Our Team
Richard D. Garcia
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER
Richard's passion to grow food comes from a long-line of Filipino farmers. A Los Angeles native, Richard lives to see that no life or land is wasted in the City of Angels. Richard studied at St. John’s Seminary College and has extensive experience in pastoral ministry inside juvenile halls and prisons. As a pastoral minister, youth advocate, and urban farmer, Richard knows how growing food is a transformative way of bringing people together. Since completing an M.A.in Pastoral Theology at Loyola Marymount University, Richard incorporates principles of restorative justice into urban farming.
Before launching Alma Backyard Farms, Richard initiated garden programs for schools and restaurants. Richard trains our urban farmers to create beautiful landscapes, install raised beds, and grow food. As a skilled craftsman, Richard builds innovative outdoor structures that encourage outdoor living.
Erika L. Cuellar
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER
An LA native and first generation Mexican-American growing up in Watts, Erika witnessed how her community has been fraught with challenges in education and food insecurity. Undeterred by these challenges, Erika pursued a degree in Education at Loyola Marymount University. Erika applied her studies to empower previously incarcerated women and men at Homegirl Cafe, a division of Homeboy Industries. Her years of social enterprise management ensures the integrity of Alma Backyard Farms' mission and its financial viability.
Erika's talent for landscape design was further advanced through her Landscape Architecture studies at UCLA's Extension and through her work as Project Manager for a top-rated outdoor living company. Erika's passionate about teaching families and children how to grow and cook culturally-relevant and flavorful meals.
Lacey Wozny
DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Originally from central Nebraska, Lacey lived mostly in the midwest until 2016 when she landed in Los Angeles. Lacey went to art school and spent a couple decades working in artist-run spaces and nonprofits, dipping in and out of food service and hospitality. Cultural events involving fellowship, movement and food are the heart of her creative life. Working closely with artists and entrepreneurs for 20 years, writing is her constant companion and a tool for advocacy. As ALMA’s Development Coordinator, Lacey is grateful for a life-giving adventure that combines her long-time love of connecting with others through creative expression, engaging the natural world and sharing good food.
Katherine Johnson
PROGRAM OPERATIONS MANAGER
Raised in Minnesota and Northern California, Kate is a Los Angeles transplant. Her educational background includes graphic design and sociology. In 2018, Kate left her graphic design career to pursue service dog training. She worked inside California state prisons where she taught teams of incarcerated handlers to train service dogs for Veterans and First Responders with PTSD. In teaching incarcerated handlers how to train service dogs, she witnessed the transformative change made possible when hands-on learning was provided in spaces where it's normally absent. ALMA’s vision of reclamation of the self and healing community through relational exchange is what bonds Kate to the ALMA. Kate considers herself fortunate to have had opportunities to learn from those who are or have been incarcerated, and credits their vulnerability in sharing personal experiences with her as part of her “why”.
Aldo Rayas
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Aldo grew up in Compton, CA, and holds a degree in Landscape Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. Growing up in South Los Angeles, Aldo witnessed the environmental inequities faced by lower-income communities. He is passionate about improving access to greenspace in his hometown, and believes in the strong community enrichment potential of spaces like ALMA. To his work at ALMA, Aldo brings a positive attitude and a warmth for the community, making connections between people and place.
Glenda Alvarenga
PROGRAM CHEF
Glenda was born and raised in El Salvador and moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. She met co-founder Erika in 2013, and came to the farm seeking a new opportunity. Through working at ALMA, Glenda says she receives the support to do things she didn’t think she could do, and enjoys making the flower arrangements, coming up with drink recipes for the farm stand, and teaching children about new foods and flavors. She has a wonderful eye for detail, and helps keep our farms beautiful.
Camden Andl
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Camden is a Phoenix-born graphic designer and artist who moved to Los Angeles to earn his degree in Graphic Design from Loyola Marymount University. He met Erika and Richard in his first weeks of college during a service trip to ALMA hosted by their shared alma mater. Over the years, Camden found true community and inspiration at the farm and deepened his involvement as an intern, Peas-In-A-Pod Leader, and Summer Camp Coordinator. Now, as Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Camden combines his graphic design and marketing background to develop ALMA’s visual and graphic identity.
Chris Perez
FARM HAND
Born and raised in East Hollywood, Chris relocated to South LA in 2016. Chris graduated from Cal State University Long Beach and was introduced to ALMA through his sister Glenda, where he soon got involved. Having never done this type of urban farm labor, ALMA helps Chris understand the journey from plant to plate, farm to table. Knowing that each piece of produce grown, harvested and distribued at the Farm Stand came from the native urban soils of either Compton or San Pedro gives the work integrity and gives Chris a felt-sense of belonging. He finds the work rewarding and values his behind-the-scenes view of an urban farm. At ALMA, Chris enjoys being able to witness growth from seed, to mature plant, to harvest, and shares this bounty with the community.
Dennis Meman
FARM HAND
Being at ALMA reminds Dennis of his earliest memories of farming and nature in the Philippines. His mother used to make him climb a moringa tree in the backyard and then help her prepare a Filipino dish called tinola (chicken soup). Nearby his childhood home was a farm much like ALMA and he would be sent to buy string beans, eggplants or tomatoes. Dennis loved to watch his mother barter with people at the flea markets and farms. He moved to Hawaii at the age of 12 and got caught up with the gang lifestyle. At age 21 Dennis was sentenced 30 years to life in prison. Incarcerated for 27 years, upon release a former inmate introduced him to Richard and Erika and he fell in love instantly. Being at ALMA stirred those fond, early memories and keeps Dennis connected with his family, with the world and with his innocent self.
Clara Youngblood
COMMUNITY EDUCATOR
Clara is a native Angeleno, and has always connected her entrepreneurial spirit to her surrounding community. She holds a Masters degree in Community Mental Health Counseling from Loyola Marymount University and connected with ALMA during the pandemic. From her first experience on the farm she was drawn in, and soon worked with founders Richard and Erika to develop an education program in the face of the pandemic’s impact on children’s education. Clara sees the farm as a valuable site for food access, community connection, and for education that continues beyond the classroom. Education is for everyone, she says, not just children, and ALMA is where it takes place.
Sylvia Torres
FARM STAND ASSOCIATE
Sylvia has lived in Compton almost all her life. She met founders Richard and Erika when they began installing the Compton farm site adjacent to St. Albert’s School where she has worked for almost 30 years. After years of looking at an empty lot, the new farm in her neighborhood was an exciting idea, and she got involved as soon as she could. Working with the land and with the plants feels like it’s in her blood, recalling memories of her father who lovingly cultivated their yard in Compton. Sylvia shares that working with ALMA has taught her about food and healthier eating habits, and she believes strongly in the value of these health impacts in her hometown.
Armando “Mando” Padron
FARM STAND ASSOCIATE
Mando connects his own upbringing with his role at ALMA. As part of the ALMA team, memories of gratitude and appreciation for receiving food assistance in his childhood are prompted as Mando returns the favor. Now, giving to others during his second chance at life fulfills his own soul. “It’s all about love,” he believes. After more than 20 years of incarceration, Mando comes to the ALMA team with Wildland Firefighter training, a Lifeskills certificate, and an aspiration to live a healthy lifestyle, promote peace, and give hope. Mando is a member of Laborers 1309 and brings his hard work ethic to ensure the urban farms continue to develop.
Briley “Journey” Presely
FARM STAND ASSOCIATE
Raised in the City of Compton, Journey expresses warm hospitality at ALMA’s onsite Farm Stand and off-site at local Farmers' Markets. She has great capacity to build relationships as she has gotten to know the people that visit and source their produce from ALMA’s farm stand. After an on and off 4 years of incarceration, Journey has found deep peace in her work at the farm. She especially enjoys harvesting flowers and making arrangements.
Luis Mota
FARM STAND ASSOCIATE
Luis' life attests to the power of transformation. Gang-involved at an early age led to 22 years of incarceration. During incarceration, Luis discovered his resilience that allowed him to attain an AA with an emphasis in Social Science. While inside prison, Luis discovered the power of a vegan diet that led him to a healthier life inside and out. Since returning home in 2017, Luis adheres to his vegan practices that fuel his work as a Local 300 laborer and as a member of the ALMA team. His involvement at ALMA grants him an opportunity to grow food for others and promote on-going access to healthy foods.
Isabel Mario Rios
FARM STAND ASSOCIATE
Since connecting to the ALMA community in 2019, Mario has strived to give back the same mentorship and nurturing that he feels on the farm. During his 27 years of incarceration, Mario became an alcohol and drug counselor, a mentorship role that he worked in for 8 years. He dreams of continuing to act as an educator and mentor in his native home of Southeast Los Angeles and empower his neighbors to reconnect to their truest selves and ambitions. Mario says, “We are much more than the definition of community. It would seem we’ve known each other all our lives. I can think of no other place I’d rather be than ALMA.”
Board of Directors
Candace Leos
Chief of Staff to Mayor Aja Brown
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Carolyn Viviano, PhD
Professor, Loyola Marymount University
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Diep Tran
R & D Chef, Red Boat Fish Sauce
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Melissa Bordy
Held Properties, Inc.
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Marianna Villa
VP of External Relations and Partnerships, LMU
Ilene Resnick
JIB Fund
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Josh Kun, PhD
Board Chair
Professor, University of Southern California
Nora Gilbert
Director of Partnerships, Vote.org
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Nick Cutsumpas
Plant Coach, Farmer Nick
References
Janis Minton
JMC Philanthropic Advisors
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Christine Tran
LA Food Policy Council
Don Swartz
Quest Property Corporation
Mike Davitt
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
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Robert Foster
Loyola High School Board Member