Our Team
Ryland Engelhart
Ryland Engelhart is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Kiss the Ground, and is the producer of Kiss The Ground -- the film on Netflix. He has spent the past 15 years as an entrepreneur and love-activist, working in hospitality and building a "triple bottom line" business of organic plant-based restaurants called Cafe Gratitude and Gracias Madre in Southern CA. He is also a co-creator of the award-winning, inspirational documentary film called “May I Be Frank.” Ryland has an infectious passion for life and is a cultural catalyst creating transformation through his own organizations and in the world at large. He publicly speaks on the topics of sacred commerce, gratitude, veganism, building community, regeneration and the connection between soil health, human health, and planetary health. He is the host of Kiss the Ground's Podcast. Ryland is also a husband and father and lives on a 17-acre regenerative organic farm in Fillmore, CA where he learns to practice what he preaches.
Richard Wegman
Richard has been leading environmental-based non-profits for over 30 years. In the past 30 years, he consulted on many environmental and social justice organizations in the Los Angeles area including El Rescate, Clinica Oscar A. Romero, Committee to Save Mono Lake, Coalition for Clean Air, Plaza Community Center in East Los Angeles, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Audubon Society. Richard is also Treasurer of the Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, a fiscal sponsor organization with over 200 projects, and Vice Chair and Treasurer of Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin.
Karen Rodriguez
Karen Rodriguez is a Guatemalan woman raised in Venice Beach. She is a food lover who got her food education in kitchens of great restaurants in Southern California and a few in NYC, where she served with opening teams, serving and managing and occasionally cooking. Her love of the culinary arts led her on the journey to learn an incredible amount from chefs, farmers and all of the people connected to our food. She loves to connect with nature through, healing herbs, and gardens and is always excited to share a meal and feed loved ones. Following the thread of where our food comes from has made her passionate about teaching children and the adults who teach children about tending to our soil and our earth because that is where all food begins. She is excited about regeneration and supporting healthy humanity, through food education, regenerating soils, restoring systems and kissing the ground.
Finian Makepeace
Finian Makepeace is the co-founder of Kiss the Ground and a renowned presenter, media creator, and thought leader in the field of regenerative agriculture and soil health. His dedication to Kiss the Ground’s mission of “inspiring participation in global regeneration, starting with soil”, has motivated him to develop training programs, workshops, and talks designed to empower people around the world to become confident advocates for this growing movement.
Ayesha Ali
Ayesha is a researcher, political ecologist, and firm believer in the intrinsic value of nature. Happiest when outside, she loves backpacking, foraging, gardening, and developing a deeper connection to and appreciation for the earth. A strategic problem-solver, Ayesha values both big-picture thinking and detail-oriented planning, and seeks to understand the root causes of problems in order to determine the best solutions. She holds an MA in Global Environmental History from Uppsala Universitet, where she focused on the politics that are shaping our environments, specifically agricultural production and the global food supply chain, and specialized in California's 20th century water laws and policies and the contemporary groundwater crisis. She is grateful to be able to bring her skill set to support Kiss the Ground's community-minded and environmentally optimistic mission.
Griffin Bower
I help mission driven organizations articulate and evidence their values through marketing strategies that scale while making real, measurable impact. Previously ran Acquisition and Impact for Good Money, and Social Impact and Strategic Communications for Thrive Market. When not at work I’m hiking, biking or skiing in the mountains.
Jessica Chiartas
Jessica is a soil scientist with a strong passion for science communication, education, and outreach. She is a PhD candidate in Soils & Biogeochemistry at the University of California, Davis, where her research focuses on the long-term impacts of agricultural management on soil carbon sequestration, and overall, soil health and ecosystem services. She is also founder of Soil Life Services, which supports growers, industry, and other stakeholders in developing monitoring and verification programs; conducting on-the-ground, in-field sampling to establish baselines and evaluate continual improvement over time. She is also currently working (with support from NRCS) to develop a website, a series of short videos, and an interactive educational experience that highlights the inextricable connection between soil and life, while raising awareness about the many solutions to global challenges, that lie right beneath our feet.
Krissy Dove
Krissy is a facilitator, dot-connector, and student of life. Passionate about working at the intersection of environmental advocacy and education, she strives to use her skills to build changemaker capacity and promote an equitable and just climate movement. Her connection with the environment stems from her upbringing in New York’s Hudson Valley; her undergraduate programs in environmental studies and global affairs, including time spent in Costa Rica learning about permaculture; and her multifaceted professional experience working in the green nonprofit sector, most recently on Broadway. Meanwhile, her love for facilitating learning and understanding is bolstered by her graduate studies in educational technology and instructional design alongside her work in digital media, communications, and online training development. Krissy takes the opportunity to contribute to the mission of Kiss the Ground with gratitude.
Jaime Flores
Jaime is an IT professional with ten years of experience with mission-driven organizations. He focuses on deploying efficient tools and implementing safe practices to improve communications and fundraising. Originally from Ecuador, he studied Digital Design and Eastern Philosophy, likes to mountain bike, and engage in contemplative practices.
Nicole Granados
Nicole is an adventure photographer, environmental communicator, and passionate advocate for people and the planet. She has dedicated her work to capturing the environments she visits by admiring their beauty but also the ways these public spaces and vulnerable communities have been impacted by our ever-evolving climate. With a background in international human rights and environmental communication, she actively works to share the global impacts of the current climate crisis. She has volunteered in the past for different ranches taking care of horses and the various animals they usually have (mostly befriending all of their dogs). Nicole is also an avid rock-climber, hiker, and you can typically find her working in a hammock. She is happy to be a part of the Kiss the Ground team and help grow a community of passionate advocates for regeneration.
Agatha Hannah
With twenty years of experience working with non-profits focused on farmer education and regenerative agriculture at the local and national levels, Agatha is a community activist with the impulse to nurture a resilient agricultural system based on thriving family farms. Herself a seasoned livestock and medicinal herb farmer with an off-grid, solar-powered farmstead in the mountains of Virginia, she has spent nearly as many hours in the field as sitting behind a desk, and she has a unique capacity to bridge both worlds and connect with people, be it through soil, food, or a shared impetus to inspire regeneration by providing the resources and sharing the story. In addition to working for Kiss the Ground, Agatha and her partner conduct workshops on Biodynamic viticulture and soil health, and are currently developing a model regenerative vineyard on their farm.
Vivian Kanchian
Vivian has a background in nutrition, public health, and relationship-building. At Project Angel Food, she helped launch and grow a Food is Medicine program for L.A. MediCal participants with congestive heart failure. Before that, she worked with Dr. Michelle Gerber, deepening her knowledge of medicinal herbs and supplements. Over the years, she has volunteered with a variety of organizations related to food security and local environmental issues. Inspired by Kiss the Ground's documentary and Mark Hyman's Food Fix, she recently founded Nutrition with a Mission (NWAM) — the mission being to connect both consumers and businesses to the healthiest, most environmentally-friendly foods for their unique needs. She holds a masters degree in Public Health from UCLA, and couldn't be more thrilled to roll up her sleeves and contribute to Kiss the Ground in any capacity she's needed.
Carrie Moran
Carrie is a queer, feminist & human rights activist, and an avid hiker. They hold a Masters of Library and Information Science from Drexel University, and spent 9 years working in academic libraries before shifting their focus to regenerative agriculture. Their research background is in using empathetic user experience design methods to create safe spaces for people to learn & connect, both in person and online. Prior to Kiss the Ground, Carrie was the Director of Systems & Communications for the Organic Growers School.
Kate Oliva
Kate is equal parts storyteller and strategist, with a passion for the environment and the people (and animals) living in it. Over the last ten years, she has worked with companies ranging from small startups and indie production studios to publicity firms and billion-dollar companies, as well as run her own production company. She has developed, written, and produced thousands of videos in the form of short films, branded stories, corporate videos, education content, live events, and campaign spots. The through-line of her work is a focus on amplifying new and underserved voices, creating positive social impact, and (hopefully) making audiences laugh. She puts a premium on working with, learning from, and supporting other women and groups working to create and elevate these narratives. In addition to her work with Kiss the Ground, Kate is the cofounder of elePlate, a food recovery nonprofit, and volunteers her time with several initiatives working to create a more equitable world.
Jackie Peller
Jackie is a yoga teacher, avid hiker, and animal lover living in Denver, Colorado. Her experience volunteering on a biodynamic farm, studying holistic nutrition as well as her history working in restaurants have shaped the way she views our food sources. She believes that every little choice we make has the opportunity to create a ripple effect for positive change and that each of us truly does have the ability to make an impact on our planet for the better. She consistently aims to use her career to support grassroots companies who are making a positive change in the world. Cooking plant based meals for her people is her love language. She fills her time with yoga, travel, educating herself on mental health as well pet sitting. She’s a pitbull advocate, a nature lover and an explorer. She’s so excited to use her skills to support Kiss the Ground on the mission of regeneration.
Gina Quattrochi
Gina is a food, health, and agriculture enthusiast. She has been fortunate to work in these fields in many capacities, from managing farmers markets to coffee wholesale to local food policy. She has worked for the Santa Monica Farmers Markets, Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, Kismet restaurant, Cookbook market, and Stumptown Coffee, among others. She's happy and grateful to work in this community.
Jesse Smith
Jesse is a farmer, designer and consultant focused on the intersection of regenerative supply and enterprise. His passion for agriculture and food systems is rooted in his love of California's diverse ecosystems, and influenced by his work and travels through Africa, Europe and the western United States. His family, friends and community are what inspire him to develop a network of farmers, restaurants and consumers to benefit our soil, water and air.
Don Smith
Don is a speaker, teacher, and student of regenerative agriculture and regenerative lifestyles. His talks are engaging, inspiring, and filled with viable solutions to the world’s largest problems. In addition to speaking, Don helps Kiss the Ground with editing, technical details, and infographics promoting soil as a solution to climate change.
Kylie Wagner
Kylie is a yogi, farmer, and community organizer connecting people through ritual and food. She believes in the power of change at the grassroots level; making conscious food choices that positively impact our health, our environment, and our local economy. Kylie lives in Santa Barbara, California, where she teaches yoga and volunteers on the White Buffalo Land Trust farm. Kylie earned her Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science from UCLA. Support your local farmers!
Erica Wagner
Erica comes to Kiss the Ground from Moscow, ID. Her passion for photography and design have helped pave the way for telling some of the most important stories—those of farmers, artists, and food lovers. She’s excited to use both her traditional arts education and experience working with family-scale farms to tell the stories of healthy soil and the people who help create it.