Our team

Athena is focused on sharing with our community her passion for upcycling by showcasing sustainability-minded projects being not only easy, but fun! As the head eco-rep for her dorm at The Thacher School, Athena conceptualized then led creative initiatives to enable students to do their part to conserve natural resources and encourage small behavioral changes to reduce waste sent to landfills.

As much as Athena loved her Thacher community, she felt the pull of family when her brother Jack needed her at home. Being so close in age and having shared much of their life experiences, it was a no-brainer for Athena and Jack to envisage JAR Farms, a health and wellness sanctuary for teens by teens.

As Co-Founder of JAR Farms, Athena is responsible for all projects promoting sustainability. From hosting our upcycling projects in our Workshop Series to launching an educational program against food waste by teaching local preschoolers how hard it is to actually make food like eggs, honey and fruit, Athena is passionate about giving back to our community. Athena is also our resident beekeeper and manages the composting projects which support our organic garden and orchards.

Before JAR Farms, Athena chose to give back to the Thacher community as the Honor Council representative for her class in addition to serving as the Head Eco-Rep for her dorm. At home in Marin County California, Athena dedicated herself to giving back to the community consistently and wholeheartedly. In fact, Athena received the Service-Above-Self Award from the Tiburon-Belvedere Rotary Club in 2021. During the COVID pandemic, Athena Co-Founded 3GuysWhoCare.com with Jack and two friends in the neighborhood. They sewed and sold fabric face masks when even front line workers could not find enough supply, then donated profits to community organizations such as the SF Marin Food Bank.

Jack is dedicated to helping other kids use knowledge of food and nutrition to get the most out of their day. Diagnosed with ADHD at age 5, Jack struggled with the debilitating cycle of ADHD medication (stimulants) causing insomnia, and the insomnia medication in turn causing drowsiness throughout the day. After several years of chronic sleep deprivation and stumbling through the day in a fog, Jack experienced a mental health crisis in high school. With tremendous support from our community, especially from his sister Athena who left boarding school to be with him, Jack is recovering after a decade of running on the stimulant/sleep-aid treadmill.

As Co-Founder of JAR Farms, Jack is focused on sharing his ADHD journey, specifically using his knowledge of how food affects health and wellness to help others. From working with Athena on our honey farm to sustaining our organic garden designed by Lori Ann David of Aurora Farms, Jack is down to share his experiences with other kids grappling with learning differences. In fact, Jack is host of our Workshop Series that demonstrate how working with your hands is not only rewarding, but also therapeutic for those that learn best by doing rather than sitting in a traditional classroom.

Before JAR Farms, Jack chose to give back to the community as an intern at Kids Cooking for Life and supporting organic farmers at the Marin County Farmers Market, one of the earliest and largest such markets in the country. Jack also Co-Founded 3GuysWhoCare.com with Athena and two friends in the neighborhood. They sewed and sold fabric face masks during the COVID pandemic shortage when even front line workers could not find enough supply, then donated profits to community organizations such as the SF Marin Food Bank.

Rex—Jack and Athena’s younger brother—is the original inspiration for JAR Farms. Despite coping with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and selective mutism, Rex is a happy kid in his own world.

Athena and Jack were motivated to create a health and wellness sanctuary initially for kids like Rex, but then realized that many kids even without learning differences often need a place to feel safe without the relentless pressure to perform for their parents, teachers, and peers. Due to their love for their little brother and for each other, JAR Farms was born!

Nikki is our Office Manager who keeps JAR Farms organized and humming on all cylinders. With her capacity for communication, community, and compassion, Nikki is a beloved member of the JAR Farms family. Nikki serves her community as a youth pastor and as the office manager for her church.

Arturo and his son Adriel keep the farm in tip top shape as the Maintenance team. From replacing broken roof tiles to patching stucco, from rejuvenating tired flagstone pavers to addressing a water leak, there seems to be nothing that this dynamic duo cannot do!

Lucky Goldstein leads our pack of McNab Shepherd dogs that keep us on our toes. Whether it’s keeping track of the chickens or the McNab foster puppies we host for the Milo Foundation and Mendo Shelter Pet Rescue, Lucky, Xena, and Calli bring joy wherever they go.