Stay in Touch & Join Our Mailing List

Ellen Concepcion is the co-founder and Executive Director of New Leaf Collaborative and also serves as an instructor for NLC's Community Science Workshop Program. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from San Francisco State University, a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of the Pacific, and a Nonprofit Management certificate from Cal State East Bay. Ellen holds a clear California teaching credential in Geosciences and brings over 8 years of middle school classroom teaching experience from Vallejo and Crockett. Through New Leaf Collaborative's programs, she hopes to inspire youth to learn, act, and think creatively, confidently, and responsibly, while introducing them to career paths that lead to sustainable prosperity.

Mary Peeff has a deep connection to New Leaf Collaborative; before joining the Board, she spent six years as the organization's Business Director. She now channels her passion for student success into Special Education, bringing valuable on-the-ground insight into the diverse needs of today's learners. Before dedicating her career to education and the non-profit sector, Mary's professional background included serving as a Director at First American Credco and as a Senior Bank Liquidation Specialist for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), where she managed complex financial and regulatory matters. A Bay Area resident, Mary enjoys hiking the trails of the East Bay, traveling to new destinations, and spending quality time with family.

Jeannie Jones is a retired educator who spent most of her teaching career in Martinez, California. Her passion for learning and the outdoors was reflected in her classroom gardening program and hands-on approach to science instruction. In retirement, she continues to embrace an active, outdoor-oriented life, hiking and biking with friends, exploring with her grandkids, and spending time with community, family, and friends. Learning and teaching remain constants for Jeannie, woven into every part of how she engages with the people and places around her.

Kelli Coffman has more than 20 years of experience in education. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, with an emphasis in Early Cognitive Development, from San Diego State University, a California teaching credential from JFK University, and Early Childhood Education certifications from Diablo Valley College. Raised in Northern California and Oregon, Kelli developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors through camping, hiking, farming, and gardening, experiences that fostered a lifelong passion for environmental stewardship and hands-on learning, which she continues to bring into her classroom today. She believes children learn best through meaningful exploration and direct interaction with the natural world, and as a New Leaf Collaborative Board Member, she is committed to supporting programs that inspire lifelong learning, environmental awareness, and strong community connections. On weekends, she can often be found camping among redwoods, rivers, or sandy beaches with family, her dogs, and friends.

Debi Tidd is a credentialed educator with 40 years of experience teaching science, environmental education, and sustainable landscaping throughout the Bay Area, including with the Growing Classroom for grades K–12, Kids in Gardens, Bay-Friendly Landscaping Trainings, and the Our Water Our World Program. She has taught classes on soil science, native plants, eco-friendly pest management, food waste, water quality, and sustainable landscaping techniques, and has authored several publications, including The Ten Most Wanted Bugs in Your Garden, A Kid's Guide to Backyard Bugs, and Growing Gardens from Garbage: A Guide to Composting, Mulching and Grasscycling. Debi is passionate about providing "hands in the soil" opportunities that spark students' curiosity and connection to the natural world, helping them build the skills and confidence to take on environmental challenges in their own communities.

Grey Kolevzon has spent nearly 30 years working with East Bay public schools and non-profit organizations to develop programs that improve community health and connect young people with the living world, including outdoor experiential education, garden and nutrition programs, schoolyard greening, fresh food enterprises, and youth job training, work that has reached more than 75 schools across three East Bay school districts. Since 2018, he has served as co-director of Growing Together, an East Bay non-profit focused on school garden education, schoolyard greening, and fresh food access, where he supports partnership and program development, helps build new school gardens, and leads education programs alongside students in the field. Grey is deeply passionate about the mission he shares with organizations like New Leaf Collaborative, and serving on NLC's board gives him the chance to support the work of a cherished neighbor and ally in this movement.

Danielle has been involved in environmental sustainability for over 10 years, from volunteering with local organizations to working with the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). She grew a passion for environmental education and ecological conservation from her time spent leading tours at Black Diamond Mines, volunteering with Sprout Up while at UC Davis, and leading in-class and field trip lessons on watersheds and ecosystem health with Putah Creek Council around Solano County. A Martinez native, she is excited to continue to help support these passions by contributing to New Leaf Collaborative's educational programs offered to students at some of the same schools she attended. In her free time, she enjoys hiking (and identifying our native flora, fauna, and fungi), crafting, camping, gardening, and attending live music events.