Meet Our Team
Interim Executive Director
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 200-7594
"Just Harvest has always understood that poverty is political. I am committed to ensuring we remain a force for change—not just charity—especially as public programs face constant attacks.”
Heather Seiders manages Just Harvest’s daily office operations and has been with us since 2008. Heather’s work spans all programs at Just Harvest and focuses on improving our service delivery through data management and system design. She works as our staff lead on fundraising and development and coordinates our annual fundraiser. Heather graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's in creative nonfiction writing, and she enjoys reading, painting, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Director of Community Food Access
pronouns: they/them/theirs (412) 643-4870
Since coming to Just Harvest in 2014, Dawn Marie Clepper Hall's food policy work includes development, direct client service, and coordinating the Fresh Corners program where they worked to empower small, community-focused corner stores in underserved areas with the tools and resources they need to provide healthy food access to their neighbors. Dawn Marie was promoted to their current position in 2023. Prior to joining the Just Harvest team, they served two years in the AmeriCorps VISTA program through Hunger Free America. They hold a B.S. in sociology from Carlow University.
"We partner with local corner stores to help them carry and promote fresh produce options that would otherwise not be available in that community.”
Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 440-5610
"Accurate and accessible information is crucial to providing our community with the services they need. I'm always working to strengthen the organizational web of resources so every individual person and local organization feels like they have a place to turn to when someone in the community needs help."
Sarah Edmondson grew up near the Outer Banks in Camden County, NC. She developed a passion for food access work after growing up without a full-service grocery store or farmer’s market in her entire county, despite the rolling fields of industrial grain that took up nearly 60% of all land in her home county. While working towards her degree in Anthropology with a concentration in Food Culture at Appalachian State University, she started her career at Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture working as a farmer’s market intern, outreach intern, and then as a High Country Food Hub coordinator, helping to develop satellite food access sites. After graduating, she picked up and moved to Pittsburgh to become Just Harvest’s Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator. Sarah is an avid home cook and baker who loves to fill her creations with all of the delicious local food that the area has to offer. In her free time, you can find her trying out new recipes or walking in her neighborhood with her dog, Pickle.
SNAP Specialist
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 676-7064
Dontika Hall joined Just Harvest's SNAP advocacy team in 2017 and became its manager in late 2021. She has an associate degree in business management from Kaplan Institute. While at Kaplan she interned at the YMCA in Homewood, helping families who had encountered financial hardship. Working for the YMCA, Dontika discovered her passion for helping people in need of support and knowledge on financial well-being, and that has been her mission ever since.
"I strive to help families connect to SNAP benefits by giving them support and an awareness of the rules and regulations for SNAP policies."
Grassroots Organizer
pronouns: he/him (412-365-5874)
Dan McCarthy grew up in Upstate New York, and moved to Boston to study Political Science and English at Boston College. His introduction to activism came from joining a Climate Justice student group, and he was soon engaged in environmental and political advocacy across the city. After graduation, Dan worked as an activist with the Massachusetts Sierra Club on state and local environmental policy, especially on transportation. When his partner started her PhD program at Carnegie Mellon University, Dan moved to Pittsburgh and got right into organizing. Joining Just Harvest as a Grassroots Organizer, he aims to bring his experience in policy, mobilization, and community building to the critical work of food access and economic justice for all. In his free time, you can find Dan reading, hiking, or at a local jazz show.
"Building community, getting to know your neighbors, and working together on a shared goal is a powerful and rewarding experience. It’s also the best way to create and protect the policies that serve our community. I’m honored to join Just Harvest and their decades of advocacy for food access and economic justice. When we organize, we win."
Tax Project Manager
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 515-0547
"VITA bridges the gap between low-income taxpayers and the benefits entitled to them within the tax code. Without free tax preparation, these benefits become another way for businesses to exploit that same population. This program allows us the opportunity to engage, educate, and empower these members of our community."
Elaina Mitchell got her start with Just Harvest as an intern for the VITA program. She was later involved as a reviewer and site coordinator before being hired in 2020 to manage Just Harvest's tax sites. Elaina is from Homer City, PA, and earned a bachelor's in linguistics from the University of Pittsburgh. She now lives in Pittsburgh's Knoxville neighborhood where she enjoys reading, gardening, doing taxes, and being outside with her cats.
SNAP Specialist
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 567-1557
"Having access to basic daily needs is essential for survival. Our current economic system is set up to reward the wealthy and to punish the poor, thereby leaving people in the lurch to survive in today’s society. Appropriate and safe food is critical for health, wellness, and security. SNAP helps to alleviate hunger, and it can be a huge relief for people who are stretched to the margins."
Growing up on a farm in a very rural part of Washington County, Sarah Read remembers how a single trip to a grocery store was something that had to be planned because the nearest grocery store was 30 minutes away, but food was abundant. Sarah has been on the other end of the spectrum too, receiving WIC and SNAP at times when raising her children. Sarah earned a bachelor's from the University of Pittsburgh in communications and rhetoric and spent many years as a stay-at-home parent. Most of her professional experience has been in human services, working as a breastfeeding counselor at Washington County WIC and also time as a COVID-19 contact tracer for PA Department of Health. In 2023, Sarah earned her master’s in social work from Penn West California, during which she interned at Just Harvest as the public policy intern. She lives in Glenshaw, PA with her kids, cats, and a few pygmy goats.
Having grown up receiving food stamps, Ann Sanders is very dedicated to ending hunger for all. She has been involved with Just Harvest since 2007 when she served as an intern at the School of Social Work. Since then, she served a term on our board of directors and has worked as a tax preparer, SNAP specialist, volunteer coordinator, and public policy advocate. She was promoted to her current position in 2023. Ann completed her master's in social work and master's in international development from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 and currently resides with her family in Observatory Hill.
FTP Coalition Tax Training Manager
pronouns: he/him/his (412) 365-5874
"I know what it’s like to struggle from paycheck to paycheck and a lot of the financial resources available to low-income workers do not have their best interest at heart. I also know what it’s like to wait in line at a Food Bank and people are not struggling due to lack of effort, they’re struggling due to lack of opportunity. It’s time we stopped the vilification of low-income workers."
Vaughn Schmid grew up in Munhall and after graduating high school, worked various part-time jobs before going back to school at the age of 29. He earned associate's degrees from CCAC before transferring to Pitt to get a bachelor’s in accounting and finance, and finally a pair of master’s degrees from the Katz Graduate School of Business. Vaughn joined the Free Tax Preparation Coalition as a volunteer in 2010 while attending graduate school. He became part of the Just Harvest family in 2013 as a reviewer in our free tax prep program, and in 2021 accepted a position as the FTP Coalition's tax training manager.
Fresh Access Coordinator
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 676-7036
SNAP Specialist
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 676-7098
Director of Public Benefits Policy & Programs
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 643-3530
"Public policies and programs are the best way to support low-income members of our community, but they are currently inadequate and unfair. The process does not incorporate the voice, perspectives, and realities of low-income consumers. My goal is to bring those perspectives to decision-makers to protect and improve programs that support basic human needs."
"I find that a lot of folks often don’t even realize what resources and benefits are available to them in times of crisis or to satisfy ongoing needs. Through my work at Just Harvest I can bring knowledge of those services to the greater community, assist people in securing and maintaining those resources, and advocate on their behalf. There are too many people living with food insecurity in Allegheny County, and it is so important for us to solve this crisis as a society. Just Harvest is doing that work; from the direct services we offer to the grassroots organizing and policy action that we are committed to."
Amanda Sloane came to Just Harvest in 2019 from the Bellevue Farmers Market, which she managed from its inception through its success as a vibrant weekly community service. During her tenure there, she coordinated relationships among vendors, SNAP, regional government, volunteers, business leaders, and funders to ensure broad participation and enhance community health. She worked as a SNAP specialist at Just Harvest until the 2023 market season, when she became the Fresh Access coordinator. Amanda previously worked with Animal Friends, facilitating service experiences for community members. Amanda holds a bachelor’s in public service, public service/public administration, and nonprofit management from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives with her family in Bellevue, where she serves on the Borough Council.
FTP Coalition Program Director
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 436-3716
"Low-income workers are often prey to unscrupulous businesses at tax time who are trying to get a piece of their tax refund. Workers need access to tax preparation services that they can trust to provide high-quality service at no cost so they can use their Earned Income Tax Credit for its original intent: to pay bills that their paychecks aren't big enough to cover. Our dedicated volunteers and staff also provide some targeted financial education when possible and learn something themselves about the often complex financial lives of the taxpayers we serve."
Kristie Weiland Stagno is from Butler, PA, and completed her master's in social work at the University of Michigan before coming to Just Harvest in 2003. Kristie started at Just Harvest as an intern promoting the Earned Income Tax Credit and soon added a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site to meet the need for free, quality tax assistance for low-income workers. Over several years, she grew that site to the largest site in Western PA and added three other sites in Allegheny County. Under Kristie's leadership, Just Harvest started the Free Tax Prep Coalition in 2006, to facilitate collaboration among nonprofits operating VITA sites in the region. She is currently the director of the Free Tax Prep Coalition, supporting VITA sites throughout Southwestern PA, and sits on the Policy Advocacy Committee at the Taxpayer Opportunity Network. Kristie lives in Pittsburgh's Highland Park neighborhood with her family.
Communications Coordinator
pronouns: she/they (412) 484-0182
Katherine Taylor grew up in a small town in Columbus, Ohio where they learned the importance of community power and were inspired by the strength of kindness in the face of adversity. Their degree in Fine Art and Animation from University of Cincinnati's School of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning introduced them to utilizing creativity to contribute to positive social change. From a background working in spaces of art, education, and marketing, Katherine was passionate to get involved with Just Harvest's mission and connect with people in the Pittsburgh community. In their role as Communications Coordinator, they aim to help share the important work of the Just Harvest staff, and engage in unique and impactful storytelling. In their free time, you can likely find them at local arts events or gazing at birds in one of Pittsburghs many beautiful parks.
"Community is strongest when the voices of all can be heard in an accessible, collective space. I work to share vital resources and information with individuals and families of Pittsburgh and beyond - highlighting the incredible work of our staff and uplifting the voices of others."
"I care about the work I am doing here at Just Harvest because the focus is ‘people’. I genuinely care about the health and wellbeing of all humans no matter their circumstances. I strive to make a difference in just one person’s life every day, and if I can do that simple thing then I feel very accomplished! No one should EVER go hungry, EVER!"
Leigha Vaughn was born and raised in Pittsburgh—specifically, a low-income neighborhood in the east end of the city. She watched her household and neighbors struggle to make ends meet her entire life and decided at a young age that she would do what she could to help uplift her community. Leigha worked in the non-profit field off and on in some capacity for the eight years prior to joining Just Harvest in early 2021. Most notable was the YMCA but her favorite was Bethlehem Haven, which is a shelter for displaced women. Through her work, Leigha's children have adopted an affinity for the homeless, and she is very proud of the way they give of themselves because of it. She plans to spend the rest of her natural life uplifting others and building on her children's desire to do the same.
Bilingual Tax Preparer and SNAP Specialist
pronouns: she/her/hers 412-489-2492
"Todos tenemos derechos independientemente del lugar donde venimos. El idioma universal es la ayuda al prójimo sin importar la barrera del lenguaje."
Jimena Willey was born and raised in Mexico City. She moved to Pittsburgh in 2012 and fell in love with the Steel City. She started working at Just Harvest in 2020 as a bilingual tax preparer, and never imagined doing tax returns would be so enjoyable. During Jimena's time at Just Harvest she has done outreach for the Latino community in the Pittsburgh area. In 2022, she also joined the SNAP advocacy team to provide assistance in Spanish. Jimena loves being able to help her community by providing them with the information and tools to succeed. "It has been a great journey being able to serve the community and watching it grow."
Free Tax Prep Volunteer Manager
pronouns: she/her/hers (412) 440-7943
Anna Woomer was raised in the coal towns of Washington County, where she witnessed how hard folks around her were working to put food on the table. Her degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh furthered her desire to connect social systems for the betterment of all people. Before working for Just Harvest, Anna was a Food Pantry Manager at Westview Hub where she loved engaging with new people in the neighborhood and understanding what would make a difference in their day to day life. Addressing the root causes of systemic poverty is what shaped her desire to work on public policy initiatives like the Free Tax Prep Coalition that help working people get the money they deserve. In her role at Just Harvest as the Free Tax Prep Volunteer Manager, she connects our coalition partners across six counties with resources to expand our volunteer network and connect more taxpayers to their tax refund benefits. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
“Systemic poverty works against our communities and our connection to each other. It is consistent and collective work like our Free Tax Prep Coalition that ensures that hard working taxpayers have more of the earnings and accessible resources they deserve.”
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Gabe Hafemann
Heather Powers
David Scott
Fern Schwartz
Colleen Vine
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Jason Garland
Masoka Wilondja
Hailey Cohen
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Averyl Clepper-Hall
Mary Grace Diana
Winter Epps
Dubraska Figueroa
Lauren Hill
DJ Huber
Marrissa Johnson
Josh LaFace
Jessica Meyer
Elaina Mitchell
Kelly Ruoff
Vaughn Schmid
Elysa Schwartz
Fern Schwartz
Dawt Tial
Sarah Vine
Kristie Weiland Stagno
Jimena Willey
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Jonathan Dabel
Meet Our Board of Directors
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Paul lives in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood, with his wife and two children. Paul has observed that in Bloomfield fresh, quality food can be hard to affordably access – especially outside of farmers market season. Paul also has personal experience with fresh and quality food scarcity, having lived on state assistance for part of his childhood, and growing up in Portland Oregon, where stark divides persist between the quality and freshness of foods available across ethnic and socio-economic divides. Paul worked for 10+ years as a development officer in Portland. At that time Paul also served on two boards. Paul is glad to be serving alongside the Just Harvest board members, staff, and volunteers to “feed” Pittsburgh’s vibrant and diverse future.
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Kristine is a staff attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services, providing direct representation to low-income clients in elder and consumer law programs. She came to Pittsburgh from Nevada, where she managed a law office that provided free legal services in programs covering housing, public benefits, bankruptcy, consumer rights, tax controversies, family law, economic development, and prisoner reentry. A graduate of Cornell Law School, she has also practiced disabilities rights law.
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Tamika is the program supervisor at Pittsburgh Mercy, a part of the Trinity Health System. She has more than twenty years of experience in program administration, colleague development, colleague management, investigative, medication administration, policy and procedure development, and supportive services. Her emphasis is advocating for vulnerable persons, such as those who are diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and/or mental illness, by way of education, collaborating, self-centered plans, and training. She received a bachelor’s degree from LaRoche University in leadership and is currently enrolled in the Healthcare Administration Master’s program at Rasmussen University. She is a current Pittsburgh resident and is dedicated to serving as a quest to all persons to ensure all people are living rewarding, satisfying everyday lives by utilizing positive approaches, respect, and dignity for all of humanity.
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Sister Barb has been a Sister of St. Joseph for more than 40 years. She remains committed to changing institutional structures that cause oppression, hunger, poverty, or the diminishment of human dignity. Formerly nurse at the Allegheny County Jail, Sister Barb is well known throughout the justice and peace community as well as the interfaith community. Her greatest gifts are consensus building and networking.
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Just Harvest is an organization that Jeannette has admired over the years because “it’s a nonprofit that fights economic injustice issues in a holistic way. The clear vision that free income tax preparation is as important to eliminate poverty as access to a caseworker or the ability to go to a farmer’s market with food stamps for fresh produce is inspiring” and why she is glad to have the opportunity of rejoining the board. Her community involvements include the Civic Leadership Academy-City of Pittsburgh and being a member of the Allegheny County Green Team, which supports sustainability efforts within the County workplace. Her favorite quote, of Jane Addams, is on every email she sends out: “The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.” It’s a sentiment that she wholeheartedly agrees with. Jeannette lives in Pittsburgh’s East End.
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Suzanne has a PhD and taught in social work programs at the University of Northern Iowa and Edinboro University of PA following a number of roles at Allegheny County Children and Youth. Her research has focused for a number of years on food assistance, primarily SNAP and the operations of the informal food assistance network, particularly food pantries.
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Becca is a proud Pittsburgh native and North Side resident who has recently returned after living in New York City for five years. She is a live events and touring professional, with over ten years of experience in producing and promoting events across the globe, from Broadway to London’s West End and numerous countries across five continents. Becca received her bachelor’s in communication and theatre arts from the University of Pittsburgh. She has personally benefited from food assistance programs and is passionate about giving back to her community. Participating in volunteer work and the betterment of life for the people of Pittsburgh has always been a part of her life, and she is honored to be serving on the Just Harvest board alongside this incredible team of individuals.
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Stephanie is a multi-disciplinary Taiwanese-American DJ, artist, designer, and creative community leader who performs as “Formosa” and as half of the monthly Pittsburgh queer party, Jellyfish. They are heavily involved in local creative programming and events with organizations such as Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Jaded, Honcho, Carnegie Museums, Pittsburgh Zine Fair, among many more. Throughout their twelve years living in Pittsburgh, they have developed a strong passion for helping their local community thrive – be it through collective dancefloor healing, skill sharing, or access to resources. Before living in Pittsburgh, Stephanie received a BFA in Printmaking and Art History at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and grew up in Northern Virginia. Stephanie has had extensive experience in event organizing, fundraising, and networking and is looking forward to applying their skills to support Just Harvest.
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2021 was Colleen’s first year as a preparer for Just Harvest’s Free Tax Prep program. She recalls the challenges of navigating the processes and technology for the first time while completely remote during the pandemic when offices were closed, but the other volunteers and coordinators were nothing but supportive and helpful. Witnessing their motivation to get the best possible outcome for every taxpayer inspired her to continue to volunteer as a preparer every year since. Colleen is proud to join the board and to support the efforts of Just Harvest beyond tax season.
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Tony Morrison is a digital media professional, photographer, and passionate storyteller based in Pittsburgh’s Polish Hill neighborhood. With a bachelor’s degree in Film Studies and Communications from the University of Pittsburgh and a Digital Media Certificate, Tony brings a unique blend of technical expertise and creative vision to their work. As the Digital Media Content Specialist for Pitt’s Division of Infectious Diseases, Tony has spearheaded transformative initiatives, including crafting innovative recruitment campaigns, producing impactful podcasts, and revitalizing social media and blog platforms. Their dedication to authentic storytelling and data-driven strategies has consistently boosted audience engagement and expanded the division’s reach. In addition to their professional achievements, Tony’s freelance photography career spans editorial work, events, and e-commerce, with their work featured in prominent publications like the Pittsburgh City Paper. Their commitment to fostering community narratives aligns seamlessly with the mission of Just Harvest, where they proudly serve on the Board of Directors. Through their role at Just Harvest, Tony aims to address systemic issues of hunger and poverty in Allegheny County by leveraging their skills in media and storytelling to amplify the organization’s efforts and impact. Outside of their professional endeavors, Tony enjoys exploring Pittsburgh’s vibrant arts and cultural scene, sharing their perspective through the lens of their camera, and engaging in community-driven initiatives that promote equity and social justice.