Maryann Donahue
Executive Director
In 2012, Maryann became Global Gardens’ first grant writer and outcome measurement specialist. While helping GG increase grant funding and demonstrate its positive impact on students, she fell in love with the organization’s unique model and commitment to educational equity. In 2016, when Founder Heather Oakley decided to relocate to Florida, Maryann eagerly accepted the challenge to lead the next phase of Global Gardens’ development.
Maryann brings 20 years of nonprofit experience to her role as Executive Director, including experience providing fundraising, program development, assessment and strategic planning for diverse, child-serving organizations in Tulsa and New England. She is most passionate about collaborating with staff, volunteers and partners to help small organizations take big steps toward growth and stability. She sees a bright future for Global Gardens.
Maryann has a Doctorate in English from the University of Tulsa and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of Southern Maine. In her free time, she is an avid gardener, reader, runner, sewist, traveler, mom and grandmother. She is inspired every day by the brilliance and heart of Global Gardens’ teachers and students.
Ashley Eakin
Development Director
Ashley brings a giving heart and business development mind to the Global Gardens team. Having created and built LocalFarmOK before selling it to local nonprofit Food on the Move in December 2023, Ashley is well versed in the garden setting, while having the tangible and meaningful experience of building a company from the ground up and sticking to its mission while doing so. Ashley has a charitable mindset while being the current VP of Communications on the Tulsa Midtown National Charity League board. She also served on the Board for the Child Abuse Network, acted as a Child Advocate and chaired and planned their events during that time. Ashley is thrilled to join Global Gardens and to oversee all fundraising efforts and events while working collaboratively with its incredible team and board members. On weekends Ashley can usually be found at hot yoga, supporting her children Taylor and Max on the tennis court, creating in the kitchen, entertaining friends — all while enjoying the company of her adored animals, Scout, Sterling and Boo.
Jenni Yoder
Program Director
Jenni Yoder started her journey at Global Gardens as a program volunteer in 2013. She quickly realized Global Gardens is much more than a gardening program! The curiosity, confidence, and calm the students displayed made a big impact on her. As she completed her psychology degree and worked a job in social work, Jenni couldn’t forget about Global Gardens! Now, Jenni is honored to work with brilliant and thoughtful students every day, and she doesn’t think she will ever get over the thrill of watching something (or someone!) grow. In her free time, Jenni enjoys reading, perusing yard sales, spending time outside, and trying out new skills like baking and soap-making.
Laura Robinson
Program Director
Laura was born and raised in Tulsa, and has always believed in the transformative power of education. After receiving her BS in Elementary Education from The University of Oklahoma in 2016, she taught 2nd and 3rd grade in public elementary schools in both Tulsa and Arizona. Ready to return home and ready to use her experience in a new way, she discovered Global Gardens and was immediately drawn by its mission. She loves reading, taking her dog to the dog park, and spending time outdoors!
Crystal Patrick
Community Outreach Director
Crystal was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is a proud graduate of Tulsa Public Schools. She attended the University of Oklahoma and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies, as well as a Minor in African and African American Studies. Crystal’s philosophy on life is simple- be the change you want to see. Her involvement within various community organizations led to her former role in anti-racism work, where a passion for bridge building was ignited in her. Crystal has also spent time in the classroom as an educator, where she developed a love for teaching our youth. She is most excited about the opportunity to combine her love of teaching, as well as her passion for authentic diversity, equity, and inclusion into her role at Global Gardens. On the weekends you can find Crystal making jewelry, thrifting, or laying under the oak trees at her favorite park.
Sara Robinson
Operations Director
Sara joined Global Gardens in the Fall of 2022, bringing with her over 14 years of local nonprofit experience. Armed with two Master’s degrees—including her most recent in Nonprofit Leadership from Oklahoma City University—she is inspired by Tulsa’s vibrant philanthropic community. Sara is the ultimate behind-the-scenes mastermind who loves keeping the organizational gears turning smoothly, but she is equally fueled by seeing the Global Gardens mission come alive daily alongside students, educators, and staff.
When she isn’t brainstorming future doctorate plans in organizational leadership, keeping up with her energetic twins, Isla and Cooper, or navigating the whirlwind of travel baseball, you can usually find her in the kitchen. For Sara, cooking is a true love language, and she loves bringing people together over a great meal.
Katie Ellis
Communications Specialist
With a background in graphic design and a passion for the Tulsa community, Katie came to Global Gardens as an AmeriCorps member in September 2018. What began as a service term turned into a career: she now serves as the organization’s Communications Specialist, leading social media, newsletters, fundraising campaigns, and event materials. Katie is also an illustrator, and beyond that, spends her time tending her home garden and chickens, cooking from her ever-growing cookbook collection (there’s always room for one more), and enjoying life with her husband, daughter, and dogs. She grows flowers each year in memory of her daughter Marigold.
Emily Pauli
Administrative Coordinator
After returning from a stint in the Peace Corps in 2009, Emily arrived back to Tulsa to discover that childhood friend Heather Oakley had started a non-profit teaching young people how to garden. Loving the idea, she signed up to volunteer. Within the first hour of her first day, she realized Global Gardens was so much more than teaching students how to plant seeds. She quickly recognized the program was designed to empower young people to achieve much greater goals than having a garden. She saw the same elements at play she had used in her community organizing days of empowering adults, being used with children. She also quickly realized the design of the program was better than any she had seen abroad or at home, better even than programs being implemented with the international NGOs she had worked with. All this in her hometown of Tulsa, OK – she was hooked from day one. She volunteered for a while with Global Gardens and then came on staff as the Administrative Coordinator in 2010. She continues to be one of Global Garden’s fiercest advocates. In her free time, when she’s not taking care of twin boys and volunteering in her community, she dreams of the next trip she will take and maybe of the day she will live abroad again.
Jenny Nemec
Garden Educator
Jenny Nemec was one of Global Garden’s first team members. She met Heather Oakley in December of 2006 to discuss the phenomenal idea of empowering children through gardening. During the program’s inaugural semester at Eugene Field Jenny volunteered weekly while she finished her studies at OSU-Tulsa. After graduating in May 2007 with a degree in liberal studies she joined the staff as a full-time employee. In November 2007 she gave birth to her first child and is now a full-time mother and part-time Global Gardens Educator. Influenced by her mother’s passion for gardening, Jenny created and maintained a community garden at the apartment complex where she used to reside. She now lives in a house with two daughters and cat, where she continues to dig up the yard to accommodate her ever-growing and fluctuating collection of plants.
Michelle Palestina
Garden Educator and Alumni Coordinator
Michelle was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and at the age of 5, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Michelle is a proud Dreamer and celebrates her immigrant and Hispanic heritage. She completed her education at Union Public Schools, where she participated in the Global Gardens after-school program from 3rd grade until 6th grade. Michelle pursued higher education at Tulsa Community College and OSU-Tulsa, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
Throughout her journey, Michelle gained valuable experience in the human service field and worked closely with various social service agencies in Tulsa to support individuals and families. Her passion lies in helping others and empowering them to pursue their goals while prioritizing their safety, health, and overall well-being. Driven by her dedication to making a positive impact, Michelle returned to Global Gardens as a Garden Educator and Alumni Coordinator. She takes immense pride in representing and reflecting the diverse cultural and racial backgrounds of the students in the program. Michelle is eager to continue celebrating different cultures, fostering hope in students, and providing a peaceful and safe environment, reminiscent of the one she cherished and thrived in as a child during her time in Global Gardens.
Laura Shand
Garden Educator & Garden Coach
Laura was born and raised in Sand Springs, where she discovered her passion for plants, animals, and the outdoors during high school FFA classes. These experiences inspired her to pursue a degree in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University. After graduating, Laura worked as a Horticulturist at the Tulsa Zoo for several years. She joined Global Gardens in 2020 to share her knowledge and passion for horticulture while inspiring the next generation of gardeners and curious thinkers.
As a Garden Coach, Laura also supports and trains staff in managing and utilizing their school gardens as effectively as possible, helping educators build the knowledge and confidence to make their gardens productive spaces for learning.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys camping with her partner and two huskies, gardening, cooking, and seeing live music.
Madison Bailey
Garden Educator
Madison was born and raised in Tulsa and is proud to call this city home. After graduating from Northeastern State University with a Secondary Education degree in English Language Arts, she spent 5 years serving as a public school teacher. Her favorite thing about being an educator is listening to and learning from students. She is endlessly inspired by their wisdom and perspectives. The outdoors have always been her favorite place to be, but when not in the garden, Madison enjoys being with family and friends, listening to music, reading, cooking, and spending time with her wife and their two dogs, Emma and Junie, as well as their two cats, Alaska and Beckett.
Ashley Ivanoff
Garden Educator
Ashley moved to Tulsa in 2021 from Pennsylvania to serve with Americorps. During that year, she was introduced to the transformative power of Global Gardens at Eugene Field Elementary. Seeing students push their boundaries to try new food, new experiences and new social skills introduced her to a better way to learn! Her love of the outdoors and passion for exploration drove her desire to join the Global Gardens team and be a part of the change. She brings with her experience in Montessori education and drive for student voice. When she is not in the garden, you’ll find her hiking, cooking or introducing her son to the wonder in the world!
Rebekah Applegate
Garden Educator
Rebekah is a Tulsa native and a proud graduate of Tulsa Public Schools. She is proud to be a Tulsan and is deeply invested in the success and wellbeing of her fellow Tulsans, including its students! Rebekah graduated from Oral Roberts University in 2020 and spent four years in Tulsa classrooms as both a middle and high school educator at public and charter schools. After a brief stint in the corporate world, Rebekah missed teaching and was looking for a way to return to working with students in a new capacity. Enter: Global Gardens. What a perfect pairing!
When she’s not in the garden or classroom, you can find Rebekah curled up next to her two cats while crocheting her latest creation or reading a thriller or mystery. Maybe you’ll find her at a craft pop up around town or sitting in a Tulsa coffee shop soon!
Tiffany Bruner
Garden Educator
Tiffany joined Global Gardens as an Assistant Garden Educator and quickly fell in love with the opportunity to combine two things she enjoys most: working with kids and spending time outdoors. Now a Garden Educator, she loves creating hands-on experiences that encourage students to get curious, ask questions, try new things, and find their own connection to the natural world.
When she isn’t in the garden, Tiffany enjoys photography, creating art, spending time with her dog, exploring outdoors, and tending to her own ever-evolving garden at home.
Amber Deen
Garden Educator
Amber Marie Deen is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose practice is deeply connected to following the rhythms of nature and working with natural materials. Amber received her BA in International Community Development and minor in Dance and Pedagogy in 2014 and has 17 years of experience in education. She has facilitated children’s learning and play through teaching dance, preschool, nature immersion, multimedia art, and gardening. From 2021-2026 she was the lead Teaching Artist for Philbrook’s Any Given Child Program and had the blessing of teaching art to 10,849 students in 43 Tulsa Public elementary schools. Although working with so many students felt momentous she longed to create long-lasting relationships with children and their caregivers. The gift of working for Global Gardens is tending gently to gardens and children and witnessing all of them grow, she is still enthralled by the simple magic of a tiny seed planted that can become so much more.
When Amber is not in the Garden you can find her taking long walks, staring at art, and making things with her hands.
Alyssa Rutz
Assistant Garden Educator
Amazing bio coming soon!
Heather Rippy
Founder and Consultant
With thirteen years teaching experience and inspired by the success of school garden projects around the country Heather Oakley began Global Gardens. Determined to see students ask their own questions, and inspired by the concepts of peace and hands-on science education, she developed an inquiry-based program to empower students to dream big, work together, and have confidence that they will reap what they sow – that in fact, they are responsible for their future.
Raised in Tulsa, OK, Heather left for France at 18 and gained valuable experience living, learning, and teaching abroad. She has taught in classrooms from Uganda, East Africa to Naples, FL, to Harlem, NY. In New York Heather gained masters degrees in both Urban Science Education and International Development/Peace Education from Columbia University. While working toward her advanced degrees Heather continued as an educator; consulting with elementary school teachers about how to better teach science, teaching at the UN International School, where she saw peace education in action, and in Harlem where she taught 1-6th grade science and piloted two small-scale community garden projects.
Returning to Tulsa in the fall of 2006 Heather used her diverse experience in urban education, botany and community organizing to create a program that would empower high-risk students to become agents of change in their communities.
Heather is a dreamer and a doer. In addition to her love of students, science, nature, and art, she likes to create and is an avid traveler. She likes to take walks with her husband, spend time with her two daughters, collect driftwood and rocks, take pictures, knit, and of course, garden.