Our Staff
Joan Pinegar
Joan Pinegar has been the director of multiple day camps, spent over a decade as Garden Coordinator at Isaac Dickson Elementary School, and led numerous community gardens, all while feeding the Asheville community with rescued food. Joan is the owner/director of The Educational Garden Project.
Rachel Letcher
Rachel has almost a decade of experience working in the nonprofit sector and holds a Masters in Public Health, fueling her passion for nutrition education. She co-led a community garden in Birmingham, AL, and supported a school garden nutrition program in Nashville, TN. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, cooking and making ceramics. Rachel is excited to be a part of The Educational Garden Project team this summer.
Sage Porter
Sage Porter has spent many years traveling from farm to farm learning about growing food, raising animals, and living in community. She loves to have her hands in the dirt alongside children and friends alike. Sage studied regenerative agriculture and sustainable living at the Maharishi University, and feels excited to share what she knows, and to continue learning this summer in the garden!
Lousia parker
Louisa Parker is a dancer and artist with a love for farming and gardening. She has lead hiking trips and outdoor education for kids ages 3-16, and currently teaches dance classes in Asheville. Louisa graduated from Bennington College, studying dance, sculpture and garment design, and she loves to teach fiber arts, visual arts and performance art to all ages and abilities. She is grateful to be a part of The Educational Garden Project team this summer!
Ransey Perry
Ransey has been blessed with the opportunity to grow and explore alongside young learners in educational settings for over 5 years. She’s served in public and private schools, after school programs, daycare centers and Montessori spaces. Ransey also teaches yoga in Asheville and is looking forward to learning and playing in the garden this summer!
Ashley Gillen-Staicar
Ashley is an Asheville local and has spent all of her adult life working with children. Ashley holds a Masters in School Counseling and is a school counselor within the Buncombe County School District. She has a passion for helping others with a focus on school-aged children and enjoys teaching social-emotional skills along with learning new things. Ashley feels grateful to be a part of The Educational Garden Project.
Paris Jewell
Paris is a student studying sustainable agriculture and art at Warren Wilson College. She moved to Asheville from Florida in 2022, and has been working on creating a farm with alpacas, pigs, ducks, chickens and bunnies. Her favorite hobby is hot composting, using food waste to build rich soil ecology. Her mission is to decrease dependence on commercial agriculture and advocate for food security through gardens and sustainable agriculture practices.
Amy Hinsley
In her 25 years in Asheville, Amy, a teacher and mother, has found her place in the richness of Asheville's dance, music, yoga and gardening communities. She is thrilled to be a part of The Educational Garden Project this summer while taking laughter, learning, and play seriously.
Auram EshragHi
Auram has worked with children for over 13 years, including several different summer camps. She earned her degree in psychology with a minor in foods and nutrition and is passionate about health in all forms, along with fitness, sustainability, music, and earth connection. Auram was introduced to the magical world of plants and permaculture in 2017 when she went to live at an environmental camp for a month, fighting for clean water, and has lived at an eco-village and participated in numerous earth skills and community based gatherings since.