OAEC supports diverse communities to design their own regenerative systems at the regional and local scale.
Our cookbook is a collection of inventive recipes inspired by seasonal eating from our biodiverse Mother Garden, orchards and Wildlands Preserve.
Experience the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center through beautiful slideshows of our Guest Houses, Meeting Hall, Kitchen, Garden, Wildlands and more.
OAEC serves as a retreat center for networks, public agencies, foundations and other groups working towards social and environmental change.
Our 100% Certified Organic plant nursery specializes in open-pollinated perennials including edible landscaping plants, rare and endangered food crops, drought tolerant ornamentals and habitat plants - all tested in our onsite gardens and appropriate for our bioregion.
OAEC offers the longest consistently running two-week Permaculture Design Certification course in the West. Immerse yourself in information, ideas and inspiration on how to design sustainable, regenerative systems in balance with your home ecosystem.
Rad (She/Her/Ellx), a New Jersey native, has been living her dream life in her paradise of Sonoma County since 2012. She transplanted herself to the rich soils of Northern California in 2011 after graduating from New York University with a degree in Environmental Science and Pre-Medicine. Her impetus for moving out west was to cultivate her career in farming. Rad spent 8 years with her hands in the dirt and the sun on her skin. She previously worked as office manager, bookkeeper, and rental coordinator at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center from 2019-2021. Beginning in 2022, she moved to the role of Bookkeeper full-time.
On Staff Since: 2019 Email >
Through my role as the bookkeeper, I work directly with our Financial Controller to support the needs of our staff and Fiscally Sponsored Projects. This includes financial interfacing and reporting, while also being a point of contact for the Finance Department.
Originally, I am from New Jersey and spent my first 18 years of life there. I grew up in the theater doing countless musicals and plays. New York City was my home for 4 years while I attended NYU, studying Environmental Science, Pre-Medicine, Chemistry, Philosophy and more. Upon graduating in 2011, I moved to Northern California to pursue a career in sustainable organic agriculture. My customer service experience began at a young age when I got my first job working in a pizzeria; I realized early on how important it is to be accountable, have integrity, and communicate clearly. Throughout my years of farming, I have learned the most through hands-on work interacting with plants and animals. Being a Virgo Sun and Capricorn Rising, I have a natural penchant for numbers and details. I get really excited about organization and spreadsheets.
I am devoted to my adorable, lovely puppy, Ruby. I love to farm, dance, sing, play the ukulele and piano, act, paint, knit, cook, travel, hike, bike, swim, see live music, puzzle, and the list goes on. One of my favorite activities is learning and acquiring new skills. I spend my free time performing around the Bay Area, farming for private clients, and doing a podcast called Radical Queers Podcast about queer farming and queering the farming systems.
As an organization, the work we are doing is serving the global community and helping to make this world a better place. The values upheld by OAEC and systematic approaches to improving our environment are very important to me. The work I do at OAEC helps to keep the wheels turning and the production flowing. From paying the bills to onboarding new employees and FSPs, I show up and am present for all of the requests that come my way. In addition to the practical facets of my job, I contribute to the dynamic culture and community. These aspects of my work matter because they increase the efficiency and functionality of OAEC, which as a whole has a large-scale impact.