Programs
City Sprouts offers workshops and classes, online learning tools for educators, educational programming, and more to educate the community about gardening and healthy lifestyle choices. Click on our programs below for more details!
Programs
City Sprouts offers workshops and classes, online learning tools for educators, educational programming, and more to educate the community about gardening and healthy lifestyle choices. Click on our programs below for more details!
growing gardeners workshops
The Growing Gardeners Workshop Series is a collaboration between City Sprouts and The Big Garden. We work together to offer four seasons of hands-on workshops that feature skills and techniques for every gardener and urban farmer: growing, cooking, preserving and eating healthy local food. All workshops are free and open to all ages.
Our workshops are broken up into three main tracks: Urban Ag School, Herbal Medicine Cabinet, and Culinary Workshops. We also have smaller workshops attached to various community events that we have throughout the year. Check out all of our workshop offerings on our Growing Gardeners website.
We love having guest teachers from our community lead workshops! Are you knowledgable about a subject that you'd like to share in a workshop? Reach out to our Education Manager and explain what skills you'd like to share.
growing gardeners workshops
The Growing Gardeners Workshop Series is a collaboration between City Sprouts and The Big Garden. We work together to offer four seasons of hands-on workshops that feature skills and techniques for every gardener and urban farmer: growing, cooking, preserving and eating healthy local food. All workshops are free and open to all ages.
Our workshops are broken up into three main tracks: Urban Ag School, Herbal Medicine Cabinet, and Culinary Workshops. We also have smaller workshops attached to various community events that we have throughout the year. Check out all of our workshop offerings on our Growing Gardeners website.
We love having guest teachers from our community lead workshops! Are you knowledgable about a subject that you'd like to share in a workshop? Reach out to our Education Manager and explain what skills you'd like to share.
meet the green team
City Sprouts continues to grow due to the commitment of our dedicated staff and Board of Directors, community partners, and volunteers.
City Sprouts Staff (left to right): Emily Ramelb, Rocky Huibregtse, Laura Simpson, Aaron French, Edgar Romero, Shannon Kyler
our staff
.jpg)
Carol Blood
Executive Director
Carol Blood has dedicated her career to serving the community with passion and commitment. Born in McCook, Nebraska, and raised in rural Adams County, she has deep roots in the state.
As a Nebraska legislator from 2016 to 2024 and a Bellevue City Council member from 2008 to 2016, she has been a strong advocate for positive change. She also made a significant impact as the Executive Director of the La Vista Chamber of Commerce prior to serving in public office.
In 2005, Carol founded Blood Communications, where she helped businesses thrive by providing business plans, feasibility assessments, and corporate training. Carol's decades of experience in non-profit work and community volunteerism highlight her dedication to making a difference.
Beyond her professional life, Carol has a deep love for learning about and growing native plants and enjoys growing and sharing her own vegetables in her spare time.
Aaron French
Manager of Urban Farm Initiatives
Aaron joined our team in 2018 and brings loads of agriculture, education, market, and outreach experience to City Sprouts. Aaron manages City Sprouts' Urban Farming Internship and City Sprouts' multiple growing sites.
April LeBaron
Conservation & Soil Health Program Coordinator
April grew up hiking and camping—exploring Colorado’s ecosystems and getting to know the diverse organisms within them. After earning their B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, April worked with the Denver Botanic Gardens on a research project that supported the ESA. Following that, she pursued graduate studies in Entomology, where her M.S. thesis focused on identifying the wild bees that utilize milkweed planted for monarch conservation in Nebraska. April also volunteers with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Through community outreach, April will promote the conservation of natural resources and soil health best practices, with a focus on supporting urban growers.
Edgar Romero Gonzalez
Urban Agriculture Outreach Manager
Born in Mexico City and Midwest-raised, Edgar is bilingual in Spanish (his native language) and English. Though he is ultra-focused at the task at hand, he still loves having a good time and incorporating fun into his work. Edgar graduated from Metropolitan Community College in 2015 with a degree in Horticulture, Land Systems and Management. He is experienced in greenhouse production, organic cultivation, cultivation consulting, and is excited to be teaching some here at City Sprouts and leading a team of 2021 interns. Edgar oversees operations of City Sprouts South and will help teach in many of our programs in both English and Spanish.
Emily Ramelb
Communications + Development Manager, DEIA Practitioner
Emily joined the City Sprouts team in Spring 2021. She oversees City Sprouts branding, marketing strategy, fundraising and organizational development. Graduated from Rockhurst University, she has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in marketing and communication, and the Helzberg School of Management's Undergraduate Award for Distinguished Leadership. When Emily isn't working, she's in the kitchen whipping up something colorful and delicious, or kicking back with friends and family.
.png)
City Sprouts Interns
2024 Summer Urban Farming Interns mentored by City Sprouts staff members Aaron French, Edgar Romero Gonzalez, Laura Simpson and Rocky Huibregtse. Learn more about the PAID Urban Farming Internship here!
our board of directors
Our Board of Directors consists of community volunteers, who help provide oversight and direction for City Sprouts.
Executive Board
LaLeesha Haynes, President
Nebraska Medicine | Manager, Employee Growth and Experience
Randy Vyhnalek, Vice President
Conagra Brands | Scrum Master
Ian Simpkins, Treasurer
Charles Schwab | Finance Manager
Angela Lindstrom, Secretary
Health Center Association of Nebraska | Director of Communications
Board Members
Bob Wolfson
BWC Consultancy | Freelance
Brian Smith
Nebraska Methodist Health System | Emergency Management Director
Liz Tipton
Union Pacific Railroad | Director Risk & Compliance
Meghan Kallhoff
Jackson Lewis | Attorney
Shanda Ross
Nebraska Medicine | Director of Engagement, Outreach, and Belonging
Taylor Daniels
Aradius Group | Director of Marketing
Anti-Discrimination Policy
City Sprouts is committed to providing an environment free from all forms of discrimination and conduct considered harassing, coercive or disruptive, including sexual harassment. Actions, words, jokes or comments based on an individual’s sex, race, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, pregnancy, leave status, [mental, emotional, or physical] ability/disability, military status, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic or status, will not be tolerated.
Laura Simpson
Programs + Distribution Coordinator
Laura is an Omaha native, she grew up in the Keystone neighborhood of Northwest Omaha.
Laura graduated from MCC in 2013 with a degree in Business Management and Marketing, and from UNO in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts - 3D Media. Over the past few years, she has worked with a local arts non-profit, BFF.
In 2018, Laura was a Resident Farmer at Big Muddy Urban Farm and in 2019, she completed the New Roots internship with The Big Garden. Laura joined the City Sprouts team in 2020.
Rocky Huibregtse
Urban Agriculture Outreach Specialist
Rocky joined our year-round staff in May 2023. A former City Sprouts Urban Farming Intern, Rocky has a wealth of knowledge in sustainable growing techniques. He will assist the Farm Crew in guiding the summer internship, as well as take lead in the classroom. When he's not working, Rocky enjoys spending time reading, baking goodies, and tending to his many chickens, turkeys and quail.
Shannon Kyler
Manager of Community Programs
Shannon joined the City Sprouts team in 2016. She manages our North Community Garden, coordinates volunteers for both sites, is an educator for Garden to Table, and is our resident Chicken Wranger and Beekeeper. When she is not at City Sprouts she is attempting DIY home improvement projects and having dance parties with her kids.