Helen Nadel, Executive Director
Helen joined Summit Community Gardens - EATS in January 2024, after +25 years working for nonprofits at the intersection of health, food, justice, and education. She helped launch the Food Farmacy as part of The People’s Health Clinic. Prior to that, she served as Director of School & Community Partnerships at the Philadelphia-based food and farming nonprofit Greener Partners for ten years. Helen holds an M.Ed. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Tufts University. She’s lived in New York City, San Francisco, and Swarthmore, PA, moving to Park City in 2022 to enjoy the mountains and a newly empty nest. Landing her dream job in her new home still feels like a gift. Food is Helen’s passion, from her first memory - picking blueberries - to dreaming about her next farmers’ market foray to inspire a meal. Helen has taught hands-on cooking and gardening to hundreds of children; the ‘aha’ moment when a child pulls a carrot out of the ground or tastes something they are surprised to like always brings her joy. She believes everyone has a right to healthy, delicious food, and that SCG-EATS' Garden provides a unique space for community belonging. Helen loves hiking, yoga, performing arts & movies, exploring restaurants, and playing cards with her husband, Joel, and two children, Isabel (24) and Felix (21). She is always up for fun in the snow. Helen was in the inaugural Summit County Community Planning Lab and was part of Leadership Class 30.
Reach out to Helen at helen@summitcommunitygardens.org
Erica Snyder, Director of Youth Education
Erica is passionate about garden and cooking education because it brings together two of her greatest loves: working with children and engaging with food systems. With decades of experience in both education and social work, Erica has taught pre-K through sixth grade as a Montessori Guide and has worked extensively with children and families across school and community settings.
She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Utah, with a focus on child development, and a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from Westminster College. Her graduate capstone, centered on strengthening local food systems and helping small producers bring their products from seed to store.
Erica has previously managed Summit Community Gardens and other community garden spaces in Salt Lake City, further deepening her connection to environmental education and community engagement. Her favorite subjects to teach are STEM—especially math—as she loves sparking curiosity in young learners.
Outside of work, you'll find Erica enjoying quality time with her family or exploring the mountains she calls home. Reach out to Erica at erica@summitcommunitygardens.org
Gabriela Chaney, Education Coordinator
Gabriela loves teaching kids about cooking and gardening in a fun, hands-on way. With a background in teaching and a passion for promoting wholesome food choices, she creates engaging programs that help kids connect with nature, learn where their food comes from, and develop lifelong cooking skills in an exciting and accessible way for young learners. Originally from São Paulo, Brasil, Gabriela grew up in South Carolina before moving moved across the country with her husband, Kevin, during his service in the US Navy. Now, they’ve put down roots in Park City with their daughter, Bella (7) to enjoy some mountain fun! On the weekends, she enjoys hiking, chasing a sunny spot to read a book, strolling through a farmers market, or snuggling with her family for a movie night.
Reach out to Gabriela at gabriela@summitcommunitygardens.org
Jess Collette, Garden Manager
Jess’s passion for food justice began while attending Northland College, a liberal arts school in the northwoods of Wisconsin. She found herself in a community that lacked access to healthy, affordable, locally produced food. She began thinking about food systems, which ignited her desire to work to improve food access through fostering community-focused food systems. Jess has worked on farms, in food pantries, at gardens and nonprofits across the country. The goal of reducing food insecurity by connecting people with local educational programs and community events was with her all the way. Her decade-long journey ultimately led her to the Green Urban Lunch Box in Salt Lake City where she served most recently as a Farm Co-Manager and Distribution Coordinator. At SCG-EATS, Jess is excited to work in the Garden to help increase access to fresh, healthy food and provide both space and education for people seeking to grow their own food.
Reach out to Jess at jess@summitcommunitygardens.org
Luz Corrales, Garden Assistant
Luz is excited to unite her love of food and plants in her new role as Garden Assistant at Summit Community Gardens - EATS. With over ten years of volunteer and non-profit experience, she’s passionate about fostering environmental stewardship and engaging her community through food. She is originally from the Hudson Valley in New York, but moved to Utah in 2018. Luz is currently pursuing her bachelors in Environmental and Sustainability Studies with a focus on food systems and community. After pivoting her career towards farming a few years ago, she completed an apprenticeship at The Green Urban Lunch Box where she learned how to cultivate organic crops using regenerative growing practices. More recently, she grew and sold organic cut flowers for FlowerBoy Farms in South Salt Lake. Luz believes food is a human right and loves to talk about everything food related, from where you can find the best sandwiches to how to transplant tomatoes. When she’s not working in the garden, you can find Luz kayaking at the Jordanelle, playing video games, or competing in speed puzzling contests.
Reach out to Luz at luz@summitcommunitygardens.org
Jodi Jones, Operations and Engagement Manager
Jodi is happy to be back in the nonprofit community full time. Jodi has worked in various nonprofit organizations including the Utah Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and the South Summit Education Foundation. After graduating Utah State University (Go Aggies!) with a bachelor’s degree in communications, she spent several years in the financial industry doing public relations and marketing. Jodi has worked with schools throughout the state sharing important personal finance initiatives. More recently, Jodi’s career brought her home, where she managed communications at South Summit School District. Some of her favorite things are traveling with her family, cuddling up with a page-turning thriller, discovering new hiking trails in our local mountains and crafting and designing homemade greeting cards.
Reach out to Jodi at jodi@summitcommunitygardens.org
