Who We Are

Jerry has been part of the organization since 1995 as a friend, board member and donor. To him, it is to come home to do the work he loves. Jerry has been drawn to serve organizations with mission focused on education, research and/or science. He has a personal interest in organizational dynamics (including leadership, board and governance roles), strategic planning and finding the passion that drives our work. His other loves includes grandchildren, running, and living on Whidbey Island with his wonderful wife, Kay.

Heather coordinates and supports the programs held at the Institute. With a professional background in leadership development, sustainability, and organizational development, she enjoys being able to bring all of these passions together in support of the vision of the Whidbey Institute. A Pacific Northwest native, she is new to the island and falling more in love with the place and people of Whidbey everyday.

Hannah is the first point of contact for callers and visitors to the Institute, and provides support in everything from program registration to content editing. After ten years in Seattle's corporate universe, she moved to the island and joined the Whidbey Institute community as a volunteer before joining the staff in early 2011. She runs a start-up nonprofit educating youths in Kenya and is also a non-fiction writer.

Mary has been the Resident Caretaker for 20 years, and remains a most valuable link to land and facilities. We appreciate her down-to-earth point of view.

Lynne and her staff work with Mary and are responsible for keeping all rooms ready for the next guests. Horse rescue holds a special place in her heart.

Clayton provides invaluable and quite often unnoticed support to our beautiful facilities. His menagerie includes a Macaw, a Blue Amazon and a Goffin's Cockatoo, a Bearded Dragon, two Leopard Geckos, 3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 horses, and a fish tank full of fish...and two kids, too.

Christyn has developed a love of abundant, vibrant flavor profiles and has a great reverence for food as an integral part of a healthy, balanced life. Chef Christyn's personal journey though food and nourishment includes a long career in fine dining and hospitality as well as vast experience and travel in Global Vegetarian cuisine.

Cary Peterson coordinates the Learning from the Land program of the Whidbey Institute, teaches the Growing Groceries classes, and is also coordinator of the Good Cheer Food Bank Garden and Langley Middle School Garden. Cary started gardening on South Whidbey in 1989 while caretaker of the Chinook Land, and has been gardening and caring for land ever since. She is avidly engaged in our island community, but also loves to travel to India, Nepal and Tibet. She is on the board of the Friends of the Langley Woodmen Cemetery, and the Kilung Foundation. You can see her cycling from garden to garden on her Bilenky cargo bike.