Staff Members

Leadership Team

Cathryn Couch

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Cathryn Couch is an entrepreneur, chef and activist committed to creating healthy, just and sustainable communities. She has worked in the corporate and non-profit worlds, including four years as Director of Communications for The Hunger Project’s US operations from 1987 to 1991. From 1993 to 2003 she founded and ran one of the first gourmet organic and vegetarian home delivered meal services in the San Francisco Bay area. She launched Ceres Community Project in 2007 as a one day a week volunteer project.

Cathryn serves on the boards of Partnership HealthPlan of California and Sonoma County’s Health Action Together, and on the Advisory Boards for Food is Medicine Coalition and California Food is Medicine Coalition. She is on the Leadership Team for Hearts of Sonoma County and an advisor to the Aspen Institute’s Food as Medicine Research Action Plan.

Awards for her work include: CNN Hero (2016); California Northwest Red Cross Real Hero Award (2015); finalist for the James Irvine Leadership Award (2015); Leader in Sustainability Award from the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy (2013); Silver Jefferson Award for Public Service (2012); national finalist for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Community Health Leaders Award, and the Nonprofit Leadership Award (2012). Couch has an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Rachel Cabanilla

Senior Manager, Client and Volunteer Services

Rachel comes to us with 11 years of experience as a school psychologist, which has many relevant management, case management, training and presentation skills that are used heavily on the Client Care Team.

Kari Danskin

Director, Administration

Kari has spent the majority of her professional career in the nonprofit sector, in various capacities, and discovered her love of Human Resources while in her operations role at SoCo Nexus/North Bay iHub, a local tech-focused start-up business incubator. After that, she spent two years as Director of Business Operations at a for-profit, start-up tech company. When that company pulled up stakes in Santa Rosa and moved all operations back to Chicago, she reaffirmed that the for-profit sector was not for her. After spending three amazing years 100% focused on HR at Conservation Corps North Bay, she is now extremely happy to have landed at Ceres.

Brenda Paulucci-Whiting

Chief Program Officer

Brenda has 25+ years of experience helping non-profits raise money, develop capacity, and improve program outcomes on behalf at-risk youth and families. She has worked the bulk of her career in youth development, including 10 years fundraising for and managing theatre, literacy, and mentoring programs for under-served youth throughout New York City. In California, she worked for 10 years with Conservation Corps North Bay, grant writing and eventually overseeing impact of its environmental, farm and youth programs. Most recently, she served as Chief Operating Officer for the Marin City Health & Wellness Center, where she had oversight of clinic operations, human resources, quality improvement, billing, and revenue generation for the clinic. Brenda is thrilled to join the team of Ceres Community Project and appreciative of the opportunity to use her diverse skills to support its mission, programs, and staff.

Deborah Ramelli

Director of Development and Community Affairs

Deborah Ramelli leads Ceres’ fundraising and communications teams. After a successful career in retail management and merchandise planning at Macy’s/Federated Department Stores, her personal interest in health and yoga led her to a vocation of teaching yoga, wellness and nutrition education at companies around the Bay Area, studios, and retreat centers.

Deborah’s first experience with Ceres was as a volunteer, drawn to the organization’s values which were a good match with her own: mentoring youth, strengthening community connections, and supporting people with healthy food. Her role has grown and evolved along with Ceres’ organizational growth and impact, starting as a Development Associate in 2011, then progressing to Fund Development and Communications Manager followed by Communications Director before assuming her current position in 2021. Deborah is a member of Ceres’ Leadership Team and Staff Policy Workgroup. She has played key roles in Ceres’ response to disasters including wildfires and COVID-19, representing Ceres on the Marin County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and the Sonoma County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD). She is a member of the Communications and Development committees of the national Food is Medicine Coalition, and of the Communications Committee of the California Food is Medicine Coalition.

Skyler Spitz

Senior Manager, Meal Program Operations

Skyler Spitz brings 13 years of culinary and pastry experience from restaurants, bakeries, wineries and newspaper test kitchens. Most recently, Skyler was managing operations for two restaurants and a wine brand in Healdsburg. She is in her final year of school to obtain a degree in Food Systems Studies with a focus in social justice and public health through the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Skyler joined Ceres because of her value alignment with our work providing healthy, nutritious food to those who need it most.

Staff

Lisa Baiter

Delivery Coordinator, Sonoma

Lisa has spent over a decade running the programs at Ocean Song Farm and Wilderness Center, including retreats and Coyote Camp, a summer camp for kids. She brings excellent organizational and logistical skills to our Delivery Process.

Olivia Basso

Graphic Design Assistant

Andrew Breeds

Lead Driver

Lauren Bryson

Nutrition Educator, Garden and Youth Programs

With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a professional background in the non-profit sector, Lauren’s underlying mission in life has always been to help people. Lauren is board certified in holistic nutrition and works as a health coach at her holistic nutrition company Lauren Emerson Wellness. She is also a kids cooking instructor with Kids Cooking for Life and deeply believes in the power of education at a young age. Lauren understands the therapeutic value of real, nutrient dense food and also recognizes the impact that environment, stress and mindset have on overall health. She discovered the world of holistic healing during her own personal health crisis and has first hand experience with healing imbalances within the body using nutrition and lifestyle practices.

Matt Cadigan

Volunteer Relations Manager

Matt has been working in visual design and education for six years and is the co-founder of a non-profit, Fire Circle Theater, where he works to bring arts curriculum and performance to communities typically underserved and under-resourced. He has successfully brought programs into High Schools, college programs and adult programs to resounding success. He is excited to join Ceres and continue to create an impact for his community and help students find pathways towards enriching their lives.

Tracy Collinsworth

Support Chef, Sonoma County

Felicity Crush

Creative Manager and Graphic Designer

Felicity comes to Ceres with many years of experience working in communications and graphic design for environmental and social action non-profits. She worked for many years with Greenpeace International, as a sailor and in communications, highlighting and protesting environmental destruction worldwide. After landing in Northern California, she began working with the Mainstreet Moms, a grassroots social action group, working on campaigns such as the Leave My Child Alone campaign, the successful adoption of Marin Clean Energy and the creation of Transition West Marin. She recently worked as the graphic designer at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and serves as a mentor on an online meditation course. She also works as an artist, most recently an installation “Beach Plastic Mandala for Ocean Healing”, was co-created with public participation at the Marine Mammal Center. She lives in West Marin where she has raised a daughter, grows a garden and counts her blessings.

Elissa Gibb

Grants and Corporate Outreach Coordinator

Elissa comes to Ceres with a degree in art and experience in retail nurseries and organic flower farming. Her journey into the world of plants began when she moved to Sonoma County from her home in San Diego in 2017 and began work as a nursery salesperson and avid gardener. She made meaningful connections with coworkers and customers and eventually found a home living on a flower farm on Sonoma Mountain where she helps spread joy across the county with fresh cut flower arrangements. Her experience of Sonoma County thus far sparked a genuine passion for plants, food, and community and she sought out purposeful work that would help build on that foundation – and so found Ceres! Elissa brings with her diverse set of skills that she is eager to apply to the development and growth of Ceres Community Project.

The heart- and health-centered approach to work has transformed Elissa’s understanding of what it means to be a person in this wild thing called life, and she is excited to help uplift members of her community through plants, food, and love.

Andrea Guarino

Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Investments

Andrea brings 4 years of grants management experience to Ceres, including both private foundation stewardship and government grants management. She earned a master’s degree in English with a Creative Writing emphasis from Sonoma State University in 2018. She also served as Ceres’ Volunteer Coordinator at the Sebastopol kitchen in 2019, where she became certain that there was something unique and captivating about Ceres’ community-centric mission. She is thrilled to return as Ceres’ Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Investments and plans to grow Ceres’ impact through heart-centered storytelling.

Brina Harmon

Kitchen Assistant, Sebastopol

Brina Harmon originally volunteered at Ceres during her youth, becoming a teen leader in both the kitchen and garden. In 2021 she returned to work as a kitchen assistant at the Sebastopol location. During her time here she has been thrilled to pay forward all her gratitude for what Ceres has taught her by working with the dedicated volunteers. Brina enjoys spending her free time hiking, reading, writing novels, and cuddling with her cat.

Alex Harris

Kitchen Assistant, Sebastopol

Alex is a Sonoma County native whose first experience with Ceres was as a teen volunteer. Alex returned to Ceres in 2021 and works as a Kitchen Assistant in the Sebastopol kitchen. Alex has many interests which include fermentation, water kefir, sour dough making, cooking and nutrition, coffee roasting, hiking and exploring Sonoma County parks and beaches. Alex's favorite parts of working at Ceres are the work culture and cooking with the volunteers.

Jamie Harris

Delivery Driver

Lizzy Harris

Culinary Program Assistant, Sebastopol

Lizzy is a Sebastopol native and loves being a part of the Ceres community. She started as a teen volunteer in 2019 and quickly fell in love with Ceres and how fulfilling the work is. Lizzy enjoys exploring the beautiful beaches and trails around Sonoma County in her spare time.

Billy Headington

Youth Program Coordinator

Allissa Higgins

Kitchen Assistant

Allissa Higgins volunteered at Ceres for nearly two years while they were in high school and after graduating. They became a teen leader late in the year of 2022. Allissa then soon transitioned to working as a kitchen assistant at the Sonoma County kitchen. They adore the loving and warm community of Ceres and the environment of a kitchen filled with super sweet staff and absolutely wonderful volunteers. Allissa likes to spend their free time making art, reading, writing, watching films, exercising, and hanging out with friends.

Melissa Hosking

Development Associate

Melissa came to Ceres with a background in local advertising and marketing, as well as a history of non-profit work. During her past career in the corporate world, she worked extensively to help local non-profits promote themselves to the community and grow their donor bases, eventually realizing that she wanted to do this full-time and devote herself to one non-profit. Ceres Community Project was a perfect match for her and her love of cooking, gardening, and helping others.

Melissa holds a degree in Sociology – Organizational Studies and a degree in English from the University of California, Davis. In her free time, she loves going on hikes, working in the garden, cooking, and volunteering.

Autumn Johns

Administrative Assistant to the CEO and Policy Coordinator

Autumn is a Sonoma County native, who’s family migrated to the Santa Rosa area in the late 1800’s. As a child she always dreamed of living in Sebastopol, and has recently returned to the area after living in Mendocino County for the last 25 years. She has dedicated a substantial part of her life to the non-profit sector, working as a preschool teacher and Education Specialist for North Coast Opportunities’ Head Start program, before completing her bachelor’s degree in business and moving into their fiscal department as a revenue accountant. Nutrition has always been a hobby of hers, and she is passionate about the Food as Medicine initiative, believing that clean, healthy, unprocessed foods should be accessible and affordable for all. Autumn and her family raise rabbits on a small farm in West County, and when she is not tending to her three boys or her bunnies, she is learning to play guitar, or attending live music events.

Rob Johnson

Kitchen Assistant, Novato

Rob comes to Ceres after serving nearly a year as a volunteer in our Novato kitchen. After 30 years in technology, Rob is beyond thrilled to join an organization and group of people committed to lifting up the community and mentoring teens. In his spare time, there is a good chance you’ll find Rob vegetable gardening or in his own kitchen exploring the cuisines of the world. Rob is a resident of the San Geronimo Valley, where he and his partner enjoy walking the countless trails available just outside their door.

Lindsay Katz

Lead Chef, Novato

Lindsay began her culinary career after spending two years in Brazil where she experienced slow food as a way of life. Working with youth and in local kitchens and gardens, she realized how powerfully food connected people to their environment and to each other.

Upon graduating from culinary school in Texas, she promptly moved to California, to learn more about food in this region of agricultural bounty. Lindsay has worked in fine dining kitchens in Napa and Sonoma including Terra in St. Helena, but ultimately found her home in Sonoma County, making wildly-fermented artisan bread as a mixer and head baker for Della Fattoria in Petaluma.

Lindsay’s interest in nutrition and fermentation created a new path for her in 2016. She started exploring gluten-free sourdough and plant-based cuisine and ended up with a small business participating in local farmer’s markets.

Lindsay began as a volunteer during fire relief efforts and felt the fullest expression of what Ceres was, is, and will be. She became a kitchen mentor, knowing from day one, she wanted to deepen her commitment to Ceres and its mission.

Kim Lampi

Digital Content Marketing Manager

Kim comes from a diverse digital media background, previously working as a graphic designer, database assistant for a National Geographic wildlife photographer and copywriter for medical professionals.

Elisa Landauro-Johnston

Client Care Program Manager

Elisa has been involved with local non-profits since 2003. Prior to Ceres she was a senior Intake Coordinator for the ReStart program in Marin County. At ReStart she was the first point of contact for teens struggling with substance abuse, welcoming these youth and their families with her calm and inviting demeanor, helping them navigate through difficult times. Elisa also has extensive experience as a state certified housing, credit and debt counselor working to instill confidence through education while guiding her clients along the path to financial independence. Elisa has focused her career on working with families and individuals from both English and Spanish speaking communities throughout the Bay Area as well as across the country. Elisa graduated from Law School at San Martin de Porres University in Lima, Peru. Elisa is very thankful to be part of the Ceres family, an amazing organization whose mission and values of caring for one another, compassion, strong sense of community and respect for the environment, are very close to her heart.

John Littlewood

Lead Chef, Sebastopol

Chef John Littlewood has been working in kitchens for over 30 years. Educated at the California Culinary Academy, John has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in France, luxury hotels in the Caribbean, on sailboats and in private homes, and has also taught cooking in the California Gold Country. Chef John’s work has been featured in Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines, and he has demonstrated his recipes at wineries and special events such as the Chefs’ holidays at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. His first book, Celebrating the Seasons at Westerbeke Ranch, was published in 2006. John lives in Santa Rosa, California.

Kimberly Madsen

Nutrition Care Manager/RDN

Kim has been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) for over 30 years, spending her last 23 years at Project Open Hand, a non-profit medically tailored meals provider located in San Francisco and Alameda counties. For the six years prior to her departure, she acted as the Director of Nutrition Services, driving the vision for nutrition-related intervention and medically tailored meals for Project Open Hand. She has been a leader in the national Food as Medicine Coalition (FIMC) as co-chair of the Clinical Committee. During her tenure on the Clinical Committee, she led the development of the Nutrition Standards for Medically Tailored Meals and Groceries. During her tenure at Project Open Hand, she had the opportunity, in partnership with UCSF and the San Francisco Department of Health, to participate in the design and implementation of several academic research studies to illustrate the impact of medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling and education on the health and wellbeing of people living with food insecurity and chronic and critical illnesses. Witnessing and being inspired by the positive impact of medically appropriate, high-quality and nutritious food for people living with chronic and critical illness, Kim is thrilled to be a member of the Ceres Community Project team where she hopes to use her years of experience to support the great work being done now and into the future.

Jordana Martinez

Bilingual Client Care Coordinator

Marie Martinez

Data Analyst

Over the course of the past 15 years, Marie has served in several firms as a data analysis professional. She has worked extensively in sales planning and distribution, managing substantial amounts of data, and providing significant insight using her business decision making skills. Marie’s breadth of expertise includes data analysis, business intelligence, and data visualization. Leveraging data to resolve challenges and developing strategies to achieve short-term and long-term goals is something she is enthusiastic about. Marie enjoys collaborating with diverse teams to contribute to innovative ideas and create achievable results within an organization. Marie holds an MS in data analytics. Marie feels blessed to have a career doing what she is passionate about. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking in Sonoma, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Sara McCamant

Garden and Youth Program Manager

With over 25 years of experience, Sara specializes in connecting gardens with kitchens and creating gardens that are educational, beautiful and productive. Sara ran the gardens at the Shenoa Retreat Center and the Boonville Hotel and is a local food activist who founded the West County Seed Bank and is active with iGROW Sonoma and Transition Sebastopol. When she left her last garden at Lynmar Estate Sara knew it was time to make one of her dreams come true. She approached Ceres and said "I'm ready to start the Ceres Garden". A few weeks later the land and initial funding came together and the vision was planted.

Hannah Meeker

Lead Chef, Sonoma County

Genise Mestrovich

Kitchen Assistant, Sonoma County

Genesis started volunteering with Ceres in 2019 and has now become a Kitchen Assistant in Sonoma County. Excited for the job ahead, she’s looking forward to getting to know new volunteers and expanding her cooking skills. Outside of Ceres Genise enjoys hanging out with her friends, sewing, and spending time with her family.

Meg Mizutani

Assistant to the CPO

Although she was born and raised in Japan, Meg considers Sebastopol her hometown and has been active in the community since she moved to Sebastopol in 1996. With her background in counseling, social work, education, and community activism, she feels passionate about what Ceres strives for: youth empowerment, civic engagement, and client advocacy. She particularly enjoys the community building aspect of Ceres and is thrilled to be part of the Ceres team.

She holds a BA in International Relations from Sophia University in Japan and a MS in Educational Psychology from Cal State, East Bay. Her previous work experience includes global finance in Tokyo, London, and New York.

Meg is an advocate of citizen diplomacy. She organizes and leads cultural exchange groups for youths between Sebastopol and its sister city Takeo, Japan. She also teaches Japanese language, culture and taiko drumming in the community. Meg’s other non-profit experiences include Sebastopol Education Foundation, Sonoma County Matsuri Festival, Japanese American Citizens League, and Sister Cities International.

Deserie Myers

Development and Communications Administrative Assistant

Deserie Myers has over 20 years of experience in the field of Project Management, Human resources, Recruiting and Training. Her experience includes working with managers, directors and C-Suite executives for Fortune 500 companies. After obtaining a M.A. in Organization Development, Deserie longed to work for a locally owned business or a non-profit organization.

Although her career path took a different direction working in the corporate arena for many years, Deserie found an opportunity to become a part of the Ceres Community Project family. Deserie is motivated by the fact that Ceres works with teen volunteers who make medically tailored meals for low-income people struggling with serious health challenges. Deserie is excited to be a part of the team and to help Ceres grow to be able to assist more people in need.

April Nockleby

Volunteer Coordinator, Sonoma County

April came to Ceres with a background in volunteer coordination, online marketing and fundraising, and website management for non-profit organizations and corporations. Following college, she returned to her home Sonoma County to start a career in the wine industry. She had an intense desire to give back to her community and started volunteering with Equi-Ed, a therapeutic horseback riding program for children with disabilities. She devoted 17 years to assisting students in riding lessons, facilitating fundraising efforts, and creating on- and off-line marketing materials for the program. She’s enjoyed working for several local non-profits as either a volunteer or staff member and appreciates the richness those experiences have brought to her life. She brings to Ceres a lifelong passion for nature, animals, and getting her hands dirty in the garden.

Susan Parnes

Volunteer Coordinator & Culinary Assistant, Novato

Susan has been volunteering in her community for over twelve years. Her professional background includes restaurant management as well as HR management.   She have a BS in Business Management. After staying home with her children she returned to school and received my K-8 teaching credential. She taught pre-school for 5 years at the Osher Marin JCC in Tiburon. Most recently, she's volunteered at Wildcare of Marin, Guide Dogs for the Blind and her local synaguage’s Mitzvah Kitchen. Susan is thrilled to be part of the Ceres community and support the volunteer community of Marin.

Dan Patrick

Associate Chef, Sebastopol

Dan Patrick began his culinary career in a little take out restaurant his mother owned while he was in high school. Dan attended Johnson & Wales university and worked in a lot of different roles including catering at Sony Pictures, owning a breakfast and lunch cafe and cooking high profile wine country weddings. Dan has also found time to have a family life as the father of three boys, and has completed a master’s program in special education.

Karin Pimentel

Contracts & Business Development Manager

Brendan Roberts

Delivery Driver

Stephanie Quihuis

Billing Specialist

Marc Rothken

Social Media Assistant

Nicky Saadeh

Associate Chef, Sebastopol

Julie Stuffelbeam

Kitchen Procurement Manager

Julie's interest in nutrition, food and herbs has been an evolving journey. Beginning with organizing food coops in the midwest to feed her family healthy organic food, she moved through being a vegetarian and vegan to now learning about traditional diets that include fermented foods, sprouted grains and organ meats. It's been quite a journey. She brings her love of learning about food and her organizational skills to the job of Kitchen Manager for the Ceres Project.

Andrea Stupka

Client Care Coordinator

Andrea first learned about Ceres during her career as a brand manager in the organic food industry and had been following the organization for many years as a Kale Club member and as a volunteer. She transitioned her skills and experience from the organic food industry to a rewarding part-time position at Ceres as a program assistant supporting the Sonoma County culinary team. Now she is working as a part-time client care coordinator supporting the effective implementation of our client program and ensuring our clients have a positive experience.

Nadine Suto

Database Manager

Nadine has enjoyed many years volunteering and working with schools and nonprofits. As a breast cancer survivor, the mission of Ceres speaks to her heart, having experienced what is like to receive nourishing meals made by friends throughout her illness. Upon finishing chemotherapy and radiation in 2013, she enrolled at SF State to complete a program in Nonprofit Management, and has since worked with several local nonprofits in fundraising, organization, and data management to help support their missions.

Prior to this, she worked for 15 years in the software industry. Her educational path includes a BS in Instructional Technology from Cal State Long Beach, and an MS in Educational Psychology and Technology from USC.

Yahaira Turcios

Nutrition Care Coordinator, RDN

Cheyenne Vazquez

Kitchen Manager, Sonoma County


In loving memory…

Kim Stuffelbeam

Founding Creative Director, Ceres Community Project, 2007 – 2019

December 20, 1953 - August 3, 2019

As our founding Creative Director, Kim was instrumental in Ceres’ success. While his death leaves a big hole, his legacy will always be with us. Learn more about Kim and his work here...