“As SUAC’s new president, I am committed to finding new ways to blend urban agriculture and the arts to promote awareness, connection and meaningful change within our community. ”

I am a native Floridian committed to community cohesion and resilience.  I work with the Educational Programs, grades pre-k thru 12th.  I volunteer at the Enoch Davis Recreation Center Senior Garden. I completed a rewarding career in Aviation Safety.  My biggest hobby is learning. I enjoy travel, learning about different cultures and the natural world.

Whitney Blair is a Florida native who moved to St. Petersburg in 2014 to pursue a master’s degree from the Patel College of Global Sustainability. She graduated in 2017 with concentrations in both Water and Food Sustainability & Security. She then worked for a local nonprofit, the Edible Peace Patch Project, to build school gardens and teach garden education in Title-1 elementary schools. She originally served on the SUAC Board 2019-2021. Whitney currently works to promote sustainablilty in St. Petersburg, and In her spare time, she is usually outdoors enjoying the natural beauty of Tampa Bay.

A St. Petersburg native, Samantha Harris developed a deep interest in connecting the dots as an inner-city youth. Currently, her involvement in the non-profit, Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival Inc., includes executing it’s vision, fundraising, and program delivery regarding the Black and African-American food experience, spanning food consumption, culture, and lifestyle choices. She has a degree in Liberal Arts with career backgrounds in Accounting and Finance. Samantha is a two-time author and publisher. She enjoys traveling, interacting with the youth, and looks forward to publishing her first cookbook.

Robert (Bob) Murphy is a senior citizen and an advocate for environmental justice. He’s a volunteer for the organic  garden at the Sunshine Center in Saint Petersburg and he’s involved in other mutual aid programs.     Bob is a community minister (Unitarian Universalist)  with training in public health work.

My name is Jeanie Ghafari. I am an environmental activist. I belong to Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch and SUAC. Social Work, Teaching Preschoolers and Childcare are some of my jobs. Free time is spent lasagna gardening, composting and rain harvesting. Yoga and herbal medicine are current fields of practice. Direct service to those in need is close to my heart.