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Nicole Gelb Dugat
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Nicole Dugat serves as the Executive Director of Schoolyard Roots. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Nicole has called Tuscaloosa home since 2016. She holds a degree in Experiential & Environmental Education from Western Washington University and has worked in Food & Garden Education programs across the country, including Land's Sake Community Farm in Weston, Massachusetts and The Edible Schoolyard in New Orleans, LA. She was named one of Tuscaloosa's "40 under 40" in 2020 and has received recognition from the Alabama News Center as an "Alabama Bright Light" for her work with Schoolyard Roots. Nicole is also a certified yoga teacher, an artist, and a mom to two small children. Her favorite things to do are to spend time in her garden with her spouse and kids, cook shared meals with home-grown produce, and laugh with her family and friends.
nicole@schoolyardroots.org
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Sandie Champion
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Sandie is a veteran Tuscaloosa City Schools teacher with 29 years of classroom experience and a passion for outdoor classroom learning. She has spent most of her life in Tuscaloosa and enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her two pets. She likes to read on the front porch, craft, and discover new pastimes.
sandie@schoolyardroots.org
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Natalie Wulf
LEAD GARDEN EDUCATOR
Natalie joined Schoolyard Roots as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2016 after graduating from The University of Alabama with a degree in civil engineering. In her new role as an education coordinator, she’s excited to continue sharing the wealth of knowledge and inspiration that can be experienced in gardens with students across Tuscaloosa. In addition to tending to gardens, Natalie enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, spending time with friends and family, and exploring Tuscaloosa (by foot and car).
natalie@schoolyardroots.org
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Tom Rathe
GARDEN EDUCATOR
After beginning as a fellow working with several of our partner schools, Tom is excited to be part of the SYR team as a Garden Educator. An avid gardener, outdoor enthusiast, and advocate of hands-on education, he loves to share his enthusiasm with the children of Tuscaloosa. When he’s not in the garden, Tom can be found mountain biking, fishing, playing music, or spending some quality time with his dog, Dolly.
tom@schoolyardroots.org
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M'Kayla Motley
GARDEN EDUCATOR
M'Kayla joined Schoolyard Roots after completing her undergraduate in biology at Angelo State University in Texas and Master's in plant biology at the University of Alabama. Following her Master's, she became the Bookmobile Librarian at the Tuscaloosa Public Library and has found joy working with the community in Tuscaloosa County. When she is not in the garden professionally playing outside, M'Kayla can be found hiking, playing tennis, or hanging out with her partner and their cats.
m'kayla@schoolyardroots.org
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Wells Addington
DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Wells comes to Schoolyard Roots from the University of Alabama, where he taught English for six years. He holds a Ph.D. in Writing History and Theory from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He’s from the Appalachian hills of Ohio where his family grew a garden and raised sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, and chickens. In his free time, he cooks, writes and plays music, works on poems, fishes, takes his dogs on hikes, and roots for the Cleveland Guardians.
wells@schoolyardroots.org
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Kathy Harris
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Kathy comes to Schoolyard Roots from the American Red Cross where she held various positions including Operations Specialist. She brings a wealth of experience from non-profit administration to fundraising. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and friends, hiking in the mountains, growing ornamental lilies, and walking her dog, Dexter.
kathy@schoolyardroots.org
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Emma Busby
GARDEN PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Before moving to Tuscaloosa, Emma worked in farm work exchanges abroad, pursuing a long-held interest in local food and agriculture. After her return to the U.S. in 2020, she went on to work on small-scale vegetable farms in New York until moving to Chattanooga in 2022. There, she managed projects for a local chapter of the National Young Farmers Coalition and was finally able to start her own backyard garden.
emma@schoolyardroots.org
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