Our staff
John Creasy, Executive Director and Lead Designer
John Creasy is the founder and Executive Director of Garfield Community Farm. For over fifteen years John has worked to create an ecologically diverse neighborhood farm on nearly three acres of land at the top of the Garfield neighborhood. John leads an excellent staff at the farm who collectively lead hundreds of students and volunteers each year. The farm serves the neighborhood as an open community green-space and as a site for ecological education. Of course we grow and distribute a lot of food too!
AJ Monsma, Director of Community Engagement
After graduating with a BSW from Grace College, AJ spent three years in Rwanda serving as a Peace Corps volunteer. It was in Rwanda that she first witnessed the power that agriculture has in building community. Confident that God was calling her to continue that work of building community, she took very intentional steps after landing back in the states. These steps ultimately led to an MA in Social & Public Policy from Duquesne University, her current position at Garfield Community Farm, buying a house a block from the farm, and becoming a member at Valley View Presbyterian Church.
Bre Stanton, Director of Production & Distribution
Bre Stanton grew up in Garfield and did her farming apprenticeship and Permaculture Design Certification at Garfield Community Farm. She studied Sustainability and ceramic arts at Chatham, and has spent the past few years working on urban farms! Bre is interested in building community resilience through agriculture, and movements for land and food sovereignty. She loves reading, camping, and cooking. She loves growing onions, potatoes and yellow tomatoes!
Mahogany Thaxton, Production & Distribution Assistant
Mahogany is a McKeesport native who now lives in Homestead and has been a friend of Garfield Farm since last fall when she completed our Permaculture Design Course. A lifelong learner, she’s currently getting a master’s in library science degree and committed to learning how to grow her own food. She's in her second year as a farmer pre-apprentice at Braddock Farm. She’s looking forward to learning and putting into practice regenerative agriculture practices as Garfield Farm’s Production & Sales Assistant this year. Community building, community wealth sharing, and resource sharing are important aspects of her life so she’s excited to learn, work alongside, and be the primary point of contact for folks tending their individual lots in our community allotment garden.
Maria Isabel Villegas, Community Engagement and Education Assistant
Maria Isabel, or Isa, grew up in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands and moved stateside in 2019 to attend the University of Pittsburgh. She recently graduated in 2024 with a BA in Environmental Studies and Minor in Studio Arts. Isa has been a proud Garfield resident of 4 years, and is also a local environmental organizer and visual artist. One of her greatest passions is helping others heal their relationship with the environment by teaching that humans and the natural environment are intrinsically connected – our wellbeing relies upon each other.
Board members
Nick Burdette (Board President)
Alyson McAtee (Vice President)
John Stullken (Board Secretary)
Ryan Duchene (Board Treasurer)
Stefani Danes
April Roebuck
Alex Ruzanic
Blanch Bennett
Kyle Webster
Elizabeth Taylor