Our wonderful team is the reason we are able to create such great change in our community!

Sandie Nierenberg, CEO/Founder & Board President

Sandie is an attorney with extensive experience advising private and public entities in both litigation and administrative matters, including in areas of board governance and program management. She most recently served as a Deputy County Counsel in San Mateo County, where she gained critical insight into the extent of food insecurity in San Mateo County as well as the many dedicated non-profits working to alleviate hunger. Each Green Corner was conceived in an effort to bridge this divide and inspire the broader community to join the efforts to end food insecurity via sustainable urban agriculture. Sandie earned her BA in Human Biology from Stanford University, and her J.D. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She lives in San Carlos, California, where she and her family enjoy tending their own urban garden and exploring all the outdoor gems the Bay Area has to offer.

Karen Nierenberg, Development Manager

Karen is our lead volunteer for managing our fundraising. She has decades of non-profit experience and understands how to write grants, engage funders and establish meaningful relationships with members of the community. Karen’s industry knowledge helps to inform EGC of best practices so that we can navigate the space more effectively as a new all volunteer organization. Karen meets regularly with the Development Advisor and the development interns who make up the Development Team.

Erin Higbee-Kollu, Development Advisor

Erin researches potential grantmakers, tracks ongoing and upcoming grants, and prepares grant proposal applications. She meets weekly with the development team to strategize about grant opportunities. Erin is an environmental planner with over 20 years of experience specializing in writing and editing environmental compliance documents, managing environmental resource projects, and engaging in community-based habitat restoration.

Emily Verstraete, Program Coordinator

Emily manages EGC’s Living Campus and Food Explorer’s programming, communications & outreach, volunteer recruitment and special projects. Previously a Food Systems Educator and site lead for EGC’s Living Campus sites, she has been involved in the creation of curriculum, leading volunteer garden maintenance as well as publicly speaking to service groups and community members to spread our mission and expand involvement in all project areas.

Cindy Ievers, Seedling Starter Lead Volunteer

Cindy leads EGC’s Seedling Starter Program, wherein EGC grows thousands of seedlings throughout the year to plant in EGC gardens and distribute to other area school/community gardens and low-income neighborhoods. Cindy also preps and plants hundreds of seed trays throughout the year for distribution to volunteers, and manages transplanting and hardening off of seedlings in preparation of planting.

Sonya Rowen, Living Campus Lead Volunteer

Sonya assists with garden maintenance and workday coordination for the Living Campus Program. She consults on projects as needed, and assists with photographing the gardens to use on our website and social media accounts.

Becky Quigley, Living Campus Lead Volunteer

Becky assists with garden maintenance and workday coordination for the Living Campus Program. She consults on projects as needed, and assists with photographing the gardens to use on our website and social media accounts.