Staff
Art Friedrich, Executive Director
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A dedicated food activist on many fronts, Art believes food unites us across all cultures and backgrounds. He sees his passion for healthy food as a spiritual matter as well as a basic human right and need. He builds coalitions with diverse groups that show dedication to improving our health landscape. He recognizes the privilege and opportunity provided his race and gender as well as the responsibility to use that to create a more just system for all.
Art has run small food businesses, and has helped run sustainable farms with his mother in New Hampshire and his sisters in Massachusetts. He met founder Melissa Contreras (now Markham) in 2009 and helped launch her idea into a full fledged grassroots organization. Art also owns and manages Greenthumb Popcorn, an organic vegan supersnack, previously sold throughout the Whole Foods Florida region and in many independent retailers nationwide. |
Vanessa Rae, Assistant Everything
Vanessa Rae, loyal a customer since 2019, now celebrating one year as part of the UOP team. Both foodie & polyglot at heart, her additional favorite past-times include dancing, reading, writing, and being a dog-parent.
Isaiah Ampuero, market assistant, online orders and fashion trendsetter
Isaiah is an incredible musician with a passion for natural beauty and nourishing foods.
Lisa Palley, Superstar volunteer market assistant and board member
Lisa has been a volunteer for over fifteen years with UOP, and helped build a local food movement long before as a member of Bee Heaven Farms CSA and others. She loves to see people come and shop, and always has cooking tips to share on what to do with fun vegetables.
Lisa B. Palley is the principal of Palley Promotes, Inc. a public relations, community outreach and marketing firm based in Miami. Lisa has a rich background in the arts and social services industries, with a specialty in the non-profit sector. After serving as the Director of PR and Marketing for the Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center, she opened her own firm Palley Promotes in February, 1995.
Lisa was honored by The Education Fund in 2011, is the Recipient of the 2006 “Marketing the Arts Awards” by the Arts and Business Council of Miami, and with her mother, Myrna, were honored in 2012 as Women of Distinction bestowed by Plaza Health Network of the Hebrew Homes Health Network. In 2014, she was honored as the City’s Best Flack by Miami New Times, and in 2005 as Powerful Women by the Sun Post.
In addition to working professionally in the non-profit world side-by-side with staff, community leaders, board and committee members, Lisa also volunteers with Girl Scout Troop 1239/Miami Beach, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, Urban Oasis Project, Silver Knight, Miami Arts Marketing/Arts and Business Council, among other organizations.
Lisa B. Palley is the principal of Palley Promotes, Inc. a public relations, community outreach and marketing firm based in Miami. Lisa has a rich background in the arts and social services industries, with a specialty in the non-profit sector. After serving as the Director of PR and Marketing for the Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center, she opened her own firm Palley Promotes in February, 1995.
Lisa was honored by The Education Fund in 2011, is the Recipient of the 2006 “Marketing the Arts Awards” by the Arts and Business Council of Miami, and with her mother, Myrna, were honored in 2012 as Women of Distinction bestowed by Plaza Health Network of the Hebrew Homes Health Network. In 2014, she was honored as the City’s Best Flack by Miami New Times, and in 2005 as Powerful Women by the Sun Post.
In addition to working professionally in the non-profit world side-by-side with staff, community leaders, board and committee members, Lisa also volunteers with Girl Scout Troop 1239/Miami Beach, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, Urban Oasis Project, Silver Knight, Miami Arts Marketing/Arts and Business Council, among other organizations.
Alexis Sturgis, market assistant and Guiltless Gummies owner
In my culture and community, I was raised to uphold, to adhere to, and to follow certain guidelines and principles for my journey through life. These guidelines and principles are utilized to serve the purpose of the greater good. Life is cyclical and has various seasons. There are seasons of planting, growth and harvest. All of these have one thing in common- they are all based upon the seeds we plant. We plant and sow seeds with our words and our deeds; and we harvest what we have invested our time and energy into. Growing up, I was always told that no matter how much money I had, I was rich, because I had love. We are conditioned by society and pop culture to feel that money, or financial success are the only means to happiness or a good life. We are made to believe that the best people are the people who have material wealth, and that those lacking financial means are "poor." The truth is, we are all rich in different ways, and we sow seeds based upon what we plant within ourselves. My mother used to tell us, "poor is a mentality, and has nothing to do with money." She had some gems! Despite our middle class, social status, I always felt wealthy, because love filled my spirit!
"Do good for no other reason than to contribute to the greater good." My mother lived by this principle. Our upbringing was rooted in service to others and in creating a reciprocal community of people that worked together and looked out for each other. We fed people experiencing homelessness, as a child, and it taught me the value of appreciating what you have. In my teens, I worked in my mother's classrooms with children who came from homes where love was sparse. It taught me to show kindness to others. In my young adult years, as a single mom, I taught my son the value of doing what we can to help those that we can reach. Whether buying food for someone, speaking kind words to them, sharing life saving information, preparing food that will heal them, or utilizing my many skills to help someone else, the goal has been, to be the change I wish to see in the world. A kind heart keeps you youthful and carries you through struggles!
Arriving at the Urban Oasis Project organization has been nothing short of divine alignment. For the past two years, I have arrived to find a community of people who embrace differences, who sow good deeds, share all kinds of great energy, laughs, goods and products! I have watched as people stop what they are doing to lend a helping hand to others. I have seen a plethora of people who come to share their love and their positivity, and even during stormy times, goodness always prevails! There is undoubtedly a vast abundance of wealth that exists within our community! Each week that we show up, regardless of what challenges life throws at us, I truly believe we can continue to plant positive seeds in the garden of Urban Oasis Project, that will enable us to strengthen its foundation and perpetuate growth to increase our community reach. As we journey through this next season, I want you to remember that despite the season being temporary, the abundance our harvest brings will reflect the care and love we have sown into it! "Cause and effect are absolute," may your harvests be abundantly fruitful and your spirit be filled with love!
"Do good for no other reason than to contribute to the greater good." My mother lived by this principle. Our upbringing was rooted in service to others and in creating a reciprocal community of people that worked together and looked out for each other. We fed people experiencing homelessness, as a child, and it taught me the value of appreciating what you have. In my teens, I worked in my mother's classrooms with children who came from homes where love was sparse. It taught me to show kindness to others. In my young adult years, as a single mom, I taught my son the value of doing what we can to help those that we can reach. Whether buying food for someone, speaking kind words to them, sharing life saving information, preparing food that will heal them, or utilizing my many skills to help someone else, the goal has been, to be the change I wish to see in the world. A kind heart keeps you youthful and carries you through struggles!
Arriving at the Urban Oasis Project organization has been nothing short of divine alignment. For the past two years, I have arrived to find a community of people who embrace differences, who sow good deeds, share all kinds of great energy, laughs, goods and products! I have watched as people stop what they are doing to lend a helping hand to others. I have seen a plethora of people who come to share their love and their positivity, and even during stormy times, goodness always prevails! There is undoubtedly a vast abundance of wealth that exists within our community! Each week that we show up, regardless of what challenges life throws at us, I truly believe we can continue to plant positive seeds in the garden of Urban Oasis Project, that will enable us to strengthen its foundation and perpetuate growth to increase our community reach. As we journey through this next season, I want you to remember that despite the season being temporary, the abundance our harvest brings will reflect the care and love we have sown into it! "Cause and effect are absolute," may your harvests be abundantly fruitful and your spirit be filled with love!
Ms. Shirley, dedicated volunteer fruit pusher
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She needs no introduction, the famous Ms. Shirley knows everyone by name and she really does know exactly when the last time it was you came by and did your grocery shopping with us. She'll always get you to try at least one thing you've never seen before!
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Jiyeong Jung, Volunteer
Jiyeong loves to give back, and teaches free yoga for her neighborhood. She helps sell veggies on Saturdays so she can feed her family better and everyone learns where their food comes from!
Your name here ___________ Sign up to volunteer!
Jessica Zendell, Former Market Assistant
In December of 2017, this star of our team passed away unexpectedly. We miss her dearly and all the love and joy and laughter she brought to us for years.
Jessica ate vegan and loved exploring new foods and amazing tastes from our diverse south florida produce! She always was smiling and happy, no matter what the situation was that she was facing- rain up to her knees, sleepless nights or super long hot days of working.
Jessica ate vegan and loved exploring new foods and amazing tastes from our diverse south florida produce! She always was smiling and happy, no matter what the situation was that she was facing- rain up to her knees, sleepless nights or super long hot days of working.
Board of Directors
Art Friedrich
Vivien Dorsey
Christina Bouza
Natasha Payen
Lisa Palley
YOU can join us! Send us an email introduction!
Past members of the Board of Directors:
Melissa Contreras, Founder
Melissa's life has had many twists and turns, and the one constant has always been gardening. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Florida International University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, Geography minor. The relationships between people, land, and food have been a major interest. She is author of Organic Methods for Vegetable Gardening in Florida, along with Ginny Stibolt, published by University Press of Florida in 2013. Contreras Served as a USAID volunteer on an organic farm in the cool, coffee-growing mountains of northern Nicaragua, where she was a consultant for its foray into eco-agritourism while in graduate school working toward a Master's degree in Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development.
She has attended "Community Food Systems from the Ground Up" workshops at Growing Power Inc. Contreras is also an alumnus of The Center for Whole Communities. She studied organic gardening at Miami Dade College with organic farmer Andres Mejides, Miami's most experienced organic farmer (50 years in our tropical climate). Melissa is a former employee of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, where she continues to teach teaches gardening classes in the Adult Education Dept. She is a Master Gardener volunteer, certified through University of Florida/Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service. She takes care of her own beautiful and productive little urban homestead, with 6 vegetable beds, fruit trees, and lots of edible landscaping.
Stephen D. Pearson, Esq.
Ron Mossman, Ph.D.
Nancy Maidique. M.P.H.
Yvrose Valdez
Yuhfen Lin, Ph.D.
Antonio Guadamuz
Julie Petrie
Roger Dominguez
Collin Davis
Diana Santana
Brett Phillips
Thi Squire
Mirene Brooks
Karen Picciano
Grey Read
Kaydrianne Young
Clay Naughton, Esq.
Julia Onnie-Hays
Loretta Tarpin
Jeannie Necessary
Racheal Biderman
Joanne Hennesey
Interested in joining the Board of Directors? We'd love to have you!
Contact Art Friedrich at [email protected] for more information.