Jason Plotkin, Executive Director | Jason@ekarfarm.org

Jason grew up in a small town in Connecticut and at the age of 12, began his agricultural journey at the historic family-owned Rosedale Farms. Through picking corn, beans, and peas in the hot, humid summers of New England, Jason learned a lot about farming, from viticulture (wine making) to underground irrigation techniques and even aqua and aeroponics. It was in these 12 years of summer employment where the seed of his passion for farming began to sprout. 

After graduating from the University of Vermont in 2010 with a BS in Wildlife Biology, Jason was hired at Flying Pigs Farm in Sushan, NY, where he learned animal care. The following spring, he became the Assistant Manager at Sol Flower Farm in Ancramdale, NY.

In 2011, Jason started Golden Acre Farm, a small farm in Golden, CO with the mission to use holistic and sustainable farming methods to produce quality products and make them available for everyone, regardless of ones economic status. Jason opened his land to the community and worked to instill values he knew were crucial to successfully growing sustainable food: gratitude, community, and hard work. 

Jason joined Ekar Farm in 2012 as the Director of Operations, helping Ekar establish itself as a nonprofit and community partner focused on food justice, hunger relief, and community based agriculture. With a deep passion for local food systems, sustainable restorative agriculture, hunger relief, and food security and equity, Jason is honored to be back as the Executive Director and lead the organization in 2023 and beyond.  

Kevin Oster, Farm Manager | Kevin@ekarfarm.org

Kevin grew up in the suburbs just outside New York City without a strong connection to the land or any exposure to local, organic produce. After college, he started working in finance in New York City. After 3 years, he knew it wasn't the career for him and packed up his bags and moved to Colorado. He enrolled in a Masters in Sustainability with a focus on sustainable food systems. Through his studies, he felt a call to the land and started working at Red Wagon Organic Farm in Longmont. The rest is history...

He has experience growing vegetables for CSA's and local restaurants, managing the day-to-day operations of a farm, and managing a farm crew. Just before Ekar, he served as the Program Director for GoFarm's Farmer Development & Support program where he organized and administered their Beginning Farmer Training Program. Kevin joined Denver’s Sustainable Food Policy Council in 2023, working to provide solutions to the mayor’s office to build a more equitable local food system. He looks to combine his farming and nonprofit experiences at Ekar to help better serve the Denver metro area.

Maggie Gardner, Community Fundraiser | Maggie@ekarfarm.org

Maggie grew up in Northwest Indiana, where her love for the environment blossomed amidst the natural beauty of Lake Michigan. She pursued her passion at Indiana University, earning a degree in Environmental Sustainability with a focus on Renewable Resources, Energy, and Climate. After graduation, she relocated to Denver, where she began working in community gardening and environmental education, cultivating her commitment to sustainable agriculture.

Now, as Ekar Farms' Community Fundraiser, Maggie is excited to bring her dedication to food justice and community empowerment to the farm. She is passionate about fostering connections between people and the land, believing that sustainable farming can nourish both our bodies and our communities. Maggie is eager to learn and grow alongside Ekar, working to advance its mission of food security and environmental stewardship for all.

Emily Kornhauser | Director

Emily Kornhauser is the Director of Collaborative Philanthropy at Rose Community Foundation, where she enhances donor grantmaking with resources and facilitation and oversees the Foundation’s collaborative giving initiatives. Previously Kornhauser was community engagement coordinator at The Murie Center in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Kornhauser has seen the potential for community growth through youth empowerment. She is propelled to leverage these experiences within the Greater Denver community through grant making, strategic philanthropy and youth leadership. Kornhauser finds inspiration around the globe; both in the natural world and through cultural diversity. You can often find Emily digging in the dirt, doing a backbend in yoga or hiking with her dog, Gaia. Kornhauser is a graduate of the University of Denver with a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and minors in Sustainability and Spanish.

Paul Sherman | Director

Paul Sherman is the Climate Campaign Manager for Conservation Colorado, where he leads efforts to pass bold, equitable climate policies at the state level. Paul received his BA in Religious Studies and International Studies from the University of Denver in 2017, and has been on Ekar's Board since 2022. In his spare time, Paul enjoys baking and exploring Colorado's beautiful landscapes year-round with his wife, Kerry, and their dog, Charlie.

Carrie Enkler | Director

Carrie is excited about the work Ekar does to provide food for the community, partnering with other nonprofits to distribute and utilize the food in the most effective way. She appreciates the growing urgency around food insecurity, especially over the past few years when more people are struggling and in need. She enjoys the process of gardening as an important reminder of our connection to nature that many people living in a city might forget about. Carrie brings years of experience in fundraising to Ekar's board.

Rebecca Grant Zarret | Director

Rebecca Grant Zarret joined the Ekar board in February 2021. She has been a farming and gardening enthusiast since she took practical botany in college 30 years ago. In addition to tending to her own abundant plant and animal life, she is a lifelong educator with her own business coaching leaders and hosting retreats in Denver and Conifer. Most importantly, she is a mom to two boys who enjoyed holiday fun at Ekar when they were little.

Ashleigh Wheeler | Director

Ashleigh is an attorney at Denver Housing Authority, where she focuses on corporate compliance and sustainability initiatives. Prior to Denver Housing Authority, she worked for Southern Plains Land Trust, a non-profit that focuses on purchasing shortgrass prairie habitat to permanently protect the native flora and fauna. Ashleigh was fortunate to have cultivated her relationship with nature through gardening with her grandparents and parents from a young age. Ashleigh enjoys learning new skills, baking, hosting, and spending time with her husband Tim and their three dogs. Ashleigh holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver with a certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Law, and a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University - Pueblo. She volunteers with Icing Smiles and the Junior League of Denver.

Ilan Salzberg | Treasurer

Ilan Salzberg was part of Ekar’s founding team in the 2010 growing season. The twins who were newborns at the time of Ekar’s founding are now B’nai Mitzvahs with a younger brother reaching that milestone in the fall of 2024. They are all farmers and gardeners now in their own right. Ilan has watched as Ekar has grown from a seed of an idea to an established part of the fabric of the Jewish Community with generations of engagement and a professional staff. With his children well into their paths and Ilan well into his path in commercial and residential real estate development and historic renovation in Denver and the Kansas City region, Ilan is jumping back in to get his hands dirty in Ekar’s continued growth with service on the Ekar Board.

Sara Rose Tannenbaum | Director
(she/they)

Sara Rose Tannenbaum is a queer and Hard of Hearing artist and facilitator working towards collaborative, collective care of communities and the environment. Her passion for connecting with people and places led her to work in CSA farming, sustainable forestry, alternative transportation, community engagement, public lands policy, and climate justice advocacy.  Sara Rose left the nonprofit world a few years ago to work as an independent consultant supporting organizations in designing generative, impactful systems and cultures.  She has a double major in Community-Based Environmental Planning and Natural Resource Management from the University of California Berkeley, and a master's degree from the Yale School of Forestry. Sara Rose loves gardening, cooking, and drawing, and lives with her partner, Christina, their little dog, Sadie, and their 5 fruit trees in Denver’s Athmar Park.

Marian (Gottlieb) Pulford | Director (she/her)

Marian (Gottlieb) Pulford serves as the Director of Operations at Leadway AI, a marketing firm using cutting-edge technology to help businesses increase ROI. Her experience in organizational effectiveness and strategic communications extends across various sectors, including local nonprofits, multinational NGOs, regional universities, and major governmental agencies. Marian brings a strong fundraising background to the Ekar Farm board, having built her career in nonprofit development prior to her current role. Beyond her professional pursuits, Marian is dedicated to her roles as a mother, artist, and gardener. She lives in Denver with her husband Austin, an architect, and her 2 year old son Frankie, a toddler.