Our Staff

Who We Are

MONICA IBACACHE

JUSTIN REMUS

RACHEL BLALOCK

KLARA K. IBARRA

EBONY GUSTAVE

Monica Ibacache, BOD Founder, Executive Director

A native of Chile, Monica is a New York City–based community organizer, sustainability educator, and ecological designer since 2007. An avid gardener as a small child with her grandparents in Chile, she rekindled her passion for growing food as an adult while living in southeast Alaska.

Monica is committed to improving food systems while advancing social and environmental justice globally. She has dedicated her life to working with diverse and marginalized communities in education and local development in the U.S. and abroad. Monica has advanced certifications in Permaculture Design and Teaching and serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute of Permaculture for Children (IPEC), Permaculture Institute of North America (PINA), the International Permaculture Convergence Committee (IPCC), the Indoor Gardening Society (IGSA), and the Permaculture Association of the Northeast (PAN).

Rachel Blalock, Director of Operations and Finance

Rachel is fascinated by the science of how things work and is passionate about child and adult education. She received her Certification in Permaculture Design in New York City, as well as her Permaculture Teaching Certificate with Jude Hobbs. She also possesses a B.S degree in Middle School Science Education and a M.A. degree in Educational Administration.

Before her work at BOD, Rachel was Co-director of Educational Activities at an organic permaculture farm in Austin, Texas, and organized various educational and summer camp programs with New York City nonprofit organizations. Rachel currently incorporates her love of environmental education, social justice, and natural design into her work at BOD, and currently serves on the Northeast Womyn in Permaculture SEED team.

Klara K. Ibarra, Educator

Klara has a M.A. degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Sustainable Development and has dedicated her career to issues of food security and sustainable community development.

For Klara, permaculture design complemented her academic education by offering a holistic approach to solving environmental crises. After obtaining her certification in permaculture design, Klara launched a project in Chemoligot, Kenya, to address community issues of hunger, economic injustice, and soil infertility.

Klara also founded Nelum Botanics, a skincare brand dedicated to supporting sustainable and fair trade practices. Klara joined Beyond Organic Design as an educator to inspire young people to think critically, compassionately, and proactively about the environmental, social, and political challenges facing us today.

Ebony Gustave, Educator

Ebony grew up in urban cities with little exposure to gardening, but inherently knew that connecting to nature was something that was missing in her life. After receiving a B.S. degree in Fashion Business Management, Ebony spontaneously bought a one way ticket to South Africa and backpacked around the country for 8 months.

There, Ebony tapped into ancestral knowledge and the abundance that Mother Nature provides through working on natural building projects, beekeeping, and supporting the oldest permaculture farm in South Africa. Her experience volunteering with children in Malawi sparked a passion for educating and working with young people. Through Beyond Organic Design, Ebony connects her passion for health and wellness with education by helping young people connect with nature in their urban environments.

Justin Remus, BOD Media and Communications Consultant

A New York–based journalist, editor, and blogger, Justin is a long-time denizen of NYC's East Village and graduate of the NYU Film School. His background encompasses public relations, magazines, newspapers, social media, and other educational nonprofits. Justin has a Permaculture Design Certificate through the Center for Bioregional Living and advanced certification in teaching permaculture. He has facilitated BOD's social and media outreach tools, and written grants and press releases for BOD. Justin has been instrumental in marketing BOD's brand through website design, as well as digital content writing and editing.