Patricia Becker has been with Common Ground since 1994. First as Educational Programs Manager and in 2000, she became the Center Director. Patricia spent several years living and working at Hidden Villa Organic Farm and Wilderness Preserve where she held a variety of positions, concluding as Manager of the Volunteer Programs. Patricia is a previous Ecological Farming Association Board Member where she served as Secretary for several years. She is currently on the Ecological Farming Conference Planning Committee. She was previous manager of the Palo Alto Gourmet Vegetarian Dinners sponsored by Peninsula Macrobiotic Community. Additional Patricia has a special talent for inspiring guiding students to a healthier lifestyle with yoga and macrobiotic nutritional coaching sessions. Patricia also has a passion for teaching Anusara Yoga, Thursday mornings at Avalon Art and Yoga Studio.

Don Larson is our Assistant Center Manager. Don brings to Common Ground his twelve years of experience as a composter, gardener, and small-scale orchardist, as well as his passion for sustainable living, interest in permaculture, and experience with solar technologies. He teaches classes on solar cooking. Don started with Common Ground during the summer of 2002.

River Moon feels blessed to be working at Common Ground where her values are aligned with the intention of everyday work. "I have great affection for all my colleagues and I love the fascinating diversity of all our customers. I have over 10 years of nursery experience and my favorite native flower is Indian Paintbrush." River's co-workers appreciate her ever-present, warm and caring heart. River takes responsibility for many business aspects, plant orders and behind the scene details that are essential for our health.

Joe De Maio takes care of the plants, helps customers, designed our Certificate of Achievement, and brings flowers, goodwill, kindness, and computer skills to Common Ground every day. He is a community gardener with a love of perennial flowers. He believes in the value of a plant-based diet of fresh, organic food, natural health, yoga, and a low-impact lifestyle. You may see him riding to Common Ground on his recumbent bike.

Mari Matsui I came to the Bay Area six years ago from Kyoto, Japan. I was looking for work in a green-related field to complement my studies with the Department of Environmental Horticulture and Design at Foothill College. After attending a class at Common Ground, I pursued an internship. Volunteering since last summer, I have had a great opportunity to experience different assignments. The time has passed like a dream, working as the Saturday Class Hostess. I set up the classroom, welcome people at the check-in table, control room temperature, clean up, sweep the floor, wipe the shelves, clean and water plants and plant starts, display new arrival plants, find plant signs, check-in deliveries, place book orders, supply inventory, recycle old calendars by transforming them into envelopes, dig soil at the demonstration garden, and create an effective and pretty window sun shield, which is under construction. The advice I had from Patricia was to think how I could make customers feel happy at Common Ground so that they would be a part of our community. I admire her philosophy and passion to run this non-profit organization. I love to come to work here not only for learning new things in classes and at the Center, but also for meeting people. Common Ground has an incredibly harmonious whole, which makes me feel fortunate to be volunteering here.