Janis wakes up every morning with a focus on Community, Family, Resilience and Education. With those driving forces at play, it is no wonder that she came to join the team at The Urban Farm first as the as the Podcast Producer, and now as the Urban Farm’s Manager.

“If Greg was Tony Stark,
then Janis would be his JARVIS.”
–Jake Mace

Janis is a graduate of the Arizona State University, School of Sustainability, earning her BS in Sustainability. And although she had a strong desire to help educate and strengthen her community with sustainability methods, she did not realize how much she could do with the local food system until her Sustainable Food and Farms class. This is when her previous misconceptions of having a ‘black’ thumb were obstacles no longer. Soon after that class she became motivated to learn all she could about gardening and urban farming while using her organization and project management skills to help facilitate a couple of the Urban Farm’s larger events.

From that point on, she has been an active part of the Urban Farm core team. She is bringing her enthusiasm and cheerful attitude to her projects at the Farm especially the Urban Farm Nursery’s Fruit Tree Program and The Urban Farm Podcast, as well as partner projects with GrowPhx like the Great American Seed-Up and the Permaculture Design Course.

A neat find from the back yard in my new house. You never know what you can find if you take the time to observe what is right in front of you.

She is a proud mother of three young adult sons, Grandmother to one perfect granddaughter, and with her husband of 28 years, she is learning what an ‘empty nest’ means. She thought she had time to start getting her new yard and garden ready for grandchildren – but is on the fast track now; and of course will be an active participant in most of The Urban Farm’s classes and projects. You will find her behind the scenes in many different projects and events at The Urban Farm and elsewhere in the community as her commitment to making a difference will not let her sit still when there are opportunities to help improve her neighborhoods.

Janis can be reached at janis@urbanfarm.org or at podcast@urbanfarm.org.