EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Amanda (she/her) grew up in the hills near San Jose, CA, where she and her family raised farm animals as pets (pigs, chickens, ducks, goats, and more!). She attended Stanford University, where she studied Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture. Her experiences working on educational farms, directing summer camps and managing nonprofit organizations have shaped her dream to start an educational community farm near Gresham, OR. Amanda graduated from an MBA program at Yale School of Management in 2022 and she is thrilled to be back in Oregon, working with a wonderful group of people at Thimbleberry Collaborative Farm! In her free time, Amanda loves to cook and eat delicious food, hang out at Mt. Tabor, and spend time with family, friends, her partner Harrison, and her two mischievous cats.

FARM OPERATIONS MANAGER

Drew (he/him) took a circuitous route to becoming an organic vegetable farmer. Born and raised in Northern CA, he spent his youth skateboarding, doing street art, and generally being irksome to the authorities.

After high school Drew moved to San Francisco, CA, to pursue his hobbies and acquire a degree in Graphic Design from SFSU in his free time. Throughout school he worked in health food stores and the restaurant industry where he acquired a love of fresh, local food, and became inspired by the farmers he met who supplied these industries.

At the age of 30 Drew moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon, where he owned and operated High Wire Farm, a 1.5 acre vegetable/fruit farm situated on family land, from 2010-2018. Drew is passionate about teaching the skills of farming to youth, local food resiliency in the face of climate change, and building lasting relationships within his community through food and laughter. He lives in SE Portland with his son August.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS MANAGER

Bella (she/her) grew up in SE Portland, where she spent her childhood helping her parents in the garden, surrounded by chickens and her beloved pet duck. She attended the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, where she studied Philosophy and Global Health.

After working and volunteering with organizations such as Multnomah County Search and Rescue, Lines for Life, and the Oregon Public Health Corps, Bella realized she wanted to focus on building her community’s resilience, rather than waiting for moments of crisis to have the ability to help.

Inspired by a wide range of early childhood educational opportunities, Bella is a strong advocate for student-led and experiential learning. She looks forward to helping students develop a deeper connection and care for the world around them—by encouraging them to get their hands dirty!

In her free time, Bella enjoys snuggling with her two cats, enjoying the beautiful forests and rivers of Oregon, and spending quality time with friends and family.

GRANTS COORDINATOR

Sarah (she/her) is a native Oregonian who loves her home state and the vast opportunities to enjoy its incredible nature. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication from University of Oregon.

Over the last decade, Sarah has worked for several nonprofits in Portland and Seattle doing grant writing, database management, event coordination, fundraising strategy, and donor communication. She has served a diverse array of missions including access to nature, equitable education, humanitarian aid, and cultural performing arts.

Sarah started her role at Thimbleberry Collaborative Farm after taking a year-long sabbatical to drive the Pan American Highway in a truck camper with her family.

2026 FARM APPRENTICE

Michella Onnis (she/they) is excited to be joining Thimbleberry Collaborative Farm as an intern through the Oregon Farm Corp this season! As a born and raised Oregonian, she grew up gardening and learning tips and tricks from her dad and the knowledge he gained growing up farming in Sardinia. While her first higher education started with studying biology at The Evergreen State College, it quickly transformed into a passion for understanding how we came to the current American healthcare system through the lens of land-use rights, folk medicine, the history of free clinics, as well as conservation and restoration. She is deeply interested in trying to find the connection points for all these interests. Thimbleberry’s non-profit approach and their commitment to increasing access to food for systemically marginalized communities feels like the perfect fit. While she is newer to full-scale produce farming, her background in cut-flower farming, and herbal production farming should give a leg up as she searches for the answers at the intersections of these questions and learns how to grow food for community!  

She’s also very into beans, hiking, sheep, cooking good food for friends, bike rides, and most importantly her dog, Russula K. Le Guin. 

2026 EDUCATION INTERN

Meghan grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where her family’s love of gardening first took root. She spent 12 years teaching elementary physical education, developing a passion for helping youth learn through movement, play, and hands-on experiences. This led her to embrace the power of outdoor learning and create vibrant garden classrooms where children can explore, learn, and connect with the world around them.

At Thimbleberry, Meghan is excited to continue learning and growing alongside the farm community while helping connect youth and families with the garden and expand access to fresh, nourishing food.

When not in the garden, she enjoys spending time with her son, Jaxon, and their pup, Ruthie. She loves climbing, cooking, practicing yoga with friends, and chasing outdoor adventures whenever she can.