Who We Are

Any organization is only as good as their people.

Luckily, our people are wonderful.

 

At Urban Gleaners we believe that everyone should have equitable access to opportunities in a safe and positive working environment. Our core values were written and decided on by our entire team. We hold each other accountable and lift each other up by celebrating our core values in our warehouse and in our community when we are out doing the work. We understand the deeply rooted systemic causes of inequitable access to resources like nutritious food and employment. Equity and equal opportunity are crucial to the success of our team and our program. 

URBAN GLEANERS CORE VALUES:

COMMUNITY DRIVEN

MOTIVATED

ADAPTABLE

RESPECTFUL

ACCOUNTABLE

Tracy Oseran

Tracy Oseran

Founder (she/her)

 

Tracy started Urban Gleaners in 2006 with the simple observation that there were hungry people in the Portland community who could be fed with good, edible food that was being thrown away every day in our city. Tracy was previously the owner of a catering company in Los Angeles and sold a packaged food product in local grocery stores. Her love of food and interest in community activism was a natural combination that led to the founding of Urban Gleaners.

Nico Niebes

Nico Niebes

Executive Director (she/her)

 

Born and raised just a few tributaries to the north along the I-5 corridor in Kelso, WA, it took Nico 6+ of her recent years living in the Sierra Nevada’s to realize that the Pacific Northwest is truly her home. With 8 years of prior non-profit experience, Nico brings significant financial savvy, a determined work ethic, and a deep passion for the environment and food justice to the table. Spending most of her free time snowboarding, surfing or eating, Portland was the perfect place to settle down and find work that immersed her in the community. 

Luca Townsend

Luca Townsend

Program & Operations Manager (they/them)

Luca is a Portland raised, queer activist and artist. They have been dedicated to serving the community the last four years through the efforts of Urban Gleaners. They are a sexuality, gender and queer studies major at PSU where they are developing a deeper understanding of systemic injustice and the importance of collective liberation.

Amber Durkin

Sustainability & Operations Manager (she/her)

Amber grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s in Northern CA. She studied Geography at University of Nevada, Reno where she completed her undergrad and is currently back in school studying Sustainable Food Systems and Leadership for Sustainability Education at PSU. She is passionate about seeking food justice and ensuring equitable access to healthy food for all. In her free time, expect to find her mountain biking, hiking, foraging for mushrooms, making earrings, camping or hot springing. Nothing makes her happier than some time spent outside.

Jason Howd

Community Support Associate (he/him)

Jason has worked with food in the Portland area for almost two decades. A man of many hats — bread baker, pastry chef, farmers market manager, chocolatier, caterer, and journalist — Jason received a degree in Communication and Latin American Studies from PSU, and has since focused his reporting on food security/insecurity both locally and abroad. Look for his smiling face and have a chat! He loves seeing happy people go home with a full bag of awesome food.

Wesley mozil

Community Support Associate (they/them)

Wesley hails from the great white north (Canada, eh). They enjoy cowboy boots, juice, and building pallet furniture. If they’re not at Urban Gleaners trimming hedges or rescuing food, you will find them out in nature building fires and hiking around.

Jeff Monday

Community Support Associate (he/him)

A writer by nature, Jeff ironically has a hard time talking about himself. Suffice to say, he spent his younger years jumping out of the very first airplane he got into, tobogganing down a glacier and bartending into the wee hours too, too many nights. Surviving all that, he is now ecstatic to be a part of an organization dedicated to making a difference. Change begins with each one of us. 

Lizz Marks

Community Support Associate (she/her)

Lizz is a Portland native, recently returned to the city after some years of bouncing around the West. She is thrilled to be working for Urban Gleaners and giving back to the community where she was raised. While studying anthropology and environmental policy at the University of Puget Sound, Lizz fell in love with food for its place at the center of community, the environment, and social justice. She is deeply passionate about urban agriculture and the power of reconnecting people with land and local food systems. Outside of work, you can find her gardening, baking sourdough, climbing, making things, and asking to pet your dog.
 
 

Katy Hill

Communications Manager (she/her)

Katy grew up in East Tennessee and found her way to the PNW chasing good community and abundant nature. She is currently working towards a Masters Degree in Leadership for Sustainability Education focusing on Food Justice and Climate Grief at PSU. Katy is passionate about equitable access to fresh food and the power of local community organizing. When she’s not at work, you can find her on the trails and at the park with her dog, Albert, or drinking coffee at a cozy coffee shop. 
 
 

cait brigham

Community Support Associate (she/they)

 

Cait has been working in the restaurant, farm, and food system world of Portland for the past six years in a variety of roles. She started working at Urban Gleaners after receiving a master’s degree in Food Systems and Society from OHSU. When they aren’t spending time working with food and community, Cait enjoys just about anything in the outdoors, especially rock climbing.

carson crawford

Community Support Associate (he/him)

 

Carson grew up in Southern California, where he worked farmers markets with his mom on the weekends and learned through her the importance of good, local food. He later moved to San Diego for college, where he worked in food recovery and waste management at a composting collective. Carson recently moved to Portland, and appreciates the PNW for its abundance of trees and greenery. Outside of Urban Gleaners, he spends his free time biking, drawing, climbing trees, playing with his cat John Joseph, and making friends with local crows. He is super excited to be part of an organization that combines his passion for food and people!

Emily lockshin

Community Support Associate (she/her)

 

Emily was born and raised in San Francisco and moved to Portland spontaneously at the beginning of COVID. She studied biology at UC Santa Cruz where she fell in love with food systems, food justice, and sustainability. She has spent the last 3 years working in different capacities in the food world in Portland – bartending, catering, cooking, and serving seniors in the community. She is stoked to be interacting with the Portland community through Urban Gleaners and a shared love of food. 

Miguel Jimenez-Mateo

Community Support Associate (he/him)

Miguel is a born and raised Portlander. He is passionate about fighting against food insecurity and has joined Urban Gleaners to help better connect food resources to community members. Outside of work, he is an avid Pokémon collector, horror movie fan, and grinder of video games. Although a home body, he also enjoys being outside playing basketball and BBQing with the family. 

 

Amanda Pack

Tracy's Small Batch Granola - Head Baker (she/her)

Granola baker, cruciverbalist, pluviophile, cryptid enthusiast. Amanda went to culinary school kind of on a whim, has been in baking for over ten years, and is really happy with how it ultimately turned out. She has technically seen a UFO, and she wasn’t even alone at the time, ask Shawn if you don’t believe her.

Paige Schneider

Tracy's Small Batch Granola - Assistant Baker (they/them)

 

If you’re interested in a fun fact about Minnesota, Paige has one for you. They moved from the Twin Cities to Portland in 2016 for Baking & Pastry School, and have worked in several kitchens since. Paige has been a performer and coach of dance, flexibility, and pole since 2020, drawing from their childhood experience performing in a circus. Outside of work, Paige likes to relax with their partner and dog. Paige is passionate about food and could talk all day about the ethical nuances it holds. They are grateful to be working in a yummy-smelling place with such an important redistribution effort.

MASCOT

Ray

 

MASCOT

Chewy

 

 

MASCOT

Albert

 

Thank you to our wonderful board & ambassador board.

Meet The Board
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