We’re a mix of creative, passionate, quirky, and brilliant hard workers, united in our efforts to grow a stronger Appalachia through agriculture. Email addresses are in each bio; we’re always happy to connect.
Kathlyn joined ASD’s staff in 2006 as its first business operations manager and became Chief Executive Officer in 2011. She has the privilege of overseeing strategic planning, program development, and administration by working with ASD’s amazing staff and board of directors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Texas A&M University. Like many at ASD, she is an avid lover of her pets.
Nadia Birkitt is currently enrolled at ETSU and is ASD's Marketing and Communication's VISTA. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her two cats, rewatching Bob's Burgers, and attempting to hit Mariah Carey's whistle notes. If you see a snazzy social media post with great emoji choices, she is probably behind it.
Originally from Iowa, Morgan has a passion for building close-knit, resilient communities through food and agriculture. She is committed to providing education to everyone in the region, from small to tall, to grow a stronger Appalachia. When she is not playing with bugs, plants, and pets, Morgan spends time with her partner, Frances, and daughter, Alice, exploring the outdoors.
Debbie joined ASD in March 2020 to launch the new workforce development program. Prior to joining ASD, she spent almost 20 years as a writer and project manager for ad agencies and in corporate communications, including a Fortune 500. Although she loves to travel and see the wonders of the world, she’s always very happy to come home to beautiful Southwest Virginia.
For almost 30 years, Theresa Burriss has worked in higher education, first at Radford University and currently at Emory & Henry University. As an Appalachian Studies scholar, she has dedicated her life to serving the region where she was born and raised.
Mingkwan has practiced law in Southwest Virginia since 2010 and proudly considers this region her home. Her areas of practice include workers’ compensation and occupational disease -pneumoconiosis (black lung). Mingkwan has devoted her career to representing injured workers and disabled claimants. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, writing, and advocating.
Katie began her agroforestry career in 2012 as an ASD AmeriCorps VISTA. Since then, she has grown the program to include the Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub and Agroforestry Trainings for Natural Resource Professionals. She has an M.S. in Forestry from Virginia Tech. When not whipping up foraged ramp biscuits, Katie is traveling, hiking, paddling, and skiing her way through Appalachia and beyond.
Kylea joined Appalachian Sustainable Development in July 2024. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Policy with a minor in Organic Food Systems from Emory & Henry College, where she lettered in women’s basketball. She also has a M.A. in Sustainability from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Passionate about hiking and the outdoors, Kylea is excited to support sustainable growth in Southwest Virginia.
Originally from Chicago, this Yankee transplant moved to Appalachia in 1994. In her position since 2013, Sylvia propels ASD’s mission by developing collaborative partnerships and is responsible for ASD’s publicity/public relations, donor development, fundraising, corporate investments, and capital campaign activities. She has two adult children and lives on a 15-acre farm in Washington County, VA.
Kayla Dorton is the Food Box Assembly Trainer. She started working in Groundwork at Appalachian Harvest in 2023 and climbed up to mentoring newcomers. Kayla enters the team with a dedication to positively impacting people and her community. She is understanding and compassionate and can make the most of any situation.
Bonnie joined ASD in October of 2023 as an Account Manager in sales. A Virginia native, she has a background in gardening, foraging, and woodland adventures. Her early career was in childhood education, and she later honed her sales and management skills in the telecom industry. Her journey reflects resilience and a genuine appreciation for both her community and the people she serves.
Lindsey Felty is a native of Southwest Virginia and holds a bachelor's degree from Eastern Kentucky University. She is a natural relationship builder and loves connecting folks to ASD and the organization’s valuable resources. When she's not connecting people with ASD, she enjoys exercise, supporting local businesses, and hanging out with her fur babies.
Hannah (she/her) has worked for ASD since the spring of 2021, where she began her time with the organization as an Americorps VISTA for the Groundwork Program and now as ASD's Chief Program Officer. Hannah's heart lies in the Appalachian mountains with family in five states in and around Central Appalachia, where she loves to live, play, and work.
A lifelong Appalachian, Randi brings a sense of place into her work. She spent a few years in environmental consulting before deciding to transition into nonprofit work. She brings her background in environmental science and a deep-rooted love for her region to her current role in community development, grounding her work in care for both land and community.
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D. Gabbert
Tazewell Garden Manager
Mr. Gabbert joined ASD in December 2021 as the Groundwork (Tazewell) Garden Supervisor. Before joining ASD, he sailed alongside the infamous Scott Wilson. Now, Mr. Gabbert utilizes his knowledge of regenerative agriculture practices to help improve the soil health of the community garden in Tazewell.
Tisha joined ASD in January 2022 as the Grant Accountant. She holds a B.B.A. from East Tennessee State University with a concentration in Finance and Accounting. She comes to ASD with over 15 years of accounting and finance experience throughout multiple business industries. She is raising two beautiful daughters with her husband of over 20 years.
Dave joined ASD in June of 2024 as our Market Development Specialist. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a meteorologist. Dave brings with him experience from various careers, such as healthcare administration, public education & coaching, and advertising & marketing. Originally from East TN, he now resides in SW Virginia.
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Jessica joined the Groundwork team in April 2021. She began her journey in warehouse operations and quickly advanced to the role of Administrative Assistant. In September 2023, she transitioned into her current position at ASD. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors—hiking, camping, and making all the memories she can with her family.
Jamie joined the Appalachian Harvest team in August 2023 as a box truck driver. In 2025, he earned his CDL and began taking on local and regional routes. With a passion for connecting with people, he is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the community and is always ready to lend a helping hand. Outside of work, Jamie treasures time with his family and enjoys their adventures.
Madison Holman is currently enrolled at ETSU working to complete her B.F.A in Graphic Design and is ASD's current Graphic Design Capacity Building VISTA. In her free time Madison enjoy's all things artsy such as painting, drawing and photography. She also loves spending time with her two dogs Cooper (Aussie) and Skylar (Corgi). If any of ASD's designs catch your eye it's likely Madison behind it!
Hussung is a recently returned East Tennessee native, excited to be back in the beauty of Appalachia. She's been driving trucks since 2017 and driving for Appalachian Harvest since the fall of 2023. She is working to get a small-scale forest farming operation up and running. In her free time, she loves music, cooking, gardening, and building all kinds of hands-on skills.
Originally from Huntington, WV, and now living in Wise, VA, Tori Jessee is a proud wife and mom to a sweet little boy. She has a household full of love—including three dogs and three cats. Passionate about giving back, she volunteers and supports local initiatives to help those in need. Outside of work, she loves hiking with her family or relaxing with a good movie or TV show.
Dylan completed his third Groundwork term and is now a full-time employee with Appalachian Harvest. Dylan was accepted into the Career Works program and received a grant through them to attend the Class A CDL truck driving program. Outside of work, Dylan spends his time being a great dad to his daughter, Paisley, and on his motorcycle.
Shannon joined ASD in 2022 after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a BS in Animal Science and a minor in Plant Science. At ASD, Shannon helps to oversee day-to-day operations at the Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub and assists with farmer outreach and support. Originally from Northern California, Shannon grew up raising poultry, gardening, and working with horses.
Michael Klarman joined ASD in November of 2021. He served in the United States Marine Corps and retired in 2015. He has continued serving veterans through various organizations and is excited and eager to watch the veteran program with ASD grow! Originally from Alabama, Michael has now laid his roots in Johnson City, TN. Michael's favorite pastimes include fishing with his labradors.
Charlotte is an AmeriCorps VISTA serving Agriculture Education and supporting the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center. She is passionate about resilience through sustainable, regional food systems. Charlotte earned her Bachelor’s in Sustainability from Chatham University. She is currently based in Pittsburgh, PA where she works to bolster ASD’s network and impact across our region.
Layla started out at ASD in Groundwork in 2023. She's all about teamwork and ready to lend a hand when needed. She is motivated by endless curiosity, always wanting to learn and grow, and making a difference in her community. She is a true Scott County local, where she shares her home with her children, Avery, Paco, and Ayla.
Chelsea joined ASD as a volunteer in 2017 after moving to the area from Austin with her dog Maisie. Her family visited the area every summer since she was 7 years old and she developed a deep love for the region. She was hired as a finance assistant shortly after and currently serves as ASD's Operations Manager. She has a background in natural science and a biology degree from UT Austin.
Tyler worked at AH from 2017 to 2020 as a facility member/manager. He had a brief stint from 20-25 as a basketball coach/teacher and returned in May. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from UVA-Wise, where he also lettered for four years on the Men's Basketball team. He lives in Lee County with his wife, Taylor, their two dogs, and they also have a small farm of 60 cows.
Della discovered ASD in 2017, joining Grow Your Own to garden at her new house. She attended and volunteered for two seasons, then did a year as the Ag Ed VISTA. In 2020, she was hired on as ASD’s first Grant Writer and has since helped raise over $25 million for ASD programs and campus. In that time, she raised her only son into adulthood, sending him into the world with a deep love of gardening.
Wyn Miller is an East Tennessee native with deep roots in rural agriculture. Her family manages 1,000 acres of regenerative livestock operations and direct markets meats locally. She previously worked as a landscape architect in stormwater management, stream restoration, and ecological landscaping. She joined ASD in 2024 to provide agroforestry programming in Tennessee.
Dirk has worked at Emory & Henry University for more than 30 years, beginning as a member of the faculty before joining the administration’s Executive Council and later becoming executive director of the Appalachian Center for Civic Life. Moore is the founder of a nonprofit development organization in Glade Spring and co-founder of the Glade Spring Farmers Market.
Adam is a Lee County, Virginia native and began working at the Appalachian Harvest Food Hub in 2014. He ensures that the facility is running efficiently, orders are processed correctly, and trucks are loaded accurately while also providing technical assistance to farmers and helping supervise support staff and volunteers. Adam enjoys boating, fishing, hunting and spending time with his two nieces.
Raised on a tobacco farm, Robin joined the Appalachian Harvest Food Hub network in 2005 as a certified advocate for health, nutrition, and building local community, and has many years of experience organizing events and special campaigns. She was promoted to General Manager in 2011. Robin and her husband, Dave, own and operate their own farm, Robbins Family Farm. They have 3 daughters.
Groundwork Kitchen Trailer Manager and Cohort Supervisor
In 2023, Elizabeth became an integral part of ASD and is now the Groundwork Kitchen Trailer Manager and Cohort Supervisor. She’s dedicated to providing efficient assistance to vendors and customers. Contributing to the community has always been inspiring to her, and being a part of the positive impact ASD delivers is her passion.
Paul Stacy is the Director of Workforce Development at ASD, where he leads efforts to create career pathways and provide hands-on job training for individuals in recovery and underserved communities. With over 20 years of experience in the call center industry, Paul brings a deep understanding of operations, team development, and leadership to his current role.
Leslie is from Big Stone Gap, VA, where she lives with her fiancé and two kids. She is in long-term recovery after years of struggles with addiction. Legal trouble almost got her 40 years in prison, but she was given a life-changing second chance with the Scott County Public Works program. In April 2025, she joined ASD’s Groundwork Program to support others on their recovery journeys.
Before joining ASD, Robin was the sole proprietor of MoonBranch Botanicals, a producer of native medicinal plant materials along with other non-timber forest products in the small community of Yellow Creek in far western North Carolina. His company supplied the natural products and botanical medicines industry with high-quality native raw bulk botanicals produced in their natural habitats.
Emilie works in education, outreach, and grant administration for silvopasture, alley cropping, and other Agroforestry practices. She hosts the Ask an Agroforester webinar series, which features deep-dive interviews with industry experts. Outside of ASD, she co-owns ShireFolk Farm and the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute. She is currently writing a book about Perennial Permaculture Nurseries.
Angie joined ASD in 2017 with a background in leadership and finance. Angie holds a Master of Business Administration degree from King College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from East Tennessee State University. She lives in SWVA with her husband, Coy, and daughter, LeeAnn.
Stesha joined ASD in March 2022. She leads the Agroforestry Trainings for Natural Resource Professionals (ATFNRP) initiative with a focus on increasing technical assistance capacity in Central Appalachia and with partners across the USA. Outside of ASD, she is Vice Chair for the Association for Temperate Agroforestry, co-owner of Eliana’s Garden, instructor for Mushroom Mountain, and homeschools.
Scott was born in 1824 in a log cabin he built himself. He grew up on a pirate ship in the early 18th century and eventually settled on civil engineering as a career.
With 15+ years of sales & operational experience, she brings a distinctive perspective to the distribution chain. She has worked to enhance logistic connections, expanding our reach to rural communities and larger markets to access local products. She and her family are proud to live in Washington County, Virginia. They have cultivated a life rooted in values and a connection to nature.
Lisa was first introduced to ASD when she joined our Grow Your Own (GYO) program, working to help till GYO participant gardens. Growing up, Lisa’s family traveled all over southern Appalachia, sparking Lisa’s lifelong passion for temperate rainforests and for mountain walking, foraging, studying, and protecting the natural bounty of this region.
