Co-Executive Director

Allie (they/she) is a lifelong nature nerd hailing from Wisconsin, transplanting to the warmer climate of Richmond, Virginia in 2014. They have owned and operated Fiddlehead Holistic Horticultural Services since 2018, providing conservation landscape design, installation, and stewardship services. Allie has over twelve years of experience in the green industry, having worked closely with locally grown vegetables and foods as a farmers market and CSA coordinator, cared for plants and educated the public at a local, sustainability-focused garden center, and organized and taught herbalism classes and workshops at their prior farm and within community spaces. Allie holds an Associates of Applied Science in Horticulture and a Career Studies Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture, is a certified Level II Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, and a certified Prescribed Burn Manager. When not in a garden or botanizing in a field, Allie enjoys paddling, sunning on a rock, weaving, knitting, and lifting heavy things in the gym. They believe in the power and importance of bringing humans back into the equation of a thriving ecosystem and are overjoyed to be doing this work alongside passionate collaborators and community.

Co-Executive Director

Sami Dean (she/her) has a deep-rooted appreciation for all things nature, movement, and their interconnectedness within each of us. After graduating from VCU in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Science, she quickly sought out a career path that merges these passions. Now the owner of Goldfinch Gardening and a co-founder of Evolving Ecologies, Sami seeks to reshape the narrative of how we all interact with nature in our neighborhoods and empower the community to make better informed decisions in their own landscapes. When she’s not outside digging holes, Sami spends her free time birding, bouldering, and woodworking.

Co-Executive Director

Katie Carline (she/her) is our Treasurer and Social Media Coordinator for Evolving Ecologies (admin reveal, hi!). She was born and raised in Richmond, VA and has a deep appreciation for the green spaces in and around the city. She’s excited for the positive impact Evolving Ecologies will have on our local landscapes, and looks forward to expanding the green community. She started her plant journey in 2010 focusing on crop production and food access working with local youth centric nonprofits. She has a background in horticulture, Integrated Nutrition Consulting, youth athletic coaching, and holds a Prescribed Burn Manager cert (let’s talk about fire)! Currently, Katie is the farm manager for Groundwork RVA growing crops and engaging youth in Hillside Court. In her free time you’ll find her searching for rare native plants, peddling her textile crafts, outdoor bouldering, and being a bedsore girlie watching Bravo.

Board Member

Wyatt (he/him) is a gardener, garden designer, naturalist, GIS professional, and lover of the outdoors.

Wyatt is excited to bring his background in community engagement, urban forestry, and organizational planning to support Evolving Ecologies as a board member. In college, Wyatt studied urban planning and earned an MS in environmental science with a focus on spatial analysis and environmental economics in real estate. He has since had the opportunity to work in public gardens, for VCU, for local government agencies, and to consult with private companies and nonprofits.

Wyatt is passionate about helping people remember their connection to the natural world. He started his journey with native plants in ecology class and has continued to learn how humans can live in a regenerative relationship with our landscapes. He recently completed the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional level one certification and is excited to create spaces where people can have meaningful experiences with nature. Look for Wyatt along the banks of the James River, in a fabric store, on a bike, or in a bagel shop. 

Board Member

Monika (she/they) is a native plant lover, landscaper, and environmentalist. She is excited to be a part of Evolving Ecologies and serve her community through native stewardship and education. At VCU Monika majored in Environmental Studies and Urban and Regional Studies, where she developed a passion for sustainable urban planning. Her academic background laid the foundation for her commitment to reshaping the way we think about green spaces in our communities.
Since graduating, Monika has worked with local farms and landscaping teams, gaining hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture and ecologically sound landscape design. She was recently certified through the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional program, further
deepening her expertise in sustainable land stewardship and stormwater management. Monika believes that native plants are key to building resilient ecosystems and is dedicated to making them accessible and appreciated in both private and public spaces. As a board member of Evolving Ecologies, she brings her field experience, academic insight, and community-focused vision to support the organization’s mission of fostering environmental literacy and biodiversity in urban environments. You can find her walking her dog along the James River or biking around the city!

Board Member

Alex is a gardener and houseplant care professional living in Richmond, Virginia, and is the owner and operator of Green Heron Garden Company. She hopes to use her background in non-profit garden operations, funding, and volunteer management to support Evolving Ecologies’ mission. Alex has long been passionate about creating and stewarding green spaces that foster connection to nature, support our mental and physical health, and are accessible to everyone. She believes that community connection to and understanding of nature plays a major role in the success of conservation and environmental protection efforts. Alex is honored to support this organization in their efforts to rehabilitate and steward green spaces with ecologically regenerative methods and incorporate humans back into a relationship with the land.

Board Member

Laura (she/her) is a queer outdoor enthusiast, native plant lover, and wayward attorney that loves to get her hands in the dirt! You can usually find her at the James River remote working or rock hopping and paddle boarding with her Weimaraner, Vada. 

Laura was elated to become more involved with Evolving Ecologies as a board member-she helps with the legal needs and corporate governance of the nonprofit, but is most excited about bringing native plant education and access to more community members…and having even more opportunities to get her hands in the dirt! She has always had a passion for inclusive ecology, and focused on environmental law in law school. She began her native plant journey in her own yard, working with Fiddlehead Holistic, and has felt the beautiful impact that native plants have in her pollinator gardens.  She encourages folks to volunteer with EE and bring their learnings back with them to their own communities and gardens.