Our Team
Mariya (she/her)
Director of Agroecology & Urban Farm Education
Mariya is a dedicated agroecologist, urban farmer, ecological designer, mom, and educator with nearly two decades of experience teaching, sustainable agriculture, ecoliteracy, and community engagement. As Farm Manager, she integrates regenerative practices and permaculture principles into the landscape—transforming it into a vibrant learning environment rooted in food sovereignty, ecological restoration, and collective care. Mariya holds a Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership and Policy with a specialization in Sustainability Education, a graduate certificate in Sustainable Food Systems, and an undergraduate minor in Child and Family Studies. At the heart of Mariya’s work is a philosophy of land stewardship rooted in reciprocity, equity, justice, and deep gratitude—and a leadership approach that centers environmental and social justice as the foundation for meaningful education and transformative change.
Gil (they/them)
K-8 Education, Greenhouse & Partnerships Manager
Gil began their journey as a land steward by ripping up turf netting and burying lemons in their family’s backyard in Los Angeles. Their first engagement with food justice work was pestering their mother into organizing a food drive at their preschool. After being introduced to sustainability concerns in agriculture by a caring mentor through classroom aquaponics, they moved to Portland to study Environmental Studies at Lewis & Clark College, with a focus on the social, cultural, and ecological intersection of food and agriculture. Their experiences in self advocacy as a disabled and transgender student motivated them to pursue their Masters in Leadership for Sustainability Education as well as a graduate certificate in Sustainable Food Systems. They approach their work with an intersectional and relational lens, and their role as a land steward and educator allows them to mentor students who are experiencing their own difficulties by showing them the incredible diversity of life in the garden, and how the ecosystem works together to thrive.
Camila is a Latina farmer, organizer, and educator from the Colombian and Mexican Diaspora now living in Portland. She joined the garden in July 2024 after falling in love with the space as a grad student in the Leadership for Sustainability Education program. Camila organizes in a way that combines art, food, storytelling, and heritage to better understand how to be in community with each other and our more than human friends. Their work is informed by an intersectional feminist and ecological approach to learning, working, and being. Before joining the LGL team, they worked in Student Affairs organizing primarily BIPOC students in feminist education. In addition to stewarding the land at LGL, Camila facilitates educational experiences for groups of all ages and manages our communications and social media. At LGL you can find her talking to plants while weeding, making silly videos for LGL’s Instagram, or
frolicking around our flower meadow.
Helen Dixon has been the Program Manager for Sauvie Island Center for several years focused on educating about food, farming, and the land. Through this work she has coordinated and led garden-based educational programs for youth of all ages. Helen holds a BS in Nutrition from Arizona State University. She enjoys discussing the links between food, culture, health, and the environment. She is passionate about food and committed to body-positive health and intersectional environmentalism. Helen now runs our field trip program for elementary school groups. This includes tending our K-12 garden education bed in collaboration with the rest of the team.
The Board
Sybil is a white, straight, cis-gendered woman, mother, scholar, and activist. She brings extensive experience in fostering university-community partnerships, particularly in the fields of sustainability, urban agriculture, environmental justice, and STEM education. Having been at Portland State University for over 20 years, Sybil has led initiatives that bridge university resources with community-driven goals, with a particular focus on advancing equity and environmental justice. Her work has included co-leading the NSF-funded Science in the Learning Gardens, which supports underserved students in STEM. Sybil currently serves as both the LGL Faculty Coordinator through PSU and as the founding Board President of LGL the nonprofit. She is most happy with her hands in the dirt, or sitting quietly with the crows in the Mindfulness Sanctuary at LGL.
Read about Who We Are, The Land, & What We Do
Learning Gardens Laboratory
6745 SE 60th Ave, Portland, OR 97206
Learning Gardens Laboratory 