get ready for summer! :: 09 may 2008

adam austin .:: administrative asst. & i.t. ::. staff since july 2007

Hailing from Wheaton, IL, Adam knew he wanted to be a part of the Farm's staff for many years.  He prepared for the challenges of home repair by studying Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Now armed with a petri dish and a hammer, this aspiring omniglot particularly enjoys photography, diagramming, the literature of Richard Powers, and pulling out the innards of the Farm's computers just to make everyone else nervous.  About his new look, Butch Sandora says, "Don't you just want to wipe your feet all over his face?"

allison loecke .:: director ::. running the ship since september 2007

Born in New Lenox, IL, and educated in Ohio, Allison first came to the farm as a wee-lass high school volunteer in July of 1995.  She loves to square dance and always carries around an air guitar in her back pocket.  Other passions include peanut M&Ms, the music of John Denver and everything and anything related to the fall season.  She is the proud mother of Winona, her kitty who loves to flush toilets.  If she could be any animal, she would like to be a baby kangaroo.

joe ciesielski .:: regional resource organizer &

                              store manager ::. staff since september 2007

Joe is originally from Towson, MD, where his mother, father, and brother still live.  He went to Loyola Blakefield in Towson for high school and went on to study Elementary and Special Education at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia.  At St. Joe's, he developed a passion for the Appalachian Region through a spring break service program and also worked in the Service-Learning program there.  He's not particularly fond of long walks on the beach (sand in the bathing suit is not so good) or romantic candle-lit dinners (seriously, melted wax + steak = trouble), but he loves being in the mountains and wiping his hands on his pants after a meal.  After his time at the Farm, Joe plans to work in the education field; but here is pretty good right now.

ken mayo .:: tool barn champion ::. staff since january 2008

Ken was born in New England and lived there until he was 10, when he moved to the Chicago area.  Ken, the third of four children, attended Truman State University, where he earned a B.S. in Economics.  After graduating from Truman, Ken married his college sweetheart Jessica and they moved to Iowa for graduate school at Iowa State University (go Cyclones!).  Through the Just Faith program at the local church, Ken experienced a metanoia, or conversion, to Catholic Social Teaching.  After praying a 54-day novena, Ken and Jessica knew that God was calling them to a year of service; because of their familiarity with Nazareth Farm and Ken's construction experience, they decided to apply to become staff members.

jessica mayo .:: house manager ::. staff since january 2008

Jessica joins the staff as yet another St. Louis Cardinals fan.  She attended Truman State University in Missouri, where she met the love of her life.  He introduced her to the Farm in 2004, they married in 2006, and are now thrilled to be serving here together.  Before coming to West Virginia, Jessica worked in Iowa as a community organizer and freelance writer.  She enjoys laughing, reading, hiking, and the beauty of "almost heaven" in rural WV.  Everything's better with Mayo!

julie schneider .:: volunteer coordinator ::. staff since january 2008

Julie Antoinette comes from a tremendous family of eight and is proud to have arrived fifth among her siblings.  She recently graduated from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, with a bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Sociology.  She was a proud participant in Newman Center activities for four-and-a-half years and developed a new passion for her faith, which is now nurtured deep in the hills at Nazareth Farm.  She enjoys making home videos and contributing to the best dance parties in the world, which typically erupt spontaneously among the staff.

tina marquart .:: former staff ::. january 2007 - may 2008

After enjoying several weeks of catching up with family and friends, Tina will be headed to the southern side of the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia where she will be working at the Alderson Hospitality House.  She still makes time to jam to U2, indulge in fine chocolates, play her guitar, and nap, but eventually all that will take a back seat to spoiling her new niece.  Come back soon, Tina!

katie-rose hoover .:: former staff ::. june 2007 - may 2008

Katie-Rose will be attending graduate school at Cornell University to study City and Regional Planning for economic development.  She hopes to return to Appalachia to live and work in the future.  Oh, and she still loves pogo sticks and eating.  We miss you, KR!

lee imbriano .:: former project coordinator ::. july 2007 - june 2008

Lee is currently working as an assistant campus minister at Ithaca College in upstate New York. While no longer at the Farm, he still resides in the northernmost reaches of Appalachia.  We'll look forward to your coming back south to visit, Lee!

welcome to our staff bio page!

scroll down to read about our current staff members

and those recently moving away.

31 Jul 2008