Staff and Board
Staff
Gonzalo Barahona Hernández
Operations Assistant
Kayla Beasley
Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
Freya Berntson
Natural Resources Manager
Carol Good-Elliott
Environmental Educator
Stephany Hancock
Public Programs Coordinator / Environmental Educator
Jason Kissel
Executive Director
Luke Beck Kreider
Assistant Professor, Religion & Sustainability
Melinda Long
Office Manager
Ruth Mischler
Farm Manager
Jonathon Schramm
Professor & Chair, Biology & Sustainability; Director, Institute for Ecological Regeneration (IER)
Aleah Southworth
Environmental Educator
Foy Spicer
Interim Managing Director
Kaitlyn Sproles
Director of Environmental Education Outreach
Alan Stadler
Buildings Manager
Board of Trustees
BLAIR (ANDY) RIETH (Chair) – Served since 2020 : General Manager – Welch Packaging
GREG PERIGO (Vice-chair) – Served since 2022 : Director of Strategic Partnerships – Indiana Tech
DOUGLAS VENDRELY – Served since 2022 : Retired teacher – Merry Lea volunteer
CARL WEAVER – Served since 2023 : Retired teacher
BEKAH HOUFF – Served since 2024 : Special Event Manager – Community Foundation of Elkhart County
BETH SQUIRES – Served since 2025 : Director of Philanthropy – League for the Blind & Disabled
ROD DILLER – Served since 2026 : Senior Vice President – Everence Financial
BRUCE STAHLY – Served since 2026: Retired Superintendent of Goshen Community Schools
ANN VENDRELY (Ex officio) – Served since 2018 : Vice President for Academic Affairs & Academic Dean – Goshen College
JASON KISSEL (Ex officio) – Served since 2026 : Executive Director – Merry Lea
FOY SPICER (Ex officio) – Served since 2025 : Interim Managing Director – Merry Lea