Team
Jaimie Davis, PhD, RD
Professor and Principal Investigator
Keep your clients up to date with what's happening. To make this content your own, just add your images, text and links, or connect to data from your collection.
Dr. Davis is a Registered Dietician and Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at UT-Austin. Her research includes developing and testing school and community-based gardening and cooking programs. She is guiding EdEN lab in testing the impact of these programs on obesity prevention and treatment for low-income, minority youths. Two studies that have shown the protective effects of fiber, fruits, vegetables, and a low sugar diet are LA Sprouts and TX Sprouts. Dr. Davis enjoys being a part research that helps people live healthier lives.
Bonnie Martin
School Garden Coach
Keep your clients up to date with what's happening. To make this content your own, just add your images, text and links, or connect to data from your collection.
Bonnie is the owner of Smart Sprout LLC, where she designs gardens for public and private schools. She led the design and installation of school gardens for the TX Sprouts research project. She serves as an instructional coach and consultant, helping to train teachers and volunteers to use their school gardens effectively. She believes that an organized, invested group of school gardeners is the foundation of a strong and sustainable garden. She has been designing landscapes for over a decade and loves to encourage both children and adults to appreciate the natural world around them.
Joanne Ryan
School Garden Coach
Keep your clients up to date with what's happening. To make this content your own, just add your images, text and links, or connect to data from your collection.
Joanne, a University of Texas graduate and early Texas Rowing Team member, has over a decade of experience teaching middle and high school students. She creates dynamic, hands-on learning environments, believing science is best learned through active engagement. A passionate community garden member, she uses gardening to inspire change and real-world learning. Committed to collaboration and growth, Joanne brings a love of teamwork and the outdoors, striving to positively impact her students and community.
Katie Nikah, MPH
Lab Manager / Senior Research Project Coordinator
Keep your clients up to date with what's happening. To make this content your own, just add your images, text and links, or connect to data from your collection.
Katie holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Texas. She has over a decade of experience working in community-based health initiatives from Paraguay to Washington, DC. She has also been conducting research in this space since 2012. Katie managed the TX Sprouts program for 5 years and now focuses on Sprouting Teachers and the School Garden Sustainability Survey. She wants every person to have the chance to live a healthy, happy life and believes that learning outdoors connects children to nature and fosters adventurous spirits.
Michele Hockett Cooper
Lecturer/School Garden Trainer
Keep your clients up to date with what's happening. To make this content your own, just add your images, text and links, or connect to data from your collection.
Michele holds a Master’s in Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies from Michigan State University. She was an educator for the TX Sprouts program for four years and is now faculty at UT Austin and Austin Community College and directs the EdEN Interns Program. She has had extensive experience working with farmers and students across the US and abroad. Some of her work has included creating sustainability programs for school gardens and facilitating garden-centered teacher training. Michele is passionate about teacher trainings and supporting a healthy global food system.
Laura Thomas
School Garden Coach
Laura holds a Master’s degree in Secondary Education and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Her career includes 20+ years as a science educator, spanning International Baccalaureate, Montessori and traditional education. She brings her love for the outdoors and science into all aspects of her work. Opportunities for developing sustainability programs and training teachers are what drive Laura’s passion for the role. She is excited to support educators to fully utilize and transform school gardens into engaging outdoor classrooms.
Peggy Word
School Garden Coach
Peggy holds a Master’s degree in school administration and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Her career includes 20+ years as a teacher, instructional coach and school administrator. She has been a home gardener for 15 years and began incorporating her love for the outdoors into the classroom and campus culture for the past 10 years. She is a continuous learner and brings energy and enthusiasm to everything she does. She is excited to share learning experiences with educators and watch their gardens and students flourish!