For much of her career, Jenna has worked in the food justice space and joins the team as Program Manager. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Jenna spent a season working with The Table Urban Farm, where she managed day to day operations of a home-garden based farm and mobile market program. She holds a masters degree with a concentration in Religion and Ecology from Yale Divinity School. Jenna served as a FoodCorps AmeriCorps Service Member where she worked on food justice initiatives in the classroom, cafeteria, and community in partnership with Middletown Public Schools. She currently serves on the Steering Committee for YECA, a national faith based climate justice organization. In her free time, Jenna enjoys running slowly, cooking delicious meals, reading, and watching television.

Cue brings a wealth of experience in communications and social media management, with a strong track record of working with nonprofits, higher education institutions, and freelancing ventures. Holding a degree in Strategic Communications and a Masters in Higher Education from the University of Kansas, Cue is adept at crafting compelling narratives and engaging content strategies. With a passion for community-driven initiatives and a keen eye for digital innovation, Cue joins ROOTS as the Communications and Development Manager, committed to ensuring our message resonates effectively across diverse channels and audiences. Cue is dedicated to amplifying the voices and stories that make ROOTS an integral part of the community. In addition to ROOTS, Cue is a musician, activist, and influencer.

After graduating from the University of New Haven with a degree in music, and spending a few years working in a windowless recording studio, Matt decided that he needed to feel connected with nature and be more active.  This lead to four years as a crew leader with the DEEP stationed at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, CT.  A personal nutrition journey led to a certification in plant-based nutrition from eCornell/Center for Nutrition Studies and two years serving as a FoodCorps/AmeriCorps Service Member in Meriden, CT.  During his time in FoodCorps Matt discovered a passion for food education and leading cooking lessons.  In addition to working with Roots, Matt teaches cooking classes, yoga, tai chi and more at the YMCA in Meriden/New Britain.  He is also in the process of completing the Uconn Master Gardener’s program and continues to be an active musician.

Robert joins the team as garden caretaker with an extensive background in urban agriculture here in New Britain. He and his family operate an urban farm where they grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, practice animal husbandry, vermiculture, apiary work, and seed saving. At ROOTS, Robert works hands-on in New Britain’s school gardens to support the community’s gardening efforts.