Alex
Alex is the Distribution Lead & Operations Lead with The Urban Canopy. Within these roles he's responsible for coordinating transportation logistics, as well as distribution of both local and non-local organic produce to our commercial customers. If you're a restaurant, grocery store or generally interested in sourcing more local and organic products, please get in touch at alex@theurbancanopy.org. Alex enjoys rock climbing, basketball, biking and cooking from scratch as much as possible.
Andrew
Andrew is a Compost Club Co-Lead for Urban Canopy. His focus within Compost Club are our commercial clients, and he loves getting Chicago restaurants composting! He comes from a musical family and has played trombone and bass for a couple decades. Andrew is passionate about music, cooking, Cubs baseball, Dungeon and Dragons, and getting good, healthy food to the great people of Chicago.
Collin
Collin is a LUCSA Crew Member and Transporter with The Urban Canopy. He has worked in the service industry for most of his life thus far and wanted to take the opportunity to dive into a position he felt passionate about in a new way!
Ethan
Ethan came to The Urban Canopy after stints managing the retail operations at Local Foods and Green Grocer, so lots of years working with great local farms and local producers. Before that he worked in kitchens. At some point he went to school for Political Science, but knew he wouldn't be happy in law school or working all day in an office. He has lived in California, Georgia, New York City and now in Logan Square with his partner Robyn and medium brown dog Frances. You can see more of Frances at @franciepantsthedog on Instagram. For the past few years, Ethan and Robyn have also been running a small pickle company that sources all local produce, such as Mick Klug and Genesis. They sell wholesale to some small shops and at the Logan Square Farmer’s Market. You can see that on the Instagram @centralpickling. He loves food, visiting farms, and taking lots of day trips to Wisconsin and Michigan with the dog.
Alice
Alice grew up in Chicago and is excited to return to her hometown after spending several years farming in Maine and Vermont. Most recently, she spent time on an educational farm where she worked with draft horses to till and cultivate gardens. Alice spends her free time finding new ways to cook and ferment produce, searching for the best bread in the city, and learning to fiddle.
Joseph
Joseph is the Farmer's Market Lead and Composter at the Outdoor Farm with the Urban Canopy. He enjoys all things related to food especially trying out new cooking recipes. You can find him by listening for the jubilant laughter at your local Farmer's Market or by emailing joseph@theurbancanopy.org.
May
May is a LUCSA Crew Member and Bucket Washer at the Urban Canopy. She is from Central Pennsylvania, and has lived in Chicago for four years. She's always excited to be part of a team that's passionate about what it does! She enjoys playing board games with friends, writing in her journal, and drawing portraits.
Meagan
Meagan Havlik is a Compost Club Co-Lead and Trunk lead at The Urban Canopy and will be focusing on composting events. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Food Science & Human Nutrition. She is a ten year vet of the hospitality industry and has worked and lived in NYC and Chicago. Meagan is passionate about sustainability, good food and all things local. When not at work, you will find Meagan thrift store shopping, repurposing her finds, cooking vegetarian, and living out her 80s hair metal fantasy.
Emma
My name is Emma, I grew up in Waukegan and found an interest in agriculture while working on a youth farm in North Chicago. Over the years, my experiences have led me to different types of jobs and educational opportunities throughout the Chicagoland area and the West Coast. I have worked with nonprofits, organic farms, the Chicago Botanic Garden and many other organizations. I studied Sustainable Agriculture at College of Lake County and more recently took part in an intensive farm management program at The Organic Farm School. My other passions are traveling, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. I’ve recently returned to Chicago after some extended travel and I am looking forward to joining The Urban Canopy team. I am excited to help enrich the community and environment through the local food system
Blue
Blue (they/them) is a LUCSA and Distribution Admin as well as the Social Fund Coordinator at The Urban Canopy. When they're not staring at Google sheets or organizing food & fun for our staff they're running their own flower farm, Bluems Chicago, on the city's South West side. As a new mama they're enjoying spending lots of time with their son (Alejandro) and two pitbulls (Gimlet & Norma Rosa).
Elgin
Elgin is a LUCSA Crew Member and a Transporter with The Urban Canopy. Elgin is very reliable when it comes to getting his work done in a timely manner. He tries to find fun in everything, while staying focused on the task at hand. Elgin enjoys working with LUCSA because he gets a chance to connect with different people around the city of Chicago. Outside of work Elgin enjoys spending time with his family and cat, Sparkles. He also enjoys playing football, basketball, cars, and video games.
Emma
Emma works on our outdoor farm as a production/harvest assistant. Before moving to the city, she worked at a garden cooperative on the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe (Santa Cruz, CA). Emma is passionate about food sovereignty, abolition, and collective liberation. She enjoys eating treats, soaking up the sun, reading, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and making music with pals.
Imogene
Imogene is a Compost Club Administrator at The Urban Canopy. She is from Brooklyn, but has been a Chicago Southsider for 7 years now! She lives in Bridgeport with her husband, daughter, cat and bunny. She has worked as a greenhouse grower, outdoor grower, and florist. She loves whatever is in bloom, the wide Midwestern sky, drinking tea, being a mom, and making friends with neighborhood cats.
Tom
Tom is currently Co-Lead for the Compost Club, ensuring that our farm has plenty of healthy soil for the food we grow! Tom also holds a position with the auxiliary board at Plant Chicago, leading the Toolkit Committee’s efforts to assist businesses with the circular economic endeavors. He also holds an Alumni Board position with Food Recovery Network. When he’s not fighting food wastes Tom enjoys gardening, cooking, and recently built an aquaponic system in his home. He can be reached at tom@theurbancanopy.org.
Justice
I was born October 6th, at home, on the Southside of Chicago, Illinois. I grew up throughout Chicago and later attended the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in Chicago, Illinois. I graduated with honors in 2012. Later that fall, I enrolled at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, in Greensboro, North Carolina. I studied for a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Environmental Systems (Concentration: Agribusiness and Food Industry). While in college, I continued with FFA and became a National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador. In 2021, I enrolled in a Masters program at Unity Environmental University, in New Gloucester, Maine. I have been studying for a Master of Science in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. My goal with working at The Urban Canopy is to learn from the world’s history of the soil, the people, and the food; then take that key knowledge and apply it to the real-world application of creative, sustainable solutions
Lindsay
I grew up in Massachusetts and attended Massachusetts College of Art where I obtained my BFA in painting. After 7 years of living in New York City, working for the Strand Bookstore, I moved to The Chicago area to pursue a career in food. Baking is a passion of mine but have worked in many aspects of the food industry from line cook to cheese monger and pursue pop-ups and farm dinners as a personal side project as well as maintain our own raised bed garden. I love that this industry has provided me with so many great connections to community, place and lifelong friends as well as endless opportunities to grow and learn professionally and as a person.