board of directors
Meet Our Leadership Team
Guidance Driven by Expertise and Passion
Our Board of Directors is composed of committed individuals who bring diverse skills and deep dedication to guiding Cultivating Connections Montana. They are pivotal in shaping our strategic direction, ensuring that we continue to thrive and expand our impact in the community. Their collective expertise in agriculture, education, and nonprofit management helps us to innovate and stay true to our mission of building community through food.
Mary Garber
I am Mary Garber, and I love the Bitterroot Valley and the Hamilton area. Although my husband and I have been visiting our daughter and her family here for the last 30 years, I have only recently made it my home.
I am a retired educator from the DePere School District, located in a suburb of Green Bay, WI. My favorite retirement activities include traveling, reading, and crafting.
Our daughter, Laura, is the co-owner of Homestead Organics Farm along with her husband, Henry Wuensche. Their farm has been a wonderful place to spend time especially during the summer months learning and helping to plant, tend and harvest the abundance of food. I have been privileged to witness the growth of Cultivating Connections MT as it reaches into the community to help others connect through food.
Ricardo Castillo-Flores
My name is Ricardo Castillo-Flores, and I am based out of Portland, Oregon. I grew up harvesting fruit at multiple farms in Oregon. I graduated from Willamette University with my MBA in 2020. I have experienced working for nonprofits and businesses in customer service, sales, and marketing in multiple industries. I currently work for Oregon Health & Science University as a Recruitment Marketing Specialist. Cultivating Connections has a positive impact on the people of Hamilton. The organization’s sustainable organic farming practices interest me and align with my personal values. I have volunteered at cultivating connections in the past and enjoy helping out the organization.
Samir Singh
Finn Belanger
My name is Finn and I grew up in the Bitterroot Valley. My interest in ecology and agriculture led me to become a Cultivating Connections youth intern throughout my high school years. While there I became passionate about sustainable farming, the process of providing locally-sourced food to our community, and sharing that knowledge with others. After graduating I moved to New York for college but continued to work at the Cultivating Connections farm during my summer and winter breaks. I now live in Brooklyn where I work part time as a baker and a garden designer, and am thrilled that I can still be involved with CCMT from afar! My favorite vegetable is a beet.
Jennifer Holmes
Gerald Johnson
I am Gerald Johnson, and I was raised with a garden in the backyard. From a young age, I learned that fresh vegetables taste better than any bought in a store, and there’s a satisfaction you get seeing the progression of planting seeds to harvesting fresh vegetables. My father served in the Navy for 20 years, so I lived in many different states in the US growing up, but I call the Bitterroot Valley home with my wife and kids. I started volunteering for CCMT in early 2025, and I have seen the positive effects CCMT has on the youth that work at the farm, that visit the farm, as well as CCMT’s real and hopeful impact on our local community.
My professional background is over 35 years in IT, including 10 years at a nonprofit medical association. I hold an MBA, and certifications including PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), Psychology of Leadership from Cornell University, and Certified Product Owner/Product Manager (PO/PM) from SAFe©. Being inspired by CCMT’s mission and work with people, I joined the CCMT Board of Directors in September 2025.
cultivating connections montana
Connect with Our Leaders
Interested in reaching out to our Board of Directors? Click here to visit our Contact Page where you can find all the necessary details to connect with our leadership team directly. They are eager to hear from you!