Mary Embleton, Executive Director

Mary Embleton has been with the organization since it was first envisioned by a group of committed folks in the late 1990’s.  She was born in Seattle, lived on a ranch in Montana for most of her youth, and really learned to appreciate community and diversity of views as a college student at Berkeley.  She is an economist by training, but Mary’s greatest strengths are communication and getting things done.  Buoyed by an incredible work ethic and a talent for collaboration, she is committed to supporting and promoting our local farmers and building a better food system for all of us.  She also has two dogs, Libby and Wiley, who secretly wield ultimate power behind the organization. 

 Sarah Wilcox, Program Manager

Raised part-time in Tacoma, Sarah spent the other half of her childhood running around pastures and singing to sheep on her family’s farm in Kitsap County.  Inspired by a "County Cousin-City Cousin" upbringing, she has dedicated her work to building stronger connections between farmers and eaters and growing a healthier food system. She came to us from Pierce Conservation District where she worked on the development of agricultural infrastructure, assisted with local product marketing, and took part in farmland preservation efforts.  A sociologist at heart (and through study at Gonzaga University), she is passionate about the power of food and farming to positively impact our health, economies, environments, and communities.  She has a Masters in Environment, Development, and Policy from the University of Sussex (Falmer, UK) and a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Entrepreneurship from Bainbridge Graduate Institute. 

Sheryl Wiser, Public Relations and Puget Sound Fresh Manager

A New Jersey native (and proud of it), Shery eventually made her way out to the Pacific Northwest with stints in Boston, where she studied Journalism at Boston University as well as New Hampshire and Colorado before moving to Seattle. She has directed marketing, public and community relations efforts for a diverse group of non-profits, civic instituions and events such as Seattle Center, Hedgebrook, Earth Ministry, the Fremont Fair, Olympic Music Festival, Focus on Farming, the Washington Environmental Council, Sightline Institute and Tilth Producers of Washington. When you stop by the CHC office, you're likely to get an enthusiastic "paws up" from Blue, her energetic Australian Shepherd 

Carolyn Schulte, Policy and Program Intern

A Pacific Northwest Native, Carolyn Schulte grew up in Portland before heading to Minnesota for college where she found herself in the heart of our country's agriculture landscape. After studying food and farming in an Environmental Studies course, she was struck by the way our current food policies and farming methods favor a bigger-is-better apporach in fundamentally unsustainable ways. A self-proclaimed foodie, she has made it her goal to change the way our food is produced and consumed by getting involved with small-scale farms and sustainable agriculture advocacy organizations like CHC and the Washington Farmworker Housing Trust. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Carleton College, Carolyn is passionate about the interdisciplinary nature of environmental and social justice issues, and she is focused on recognizing the relationship these issues have with the food on our plate.  

Libby and Wiley, Reception

Libby and Wiley enthusiastically greet visitors at the CHC office.  They're more than happy to take you on a tour of the beautiful grounds, show you the bunnies and squirrels, and engage you in a rousing game of fetch.  We're working on their phone manners.