Our Team – City Fruit

Staff

Emily Tomita

Executive Director (she/her)

As a prior City Fruit volunteer and community partner, Emily is thrilled to be joining the City Fruit team as Executive Director! Emily (she/her) is a multiracial, second-generation Japanese American who grew up in the Bay Area, CA. After attending Whitman College and receiving a Masters degree from Boston University, Emily spent 13+ years working for education, human services, and social justice organizations, such as the Intergenerational Literacy Program, Refugee Women’s Alliance, Arms Around You, and Neighborhood House. She currently serves on the boards of Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC) and EarthCorps.

Emily lives with her partner and their dog Velcro in Southeast Seattle, where Emily loves to be outside, bake cakes for her friends and family, and build community. Emily would generally say that her favorite fruit is whatever is fresh and in season. But if she had to pick, blueberries and nectarines really are her favorites.

Contact Emily at [email protected].

Riley Wilmart

Program Manager (she/they)

Riley is a born and raised Washingtonian who grew up Maple Valley. They attended Western Washington University where they studied Environmental Journalism, and after 2 years transferred to the University of Washington to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Law, Societies, and Justice to better merge her interest between environmental and social justice issues. For their senior Capstone project, Riley interned with City Fruit as a Community Engagement intern. She would later join the City Fruit team as a seasonal harvester in the summer of 2022, where they witnessed how much fruit grows across the city, as well as how much is not being connected with people who would greatly benefit from it. In November of 2022, they joined City Fruit full-time as a Programs and Special Projects Coordinator, helping to plan special events and projects such as orchard plantings, Pint Nights, etc. They’ve now moved into a Program Manager role and currently lead and organize City Fruit’s Harvest Program!

Riley believes that food is an essential part of one’s identity and community, and hopes to play a part in enabling all people to have access to the foods that make them feel the most like themselves. Her favorite fruits include sumo oranges, raspberries, and italian plums.

For inquiries related to special events and our Harvest Program, contact [email protected].

Hallie Evans

Volunteer and Education Coordinator (they/them)

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Hallie grew up gardening and driving around harvesting pears from untended public fruit trees with their father. Hallie moved to Seattle to study International Studies and Spanish at Seattle University and cultivated an interest in food justice by spending their time volunteering at local urban farms. Hallie spent two years working on an organic vegetable farm in Fall City during and after undergrad in addition to engaging in bioregional food systems organizing. After a Fulbright stint in Southern Chile and an AmeriCorps service term with City Fruit, Hallie joined City Fruit in March 2025 as the Volunteer and Education Coordinator. Hallie loves gardening, rock climbing, and hiking through mossy PNW forests! Their favorite fruits are figs, cherries, and palisade peaches.

For inquiries related to volunteer and education events/ resources, contact [email protected].

Jeff Oliver

Fruit Tree Specialist (he/him)

Jeff has spent his entire life living in the Puget Sound region. He grew up surrounded by fruit trees and berry bushes in north Seattle and is currently working on transforming his yard into a food forest. Jeff has travelled throughout the United States enjoying the many different amazing natural wonders. A lifelong love of the outdoors and growing plants led him to pursue a degree in Horticulture from Edmonds College. The beauty and utility of fruit trees has captured his passion, and he is excited to be working with residents to keep their tree healthy and fruitful. He has worked on the fruit trees at the Edmonds Campus Farm as well as several orchards and private residences. Jeff has been a teacher, coach, has volunteered in his community, and views public service as a cornerstone in his life. He is eager to help reform our food systems and help empower people to grow and consume their own local fruit. In his free time, Jeff enjoys camping, hiking, live music, and standup comedy.

For information about fruit tree care or to schedule a visit, contact Jeff at [email protected].

Meg Sherry

Fruit Tree Specialist (she/her)

Meg is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee where she spent many summer months on the family farm, cultivating veggies and berries galore, learning the value of hard work and harvest. Upon graduation from college, she travelled northwest to work the land in Oregon and after a brief summer stint in Seattle, found herself very much at home. Since her time here she has worked in the fields of horticulture and arboriculture for nearly seven years, four of those focused in tree care. Her emphasis has largely been on Plant health care, permaculture techniques, climbing and fine pruning. Practicing plant and tree stewardship in the PNW has been a passion of hers from the beginning and she aims to carry on that mission with City Fruit. In her free time Meg enjoys hiking, alpine lake swimming, adventuring with her dog, travelling and trying new food. She joined City Fruit in 2024 and relishes in her time climbing and pruning as well as educating others on the bountifulness and importance of an edible landscape.

For information about fruit tree care or to schedule a visit, contact Meg at [email protected].

Izzy Juell

Fruit Tree Specialist (she/her)

Izzy grew up in north Seattle and Shoreline. She attended Western Washington University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies in 2018. During undergrad, she gained experience working outdoors on restoration projects and gained an appreciation for native plants. After graduating, she moved back home to Seattle and began teaching outdoor wilderness courses for kids. She earned her Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Idaho in 2021. Following graduation, she moved to Orcas Island and became a Youth Conservation Corps Crew Leader. The Crew completed restoration projects and built trails. After the program, she realized she wanted to work more directly with plants and began working as a Certified Professional Horticulturist. After years of working in the horticulture field, Izzy has specialized in pruning and especially enjoys pruning fruit trees. Izzy is passionate about educating folks about native plants and sustainable gardening. Outside of work, Izzy enjoys bouldering, weight lifting, playing soccer, live music, playing guitar, reading, and spending time with her dog. Izzy joined City Fruit in May 2025 and is excited about using her pruning skills to connect the folks of the greater Seattle area to fresh fruit! Her favorite fruits include blueberries, raspberries, and cherries.

For information about fruit tree care or to schedule a visit, contact Izzy at [email protected].

Emma Zimmerman Greenlee

Fruit Tree Specialist (she/her)

Emma grew up on Vashon Island and after going to college in Massachusetts, realized that her favorite place in the world just happened to be the city that she’s from, so she moved back to Seattle as quick as possible! While at school in Massachusetts, she studied various subjects, including political science, Spanish, permaculture, and natural resource conservation before earning her MS in Environmental Conservation with a concentration in Forestry and Arboriculture. After moving back to Seattle, Emma threw herself head-first into the tree world and has been working as an arborist for three years now, and as a climbing arborist for nearly two years. While City Fruit is her first job working exclusively with fruiting trees and vines, she grew up going to fruit-harvesting and work parties with her dad, who is equally as passionate about fruit.

Emma joined City Fruit in 2025 and is extremely excited to be working with them, as her primary passions in life are talking to people about trees and eating fruit! She finds the relationship between people and their trees to be an especially meaningful part of living in the urban environment, and greatly enjoys assisting people in learning about how to care for their trees. When she is not working with or thinking about trees, Emma spends her time with friends and loved ones, knitting, crafting, reading, and petting her two very silly cats. Her favorite fruits are Asian pears and Rainier cherries (like most Washingtonians).

For information about fruit tree care or to schedule a visit, contact Emma at [email protected].

Board of Directors

Jason Giroir

– President –

City Fruit Board Member since 2022.

LinkedIn profile

Show More

Jason’s journey with City Fruit began through its fundraising events, where he and his wife discovered the organization while exploring Seattle’s vibrant cider scene. As a parent, he wanted to give back to his community in a tangible, hands-on way with his kids, and so started volunteering with the organization. City Fruit’s hyperlocal
approach—working directly in neighborhoods, from orchards to fruit
distributions resonated deeply with him. He values how the organization’s impact is visible, not just in the results, but in the personal connections made along the way. Jason thrives on bringing people together. Whether it's bridging gaps between board members or connecting with City Fruit’s staff, he sees his role as making relationships—and the work—flow smoothly. He appreciates that the board isn’t just a
collection of names but a group of active, engaged individuals, offering real support and mentorship to the organization.

When not working with City Fruit, Jason’s life is filled with exploration: spending time with his kids, trail running, fermenting cider, or soaking in the serenity of the water (ideally on a boat!). His advice for those considering joining the board? “This is a place where you can make a real difference—an active, transparent board that’s truly connected to its community and its mission. If you’re looking to be part of something meaningful, this is it.”

BJ Bell

– Vice President –

City Fruit Board Member since 2023.

LinkedIn profile

Show More

BJ’s introduction to City Fruit was at an office volunteer event where he heard about the impact of the work from one of the organization’s community partners. He appreciated how City Fruit makes it easy for anyone, regardless of background, to get involved—whether it’s pruning trees or sorting food. The family-friendly, hands-on nature of the work is something BJ values, especially as a volunteer opportunity. For him, it’s not just about the tasks; it’s about creating real change in how people access local, sustainable food. What draws BJ to City Fruit is its mission to increase food access and sustainability – he’s passionate about how City Fruit combines education with action, helping people understand and engage with local food systems. BJ also values how the organization fosters a welcoming, inclusive community, where every voice is heard. The board may be small, but it’s mighty, and he appreciates the direct, transparent impact he can have in shaping the organization’s future. Known for his upbeat energy, BJ brings enthusiasm to everything he does—whether lending a hand in the field or offering insights at board meetings. His positive attitude makes others feel comfortable and heard.

Outside of City Fruit, BJ enjoys spending time with his wife and son, traveling, staying active, and watching his son’s creative growth unfold. He says, “City Fruit is small, accessible, and hands-on—your voice truly matters here.”

Erik Madrid

– Treasurer –

City Fruit Board Member since 2019.

LinkedIn profile

Show More

Erik was first introduced to City Fruit through its annual fundraisers, where he quickly fell in love with the mission and the idea of harvesting fruit from urban spaces and using it in creative ways. His passion for all the delicious things you can make from fruit—especially cider—has only grown since. Erik loves learning about unique fruits that can grow here, from paw paws to kiwis, and even turned his backyard into a fruit forest. He’s particularly fond of apples, well, because of cider! Outside of City Fruit and his day job, Erik’s evenings are often filled with cider—it's not uncommon for him to spend late nights reviewing spreadsheets with a new cider to try in hand. Erik’s background in business, particularly his financial expertise, led him to see City Fruit as an opportunity to apply his skills in a meaningful way. For him, the best part of being on the board is working alongside such a genuine and passionate team, tackling challenges together, and finding creative solutions. Whether or not the “Seattle freeze” is real, Erik has found that City Fruit is a solid way to connect with others and build relationships in a supportive and welcoming community. When it comes to joining City Fruit’s board, Erik encourages others to get involved: There’s always something City Fruit needs. It’s a fun time with a great mix of people, and you’ll get the chance to help out in meaningful ways. Pint nights are a blast!”

Tiare Gill

– Secretary –

City Fruit Board Member since 2025.

Show More

Tiare first joined the City Fruit team as a graduate student intern in 2020, during which time she fell in love with Seattle’s urban orchards and the rainbow array of fruit that grow within them! After graduating from her MA Ed program, she transitioned into a full-time staff role as Education & Volunteer Programs Manager, serving in that role until her departure from City Fruit in October 2024. During her time with the organization, Tiare learned way more about fruit trees than she ever thought she would, but she also developed a deep respect for the people and organizations working to secure a more equitable and sustainable food system. Tiare believes that organizations like City Fruit bring creativity, joy, and resourcefulness to local food justice efforts and is thrilled to return to the organization as a new Board Member in 2025.

Outside of City Fruit, Tiare loves being outdoors – whether that be on a hike, out on a neighborhood walk with her dog Kona, or tending to plants in a garden.

Lamai Larsen

-Member-

City Fruit Board Member since 2019

LinkedIn profile

Show More

Lamai’s journey with City Fruit started with a deep curiosity about the intersection of community and land. When she first learned Piper’s Orchard she was struck by the idea of public orchards as community spaces – and how the power of shared spaces, specifically how caring for fruit trees and sharing their fruit could foster a deeper connection to place and community. This experience planted one of the many seeds for her eventual involvement in City Fruit.

What stands out most to Lamai is the sense of community stewardship, especially when it comes to sharing the harvest. Whether it’s working on tree care or distributing fruit to local food banks, she’s drawn to City Fruit’s ability to bring people together and break down the barriers that often separate us. For Lamai, the act of sharing fresh, lovingly harvested fruit is about connecting people and fostering a sense of place.

Lamai has contributed to many areas of board work, from organizing fundraising efforts to mentoring and collaborating with staff. She’s especially drawn to work that’s collaborative, a little messy, and rooted beloved places.

Rebecca Jacobs

– Member –

City Fruit Board Member since 2025.

LinkedIn profile

Show More

Rebecca brings over 20 years of strategic communications and volunteer experience to her role with City Fruit. She previously served on the board of directors of Seattle-based arts and youth nonprofit Urban ArtWorks, and on the leadership board of Cooks for Black Lives Matter, a Covid-era collective raising funds for racial justice organizing in King County, where she led volunteer and community engagement. Through both her career and volunteer service, Rebecca‘s focus has been on driving impact at the local level and expanding access – whether to opportunity, information, or in the case of City Fruit, a sustainable urban food resource. She is excited and grateful to contribute to City Fruit’s mission to harvest and steward urban fruit trees to support sustainable and equitable access to fruit.

Rebecca lives in West Seattle with her one husband and three dogs, and has two stepsons. She loves a good Honeycrisp apple, cold Rainier cherries on a hot afternoon, and can’t seem to start a workday lately without eating a banana.

Leslie Llado

– Member –

City Fruit Board Member since 2020.

LinkedIn profile

Show More

Leslie didn’t always know Seattle had so many fruit trees. But once she joined City Fruit’s board, she started seeing them everywhere—on walks, in neighborhoods, and even on her own block. “I’d catch myself thinking, ‘Is that apple tree doing okay? I wonder if City Fruit could help. Maybe I should connect with my neighbor.’” she says. That growing awareness of Seattle’s urban orchard made her realize just how much impact City Fruit has in connecting food access with environmental conservation. For Leslie, City Fruit’s clear and simple mission is what keeps her involved. With a background in hydrology and environmental science, she appreciates how caring for fruit trees is inherently tied to land stewardship—an aspect of environmental work she doesn’t often engage with in her day job. Beyond that, she loves that City Fruit’s impact is local, allowing her to give back to the very community where she lives. Plus, the board and staff? “Such a great group of people. No egos, no drama—just a bunch of smart, passionate folks from different disciplines who genuinely care about the work.”

When she’s not helping out with City Fruit, you’ll probably find Leslie outside. In the summer, she’s hiking and backpacking. In the winter, she’s skiing. She also loves cooking—food has always been a big part of how she builds community, whether through casual dinners or, in the past, working with urban farms and farmers markets. These days, she’s a proud gardener at the Republican St. P-Patch. So why should someone else consider joining the board? Leslie says there’s something for everyone—whether you love harvesting, community events, cider (or even if you don’t like cider at all). “If you want to make a meaningful impact at the local level, this is the place.”

Jordyn Egbert

-Member-

City Fruit Board Member since 2025.

LinkedIn Profile

Show More

Jordyn’s journey with City Fruit began in 2021 when she joined the team as an AmeriCorps VISTA Fundraising & Development Specialist. She then transitioned into a full-time manager role, supporting both fundraising and programming until December 2024. Over the years working at City Fruit, Jordyn’s passion for gleaning grew as she saw first hand the immense value in creating opportunities for neighbors to redirect their quality, organic, and local fruit from waste, and share it directly with the community. Now, Jordyn is excited to return to City Fruit in a new capacity as a Board Member, where she brings not only her professional experience but also a deep, personal commitment to advancing City Fruit’s mission to increase equitable access to fresh fruit within the Seattle community.

Outside of her work with City Fruit, Jordyn enjoys traveling, cooking, trying new recipes, and paddle boarding during Seattle’s sunny months. For anyone considering joining the board, Jordyn believes it’s a powerful way to help strengthen Seattle’s hyper-local food system, while collaborating with a passionate team and community of supporters.

Cassie Whitebread

-Member-

City Fruit Board Member since 2025.

LinkedIn Profile

Show More

Cassie’s connection to City Fruit lives at the intersection of community building, nutrition, and liberation. A former science teacher, master composter program manager, and education director, Cassie has long believed that transformational change grows from action-oriented communities rooted in care, connection, and an intersectional lens. She identifies as a radical educator and supportive coach, drawn to spaces where people can unlearn the norms of white supremacy culture and reconnect to one another—and the land—in more just and joyful ways. Cassie is currently a Senior Consultant at Healing Equity United, supporting nonprofits to lead with clarity, courage, and care in moments of crisis, change, and uncertainty. She has a knack for facilitation, supporting groups to sit with complexity, holding space for multiple truths, and moving together toward more just and connected ways of working. Cassie sees City Fruit’s work as a powerful expression of collective care—where stewardship of land and sharing harvest strengthen community ties. Cassie spends her free time tending to a small flock of backyard chickens, lifting heavy weights, and hosting themed gatherings that nourish her community of friends and family.

Rebecca Whitham

-Member-

City Fruit Board Member since 2025.

LinkedIn Profile

Show More

Through her career as a conservation communicator and advocate, Rebecca has joined forest guards, anti-poaching patrols, wildfire fighters and reforesters in the field to document hopeful stories of forest conservation solutions around the world. While it was a love of forests and wildlife that brought her to this work, she learned quickly that it is the people and their communities who power its success. Rebecca celebrates how City Fruit takes a community-based approach to stewarding our urban canopy and creates more equitable access to the benefits and bounty of our own local nature. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, she moved to Seattle where she completed her Master’s in Museology at the University of Washington and fell in love with the verdancy of the Northwest. She has made it her home since 2004. Rebecca enjoys spending time with her husband and dog and is just as happy curled up with them and a crossword and coffee as she is going out on a big adventure together.

Bonnie Barcellos

-Member-

City Fruit Board Member since 2025.

LinkedIn Profile

Show More

Bonnie grew up in Eastern Washington and has lived in Seattle for over a decade. She discovered City Fruit in 2021 after moving to a new home with over 30 fruit trees. A colleague excitedly told her about City Fruit’s mission and Bonnie has been invested in the organization ever since. She most appreciates City Fruit’s fruit distribution to local food banks and stewardship of orchards across Seattle. Bonnie works as an HR Director at a global nonprofit focused on minimizing the impacts of climate change with clean energy solutions, and brings her experience in human resources and strategic leadership to her work at City Fruit. Outside of her involvement at City Fruit, Bonnie is a “PNW cliché”, enjoying hiking, paddleboarding, pickleball, and D&D. Also, being an aunt to eight nieces & nephews is the highlight of her adult life.

Advisors

Gail Savina

– Founder –

Show More

Gail grew up picking apples in the ‘Apple Capital of the World’ and, after a hiatus of 40 years, returned to coordinate fruit harvests throughout Seattle. She has organized neighborhood and community harvest groups and is the author of Gather It: How to Organize an Urban Fruit Harvest. Gail’s background includes serving as a communications specialist with King County environmental programs, working as a public health educator, and overseas stints in the Philippines and Ghana. She has masters degrees in anthropology and public health.

Matt Pope

– Technology Advisor –

Web Applications Developer, Fair Trade USA.

Show More

Matt was introduced to City Fruit when he joined the Orchard Steward group at Martha Washington Park. He is committed to supporting good local food and is especially interested in getting it to those who need it most and in building knowledge and community around food. Most recently Matt has been applying his experience as a hobby hard cider maker to teaching people how to turn their bounty of apples into delicious cider. Matt works at Fair Trade USA as a web applications developer.