RACHEL BLACK
Executive Director
Garden School Foundation
Rachel Black is a highly accomplished and impactful champion of the school gardening movement. This year is Black’s fifth year as the executive director of Garden School Foundation. Since stepping into the ED role, Black has helped GSF become a stable organization with strong partnerships, high-quality jobs, and a growing impact across Title I schools in LA County. She has grown the annual budget from $429,000 to $1.3 million; expanding to 12 elementary school partner sites; securing GSF’s first ever federal grant from the USDA in partnership with LAUSD; reducing cafeteria lunchtime waste by 73% in participating schools; and elevating school gardening in local and national conversations.
GSF now reaches over 4,150 students and their families, and maintains a network of over 1,600 volunteers.
