Monica Ibacache, BOD Founder, Executive Director

A native of Chile, Monica has been a New York City–based 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. A bite of her first homegrown lettuce and understanding why it was so delicious, unlike the store-bought variety, led Monica down the rabbit hole to healthy food, small-scale agriculture, environmental preservation, and permaculture. 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, with a focus on children and young adults. She 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 has always been fascinated by the science of how things work and has a passion for educating both adults and children. She received her PDC in NYC as well as her Permaculture Teaching Certificate with Jude Hobbs and also has a B.S. in Middle School Science Education and a M.S. in Educational Administration. She currently serves on the Northeast Womyn in Permaculture SEED team. Before her work with BOD, she co-directed educational activities at an organic permaculture farm in Austin, TX and has organized and ran various educational and camp programs with several NYC non-profits. Rachel incorporates her love of environmental education, social justice, and natural design into her work for BOD.
Picture

​
Dana Deaton, PR/Marketing Specialist

A North Carolina native, Dana is passionate about communications, education, environment, and community.  Her professional background is in middle school teaching and she holds a B.S. and M.Ed in Technology Education.  Dana taught technology and communications classes in the NC Public Schools for 14 years, and since then has become involved in school, community, and nonprofit communications and marketing.  She is excited to learn more about the many great things that Beyond Organic Design is doing and to help others understand the role of this unique educational nonprofit.  Dana lives with her family in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
​Klara has a Masters degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Sustainable Development. Having focused her studies on food security and education as a sustainable approach to community development, she pursued her certificate in Permaculture Design to complement what was missing: a holistic approach to solving our environmental crises and economic injustices. She then started her own food security project in Chemoligot, Kenya, to help its community address hunger, economic injustice and soil infertility. Impassioned about  raising awareness about traditional communities’ harmonious coexistence with nature, Klara founded Nelum Botanics, a small holistic skincare business that handcrafts therapeutic products made of sustainably harvested and fairly traded botanicals. Klara joined BOD as a head teacher to share her expertise with younger generations to inspire them to think critically, compassionately, and proactively about the environmental, social, and political challenges facing us today.
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.    
Ebony Gustave, Educator
​
Ebony grew up in urban environments, with little to no exposure to gardening but inherently knew that connecting to nature was imperative. After receiving a B.S. in Fashion Business Management and feeling that there was a void that needed to be filled she spontaneously bought a one way ticket to South Africa and backpacked for 8 months. There she tapped into ancestral knowledge and the abundance that Mother Nature provides. She volunteered on a natural building project, beekeeping, and the oldest permaculture farm in South Africa.Her positive experience volunteering with children in Malawi, sparked the will to continue learning and working with children. Through Beyond Organic Design she’s able to connect her passion for health and wellness, connecting children to nature in urban environments, and cultivating curiosity.