Our Staff
After earning a Single Subject teaching Credential in Geo-Science from the University of California, Irvine, Matt worked as high school science teacher (Irvine, CA) at Northwood High School for seven years. He created the curriculum for a UC-approved Marine Science laboratory course, which covered history, chemistry, geology, physics, biology, an ecology of the world’s oceans. Moreover, working with Coastline ROP (Regional Occupation Program) and the California and Orange County Departments of Education, Matt created an ROP Environmental Horticulture curriculum that emphasized career technical education for students who needed high school credits to graduate or learn skills needed to get employed in the field. Matt was an Environmental Education, Protection and Awareness Volunteer in the Peace Corps (Togo, West Africa), where he worked with local non-governmental organizations, farmers, students, and community members teaching about Agroforestry techniques (soil conservation, tree nurseries, improved cook stoves, and animal husbandry, and other related topics). Prior to Peace Corps, Matt was a youth worker and led high school students on projects in Brazil, Mexico, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Valencia building camps, homes, and schools for orphans and low-income families. Matt graduated from University California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Environmental Studies.
Matt Brown
Co-Founder, Executive Director
Community Outreach & Education
Organic Farmer
Nathan McFall
After serving as an Environmental Protection Extension Agent teaching farming and environmental education in Africa for two years in the Peace Corps, Nathan found that his passion was in living close to the Earth and in a community where it truly takes a village to move through life well. He then decided that he wanted to find a way to create that atmosphere here Stateside. He has acted as the Assistant Director of the Natick Community Organic Farm in Massachusetts, as well as Farm Manager of Green Fire Farm and Everett Family Farm in California. He has farmed on 4 continents always with an emphasis on the importance of educating not only the general population, but today’s up and coming new farmers as we look toward a more sustainable future. He is currently the Owner/Operator of Food Waves partner farm, Converging Creeks Farm in Colton, OR where he hopes to realize the dream of bringing this community effort to the greater Portland areas and beyond. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science/Agriculture from Texas A&M University.
Co-Founder, Food Production Director
Community Outreach & Education
Organic Farmer
General Contractor/Builder
Our Board
Bobbie Brown
In collaboration with Matt Brown, and Nathan McFall, Dr. Bobbie Brown founded FoodWaves in 2010. Currently, Bobbie serves as Board President; responsibilities include ensuring effective action of the board in governing and supporting the organization, overseeing board affairs, acting as the board's representative, and speaking to the media and community on behalf of the organization. Additionally, Bobbie is currently an Elementary School Principal in the Tigard-Tualatin School District, leading the school’s academic, social-emotional, and equitable goals. Bobbie also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer as a Girls’ Empowerment Education Volunteer in Togo, West Africa along with Matt and Nathan. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Bobbie worked to enrich the educational opportunities of school-aged girls and women by creating clubs to promote community development. Bobbie has an EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Portland, an M.A. in Educational Psychology from California State University, Long Beach, and a B.A. in Psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Board President
Kelley Smith
​Kelley grew up on the East Coast and moved to Portland for graduate school. She loves exploring and hiking but also spends a good amount of time indoors cooking, reading, and making crafts. She studied Nutrition at National University of Natural Medicine, graduating in 2018 with her Masters, she fell in love with gardening and wanted to connect the two. Her first connection to FoodWaves was when she interned on the farm in summer 2018 once a week.
She currently works works with Growing Gardens as a Youth Grow Educator and Garden Coordinator where she works with early childhood and elementary school kids teaching them about nutrition, cooking and nature
Robbie Atkins
Hello, I'm Robbie Atkin, a seasoned professional in marketing analytics and data-driven strategies, originally starting my career at American Express in New York. At American Express, I led crucial initiatives in the Balance Transfer marketing program, coordinating closely with Risk Management and Finance to tailor the best possible offers to our cardmembers, thereby optimizing revenue while minimizing risks. Afterward, I transitioned to a B2B consulting firm in the Northwest, where I provided targeted solutions to high-profile clients, including AMD, Intel, and HP, by enhancing telemarketing efficiencies and predictive market analyses.
Originally from Southern California, my early life was filled with sports like skateboarding, surfing, and competitive tennis. However, summers were a unique time spent between working on my mother's family farm in Calendar, Iowa, and soaking up cultural experiences with my father's family in Wuppertal, Germany. Though my tennis play continues, much to my regret, my fluency in German has faded. Nonetheless, my passion for farming persists. I currently serve on the board and actively volunteer at a local nonprofit farm in Colton, OR, dedicated to empowering local food production through community engagement and education.
I hold dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Exercise and Movement Science and Psychology, which have provided me with a solid understanding of human behavior—knowledge I leverage in all aspects of my professional undertakings. With over 15 years of experience collaborating with Marketing and Sales departments, I possess numerous industry certifications and am committed to continuous learning. My expertise in customer experience optimization directly translates to my role in enhancing engagement and support for Food Waves.
Beyond my board duties at Food Waves, I’m actively involved with the Oregon Food Bank and participate in several projects with Wilsonville Parks and Recreation. I also dedicate time to teaching tennis at my local club, fostering a love for the sport in the community.
My connection to Food Waves is not just professional but deeply personal. I have been friends with one of the founders, Matt Brown, since our teenage years, sharing countless sports and life experiences together. When Matt co-founded Food Waves and shared his vision of sustainable, community-driven agriculture, joining the cause was a natural fit for my personal values and professional skills. Together, with the fantastic team and community at Food Waves, we strive to make sustainable farming accessible, educating our community on the environmental and personal health benefits of organic agriculture.
This blend of professional acumen, educational grounding, community engagement, and personal commitment positions me to effectively contribute to the Food Waves mission, enhancing our collective impact on local and extended communities.
Olivia Thomas
Olivia has a BS in biology and a MSW from the University of Kentucky as well as doctoral work in natural medicine. In New Hampshire she was an environmental education instructor for the Otter Lake Conservation School. In Oregon she became a Program and Development Director for Friends of Opal Creek. She has lived and worked on a number of farms including Sun Point Farm, which included a biodynamic garden which produced vegetables for markets in Boston and dairy goats; Kettle Spring Farm, a 600-acre historical property in Kentucky where she helped her friends raise cattle; and Eclectic Institute’s herb farm. More recently, Olivia has worked for Portland State University as a Development Director and as a Program Planning and Grants Director for its Center for Health and Social Inequality Research. Since 2001, she has owned a small timbered acreage in Colton, Oregon where she enjoys growing apples for storage and cider each Autumn.
Alicia’s journey with FoodWaves began in 2013 as a farm intern, where she gained hands-on experience in small-scale organic farming—knowledge she used to start her own farm, Ginger Mountain Farmstead, in 2014. In 2018, she joined the FoodWaves board to support local food access and food justice.
As a board member, Alicia has helped develop the Small-Acreage Market Farm Internship Program (SAMFIP), mentored farm interns, planned annual fundraisers, and managed grants. To Alicia, FoodWaves is more than a local farm—it’s a community and a model for sustainable food practices she’s proud to support.In Alicia's professional life, she is a Project Manager at ECOnorthwest with expertise in natural resource management, freshwater ecosystem restoration, and geospatial analysis. Since 2023, she has led projects in economic and social evaluations of recreation, grant management for estuary restoration, and tourism analysis.
Alicia Milligan
Rahul grew up in Portland and was encouraged to be curious about food production by his high school biology teachers. After earning a degree in biomedical engineering at USC, Rahul discovered FoodWaves at the PSU farmers market and was fortunate to spend a summer working on the farm. The experience strengthened his passion for sustainably grown food and he hopes to get others in the community involved. Rahul currently works as a manufacturing engineer in the electronics industry, and enjoys spending time outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.
Rahul Bilakanti
Jeff has a bachelor's degree in economics from Portland State University and is currently enrolled in PSU’s post-baccalaureate accounting program. Since graduating in 2015, he has worked in the accounting department of a local Head Start program that serves about 1,000 children and families, where he is now the fiscal manager’s assistant. Through this role, Jeff has gained valuable experience managing and administering federal, state, and local grants. As a former Head Start student himself, Jeff is a dedicated public servant determined to use his opportunities to give back to his community. Jeff and his wife, Lauren (also a public servant), are parents to a wonderful toddler and like to spend their free time at parks and libraries. He is also an avid gamer who enjoys trading card games and role-playing games.
