Team & Board

Tom Rowley is Executive Director, former Chair and founding board member of A Rocha USA. He is a LEED Accredited Professional. Previously, he served as Fellow at the Rural Policy Research Institue, Project Manager at TVA Rural Studies Program of the University of Kentucky, Editor of Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, and Analyst at USDA's Economic Research Service. He also worked with the National Rural Development Partnership, National Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development Policy, President's Council on Sustainable Development, and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Rich Dixon is Stewardship Coordinator in Santa Barbara, California, where efforts range from urban gardens to marine life monitoring to environmental education. This spring, we'll be planting 3-acres of organic produce to feed those in need, while studying crop pollinators in order to help replenish their numbers.

Katie Hergenrather is Stewardship Coordinator in Boise, Idaho. Katie and her team are bringing together people, churches and institutions in their community to clean up and protect the Boise River watershed.

Ashlee Grishaber is Stewardship Coordinator in San Luis Obispo, California, where efforts include gardens and working with a vineyard to grow organic food.

Board of Directors

• Robin Brady-Treasurer, is Finance Director for the entertainment group of the National Geographic Society. Her education includes a Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering from the University of Florida and an MBA in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

• Carson Dickie is President of Ignite, an educational nonprofit, and President of Dickie Energy Investments. He has a Bachelor's of Business Administration from the University of Texas.

• Sarita Hoyt-Secretary, works in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water handling policy and communication issues. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College and holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

• Caroline Park is a founding board member of A Rocha USA. She is a Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, where she advises on domestic and international fisheries issues.

• Mark Purcell-Chairman, is Vice President of Production and Operations at Morse Best Innovation. He  holds degrees from Grand Canyon College and Azusa Pacific University, and a Doctorate of Education from Seattle Pacific University.

• Karen Steensma is Co-Director of the Environmental Studies Program and Assistant Professor of Biology at Trinity Western University. Her areas of expertise are in marine biology and organic and sustainable agriculture. She and her husband are also dairy farmers in Washington state.

• Tom Rowley-ex officio