Raesha is a Maryland native who found herself in Atlanta to attend college. At Spelman College she received her B.A. in Comparative Women’s Studies with a concentration in Food Studies which led her down an academic career of studying local food and urban growing. As a student Raesha participated in the Spelman Sisters of the Soil program and completed the Spelman Urban Agriculture Boot Camp facilitated by HABESHA inc. She spent many late afternoons and early mornings in the Spelman Victory garden where she realized her true passion was for local agriculture. It was through this passion that she found herself as an intern for the Grant Park Farmers Market in 2017. Since then her work and love for farmers markets has grown deeply. Raesha currently works at the Grant Park Farmers Market and Decatur Farmers Market, as well as with the Fresh Marta Market.
When Raesha is not at market, you’ll probably find her somewhere with a good book or at home with her cat, Theo.
Casey is a native Atlantan, deeply rooted in the community she serves. She holds a double major in Environmental Studies and International/Intercultural Studies from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Casey first came to the Community Farmers Market family as a farm vendor. Since then she has held almost every position in the organization, giving her dynamic insight to lead. Casey is an outdoor enthusiast and has worked on farms in Chile, Greece, and Vermont. She is inspired daily by CFM’s impact as a leader in food access, equity, and small business support, and is committed to the continued growth and success of the organization.
Mariah Lopez was born in Atlanta but raised in a small town in North Carolina. Upon graduating from high school, she decided it was time to head back to the city. Mariah attended Agnes Scott College, majored in Public Health, and soon became involved with the Sustainability Office as an Environmental Resident, where she planned and executed initiatives to reduce campus waste. It was here she connected with a former ASC alumnus who was a manager at Decatur Farmer’s Market. During her junior year, Mariah became an ambassador for the Decatur Saturday market.
Additionally, she interned with Wholesome Wave Georgia, and with the help of both of these roles, she realized her passion for sustainable and accessible food systems. After graduating, she worked as a Foodcorps Service Member, took a break during the pandemic, and rejoined CFM as a Grant Park ambassador. She has since been promised to the manager of the Decatur Farmers Market and runs the Treat Yo Shelf General Store.
Jenna is an educator at heart, having taught garden and kitchen classes in Atlanta Public Schools and throughout the Atlanta community. An alumna of the University of Georgia, Jenna began her career in education in 2008 and since then has become one of the leading proponents (and providers) of increasing educational resources in the areas of social justice, food access, and environmental education, earning her the Presidential Innovation Award for Educators, received at the White House in Washington, DC in 2015. Jenna brings that experience to Community Farmers Markets as the Director of Programs.
Ana María is a visual artist and designer specializing in creative strategy, branding, and marketing. She holds a deep connection to nature and is passionate about sustainable agriculture. Her main objective is to help build healthy communities with a strong ecological culture. She uses her education in visual arts and storytelling to create engaging materials and experiences that promote this message. Ana María studied Media Arts at the Art Institute of Atlanta and began working with businesses and organizations in the good food economy in 2013. She joined the CFM in 2014 as a marketing intern and has grown to develop many initiatives within the organization.
“I love seeing regulars at the markets, educating people on the produce we have available, and giving tips on how to use it.”
Jennifer has been working with CFM since 2020. She managed the West End MARTA Market for two seasons and has now transitioned to manage the Grant Park Farmers Market.
Judith is one of the founding members of CFM and has over 20 years of accrued experience in the nonprofit sector and local food economy. Judith is a serial entrepreneur who has created and led a variety of organizations from farms, to e-commerce food businesses, to not-for-profit service organizations. Throughout her career, Judith has fused her passions for good food and radical transformational leadership to develop organizations that empower, nourish and enrich people and communities. She has been recognized as one of Atlanta’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders by Atlanta Magazine and by the New York Times as a woman who is changing the landscape of leadership. She is a founding worker-owner at Love is Love Cooperative Farm, a 70 acre organic vegetable farm serving the metro Atlanta population and beyond with vegetables, flowers, and plants.