Helen Nadel, Executive Director

Helen joined Summit Community Gardens - EATS in January 2024, after +25 years working for nonprofits at the intersection of health, food, justice, and education. She helped launch the Food Farmacy as part of The People’s Health Clinic. Prior to that, she served as Director of School & Community Partnerships at the Philadelphia-based food and farming nonprofit Greener Partners for ten years. Helen holds an M.Ed. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Tufts University. She’s lived in New York City, San Francisco, and Swarthmore, PA, moving to Park City in 2022 to enjoy the mountains and a newly empty nest. Landing her dream job in her new home still feels like a gift. Food is Helen’s passion, from her first memory - picking blueberries - to dreaming about her next farmers’ market foray to inspire a meal. Helen has taught hands-on cooking and gardening to hundreds of children; the ‘aha’ moment when a child pulls a carrot out of the ground or tastes something they are surprised to like always brings her joy. She believes everyone has a right to healthy, delicious food, and that SCG-EATS' Garden provides a unique space for community belonging. Helen loves hiking, yoga, performing arts & movies, exploring restaurants, and playing cards with her husband, Joel, and two children, Isabel (24) and Felix (21). She is always up for fun in the snow. Helen was in the inaugural Summit County Community Planning Lab and was part of Leadership Class 30.

Reach out to Helen at helen@summitcommunitygardens.org.

Gabriela Chaney, Operations and Education Manager

Gabriela loves teaching kids about cooking and gardening in a fun, hands-on way. With a background in teaching and a passion for promoting wholesome food choices, she creates engaging programs that help kids connect with nature, learn where their food comes from, and develop lifelong cooking skills in an exciting and accessible way for young learners. Originally from São Paulo, Brasil, Gabriela grew up in South Carolina before moving across the country with her husband, Kevin, during his service in the US Navy. Now, they’ve put down roots in Park City with their daughter, Bella (7) to enjoy some mountain fun! On the weekends, she enjoys hiking, chasing a sunny spot to read a book, strolling through a farmers market, or snuggling with her family for a movie night.

Reach out to Gabriela at gabriela@summitcommunitygardens.org.

Madison Lane, Education Coordinator

Madison has a love for working outside and sharing her passion for nature with others. She recently graduated from Arizona State University with a BS in Sustainability, which inspired a passion for food justice and sustainable agriculture. Madison has worked in an urban garden before, breeding worms for vermicomposting, as well as a variety of other ecological related positions. She loves people and working with kids and is thrilled to be in an education position. In her free time Madison loves to run, play guitar, and read.

Reach out to Madison at madison@summitcommunitygardens.org.

Jess Collette, Garden Director

Jess’s passion for food justice began while attending Northland College, a liberal arts school in the northwoods of Wisconsin. She found herself in a community that lacked access to healthy, affordable, locally produced food. She began thinking about food systems, which ignited her desire to work to improve food access through fostering community-focused food systems. Jess has worked on farms, in food pantries, at gardens and nonprofits across the country. The goal of reducing food insecurity by connecting people with local educational programs and community events was with her all the way. Her decade-long journey ultimately led her to the Green Urban Lunch Box in Salt Lake City where she served most recently as a Farm Co-Manager and Distribution Coordinator. At SCG-EATS, Jess is excited to work in the Garden to help increase access to fresh, healthy food and provide both space and education for people seeking to grow their own food.

Reach out to Jess at jess@summitcommunitygardens.org.

Luz Corrales, Garden Assistant

Luz is excited to reunite her love of food and plants as she returns to the Summit Community Gardens - EATS team. With over ten years of volunteer and non-profit experience, she’s passionate about fostering environmental stewardship and engaging her community through food. She is originally from the Hudson Valley in New York, but moved to Utah in 2018. Luz recently earned her bachelors in Environmental and Sustainability Studies with a focus on food systems and community. After pivoting her career towards farming a few years ago, she completed an apprenticeship at The Green Urban Lunch Box where she learned how to cultivate organic crops using regenerative growing practices. More recently, she grew and sold organic cut flowers for FlowerBoy Farms in South Salt Lake. Luz believes food is a human right and loves to talk about everything food related, from where you can find the best sandwiches to how to transplant tomatoes. When she’s not working in the garden, you can find Luz kayaking at the Jordanelle, playing video games, or competing in speed puzzling contests.

Reach out to Luz at luz@summitcommunitygardens.org.

Gracie Luesing, Program Educator

Gracie loves working with kids outside! She developed a love for playing in the dirt alongside her dad in his vegetable garden in Northern Georgia. She later moved to Boone, North Carolina to study Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University, where she found her passion for community, sustainability, and the outdoors. After college, Gracie moved to Utah with her two best friends, and the three of them began working as ski instructors at Deer Valley and she worked at small organic farms during the summers! Gracie loves sharing her passions with others and spending as much time in the mountains as possible. Outside of work, she enjoys trail running, cooking, reading, and spending time outside with friends.

Reach out to Gracie at gracie@summitcommunitygardens.org.