OUR VALUES

President of Agave Environmental Contracting, Inc (AEC), Managing Member of Agave Farms, LLC, Managing Member of Urban Farming Education, a 501(c)(3) Founding Member and Architect of Fresh Food Collaboration response to COVID-19.
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Michael graduated from State University of New York at Buffalo with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design and Arizona State University with a master’s degree in Urban Planning and has been the owner of AEC, a commercial landscape company
specializing in native plant salvage and revegetation, landscape construction, and maintenance, for 30 years. Michael founded a community garden, Agave Farms, in 2015 in Central Phoenix, and a non-profit, Urban Farming Education, in 2018. With other organizations, UFE initiated Fresh Food Collab as a response to the economic impacts of
COVID-19.

Prior to joining Urban Farming Education, Kim lived in many places in the U.S. and internationally. While Michigan, Ohio, and Arizona have been her primary residences, she has also lived in Iceland, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Philippines. While living and traveling abroad, she developed an understanding of different cultures, the problems people face, and the solutions found. Kim became concerned with poverty and hunger and continues to seek and implement solutions to alleviate suffering. As a nationally ranked storyteller, Kim amplifies narratives of people, their struggles, and their solutions. Kim continues to expand her knowledge from life experiences and her AA in Arts and Sciences from Glendale Community College. Kim values social justice, diversity of perspectives, and leading by example.

Pat founded Team Dynamix in 2005 using skill learned in previous positions. His skills helped develop and manage a company that works with major corporations around the world. The company facilitates participants in problem solving, communication and Philanthropy.

In 2018 ChariTeams.org was formed to be a branch of TeamDynamix LLC. The non profit was formed to give corporations the ability to donate to a wider range of non-profits. Chariteams was instrumental in creating Corporate Social Responsibility teambuilding events that resulted in major projects completed along with a donation.

In April 2021 he joined Urban Farming Education to lead the Corporate Social Responsibility division. My role is to bring Corporations, Organizations and Foundations together to work with schools, non-profits and shelters. The goal is to develop gardens for the education of the users to help reduce hunger. The programs work with S.T.E.M curriculum to teach. Pat majored in Recreation Administration at Arizona State University with a minor in Business Administration.

Along with being part of the UFE team,  Kristine is co-owner of Team Dynamix - a teambuilding company that specializes in helping companies execute their corporate responsibility missions by facilitating events with a philanthropic emphasis. Like UFE, her company is dedicated to delivering a positive experience for their clients through detailed planning, problem-solving and execution.  In 2018 we founded ChariTeams to further bridge the gap between corporations and charities that make a three-pronged impact - locally, nationally and internationally.  Kristine graduated from LaSalle University with a major in Business Finance and a minor in psychology.  She also has an AA from Phoenix College in paralegal studies and worked for a Phoenix firm specializing in mediation.  Most early mornings she can be found tapping into her competitive spirit rowing with her team on Tempe Town Lake.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Lorenzo has been a visual artist his entire life. He studied his craft in Phoenix, Arizona. After high school he became a Mercedes Benz Master Technician while earning his BA in English with a focus on screenwriting, fiction and film. He spent a few years  doing freelance photography and indie film work in the Los Angeles area and has brought those competitive techniques back to Arizona with him.  

Aside from digital photography and filmmaking, Lorenzo's creativity has been expressed via 35mm, 16mm, pastels, acrylic on canvas, charcoal, mixed media and written word.

Born in Yuma, Az, Rodolfo Alvarez. Founder of AVZ Advanced Technologies and Solutions, LLC joined the mission of Urban Farming Education in 2020. Rodolfo brings engineering solutions, logistics, and strategies to facilitate all UFE processes. He currently works on developing innovative methods of agriculture with his team of engineers and technicians, such as a multi-layer indoor growing system that grows microgreens with high nutritional value that saves a significant amount of water relative to traditional farming.  He is excited about what is there to come for UFE and the great benefits that together we bring to the communities.