Meet the Team

A woman standing in a garden, smiling, with tall green bean plants behind her, wearing a Mitchell Givin Garden t-shirt and a gray button-up shirt.

Executive Director
Christine grew up in Oklahoma and comes from a long line of farmers As Executive Director she has grown MGG”s programs and impact by building organizational capacity through grant writing, community partnerships,and strategic planning. Her work revolves around the intersection of education, sustainable food systems, and collaborative community projects. Trained in permaculture, biodynamics, and sustainable agriculture, she enjoys tending the land to create the most abundant, beautiful, and resilient gardens possible. Her training at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland was instrumental in developing a participatory learning approach and helped refine her skills as an educator. A garden is the perfect place for curiosity and wonder to guide the learning journey.

A smiling female stands in front of a bed of fuscia dahlias holding a large green cabbage.

Garden Staff
Maggie joined MGG in the summer of 2026. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Sustainable Development and Concentration in Agroecology & Sustainable Agriculture. She gained valuable experience in vegetable production working at App State’s education and research farm in Boone. Maggie’s attention to detail, problem solving, and nurturing touch help our gardens thrive.

Meet the Board

Smiling man with a beard and backpack standing in a garden filled with orange flowers on a sunny day.

Treasurer
Eron Thiele joined the MAY Coalition as the Executive Director in February of 2018. Before that, he coordinated the Mayland Community College Earth to Sky Park, and was an entrepreneur and business owner. He graduated Davidson College with double majors in Political Science and Economics, and obtained his MBA from East Carolina University. He is highly active in non-profits and service organizations in the Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey County, NC, area.

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Secretary
Marianna works for a nonprofit and has a background in hospitality, events, and marketing. In her family, food has always been at the heart of their gatherings. Whether it’s a holiday, a celebration, or a simple dinner with loved ones, sharing a meal is how she connects with people. She also loves caring for houseplants and tending to raised garden and flower beds—with varying degrees of success.

A woman with dark brown and grey peppered hair in a ponytail, smiling outdoors, standing among yellow and maroon flowers with a sunflower in the background, under a blue sky with some clouds.

Flo’s job is to help people get things done in the world with words. She uses related skills at MGG, whether it’s drafting bits of our policy manual or helping think through grant applications. At home in Spruce Pine she grows flowers (and, let’s be honest, weeds). When she was little, her mom had a vegetable garden, a grape vine, and apple and cherry trees in the backyard.

Our Partners

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Text reading 'The Williams YMCA of Avery County' in purple and blue.

Group of children and adults holding a banner that says 'The Hive,' with some dressed in butterfly costumes, outdoors with trees and parked cars in the background.