Fordham University, an MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art.
Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director
Lola Bloom has been interested in gardening for more reasons than her last name. Growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, she was able to watch and learn from her parents working in the back yard. Lola became involved with City Blossoms through CentroNia in 1999 while she worked with the youth summer program. After studying at Antioch College and Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, she returned to the D.C. area in 2001 and joined dirt-loving forces with Rebecca. In addition to working as a full time art teacher (Congressional Schools of Virginia 2001-2005, International School of Curacao 2005-2007, Community Academy Public Charter school presently), Lola enjoys traveling around the world and baking cupcakes for well-behaved kids.
Workshop Leader
Mia first came to City Blossoms as a volunteer in the Spring of 2008 and is now one of our workshop leaders. In the past, her interests in food production have lead her to work on farms in Washington State, Massachusetts and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mia also brings with her a passion for community empowerment and child education.
Workshop Leader
Outreach Intern
Lauren comes to us from American University where she is working towards a B.A. in International Development. She first learned to be inspired by nature while “helping” her mother grow the family vegetable garden. When she graduates, Lauren will be working to make the world a greener, healthier place. She loves Ultimate Frisbee, travelling off the beaten path, and indulging in delicious food and drink.
Maintenance Intern
Willa came to City Blossoms January 2012 and will be helping keep all the gardens beautiful and healthy all season long. Willa comes with plenty of experience having grown up at the Meeting House Farm in central Vermont. As a new resident of D.C. Willa has loved walking around and getting to know and maybe even starting to fall in love with the City.
Youth Build Intern
Juan is interning this season with City Blossoms as part of his studies at Youth Build (Columbia Heights). Originally from Paraguay Juan is excited to be part of a project where he gets to work outside and with kids.
Summer Intern
Mohamed originally from Sierra Leone moved to D.C. with his family when he was 19 years old. After attending Freedom High School, Mohamed joined Youth Build where he was introduced to City Blossoms and became a regular volunteer. During his internship Mohamed will be bringing his artistic skills to the gardens. A fun fact, during his childhood Mohamed lived in the U.K. for two years.
Helping Hands
Started Spring 2012, the Volunteer Corps is a group of dedicated adults who commit three hours a week during the growing season to helping City Blossoms staff and young gardeners maintain the Community Green Spaces. Members connect with the community, gain organic gardening skills through hands-on learning and guest speakers and sustain vibrant, healthy neighborhoods alongside children & youth. Email info@cityblossoms.org for more information.
Katie Rehwaldt, chairperson
Katie Rehwaldt is the Program Director of America the Beautiful Fund’s Seeds That Grow Hope program, the Co-coordinator of the annual Rooting DC urban gardening forum and is a gardener at Twin Oaks Community Garden in Columbia Heights.
Diane Newberg, vice-chairperson
Diane Newberg fell in love with D.C.’s parks and green spaces when she moved to the District in 1988. After working for many years on Capitol Hill and lobbying for issues such as alternative energy, she is now an independent consultant. Diane is originally from Michigan and has a fondness for the color green, Indian food and the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. In her next life, she wants to be a landscape architect.
Arsine Kailian, treasurer
Si Kailian loves the community and serving it. She serves on the board of the Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association and lives in downtown D.C. near the Marion Street Garden. She likes plants and digging in the dirt.
Carmen Wong, secretary
Carmen C. Wong is the Artistic Director of Banished Productions and a neighbor of the Marion Street Intergenerational Garden. She can occasionally be found rescuing earthworms and overgrown Chard leaves in the garden. She plans on helping throw some rockin’ art-inspired garden parties with City Blossoms and putting her modest development skills towards growing a great organization.
Jennifer Freedman, member
Jennifer Freedman is the Development Director of CASA de Maryland, the largest Latino organization in Maryland. Ms. Freedman has over seven years of experience in non-profit management. She has a B.A. from Northwestern University and will receive a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Maryland in May 2011. Ms. Freeman is a member of the Leadership Montgomery Class of 2008 & the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington’s Future Executive Director Fellowship Class of 2009. A native of the D.C. region, she hopes to contribute to making the world a more just and equitable place.
Timothea Howard, member
Timothea Howard is the Program Integration and Expansion Manager for CentroNia a community based, bilingual, multi-cultural learning center in Washington, DC. She is a community, labor and cultural organizer who served as a labor organizer with the American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-Council 31, International Brotherhood of Teamsters and as a campus recruiter for the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute. Ms. Howard is also an artist with focuses on painting, photography and theater and is a member of Sophie’s Parlor Feminist Radio Collective one of the oldest women’s radio collectives in the US. In 1999, Timothea received the Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leadership Fellowship award.
Nancy Kowalski, member
Nancy Kowalski currently works as an HR Manager at CentroNia, a bilingual educational and community development organization. Nancy has recently completed her PHR certification in HR and has a diverse background in Communications, International Relations, Education, and Customer Service. Outside of work, Nancy enjoys volunteering with youth and creating recycled art.
Tina J. Walha, member
Tina J. Walha is a management consultant with Accenture, where she helps government and non-profit organizations with issues related to strategy and change. Tina hails from North Carolina and has a passion for community development, the outdoors, and running after her disobedient dog. She has a Masters in Public Policy, with a concentration in Urban Policy and Planning, from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. While at Princeton, Tina got her hands dirty as a management intern at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and she brings her commitment to urban green spaces to City Blossoms.
Lola Bloom, member
Rebecca Lemos, member