Shannon Williams

Shannon serves as the Extension Educator for the University of Idaho in Lemhi County and loves teaching kids about agriculture and how to grow vegetables. More often than not, Shannon can be found knee deep helping kids with 4-H, leading garden classroom activities, launching new and exciting Backyard Agriculture activities, or helping support the many local producers of Lemhi County, Shannon is indeed a mover and a shaker here. She currently serves as Committee Chair.

Jannis LeBlanc

Jannis currently serves as the Sacajawea Center’s Community Garden Manager and is passionate about small-scale farming. Jannis was a manager for the U of I Organic Farm in Moscow, Idaho while she earned her Master’s degree and has worked as a crawfish farmer in Louisiana. She has also taught at the U of I’s McCall Outdoor Science School, at a high adventure scout camp, and for various citizen science programs, teaching science to youth outdoors. Besides volunteering for the Salmon Senior Center’s Meals on Wheel Program, she also enjoys watching her two children learn and play in the garden and outdoors year-round.

Moose

(Whitney Griswold)

Moose is a new addition to the Salmon Community, moving here from Sandpoint, Idaho. This year she will be working as the Salmon School Garden Manager. With a background in Cultural Anthropology, Herbal Medicine, and 10 plus years of experience growing food on small scale farms and cooking in restaurants and community kitchens, Moose has a passion for connecting with people through food and the natural world.

KATIE BERASI

While working on her bachelor degree in Biology with an emphasis in Ecology, Katie worked seasonally for LRLT from 2020 – 2022. When COVID-19 sent everyone home in 2020, Katie became the garden manager for the summer. After graduating from Boise State in December of 2022, she came back to Salmon and split her time as the Garden Manager for the SSG and the Stewardship Coordinator for LRLT. Within the community, Katie is the head coach for the Salmon Hockey Girls U19 team and plays with the men’s and women’s adult leagues. She also owns and races a Wissota Street Stock car at Salmon Valley Speedway.

SHELLEY LOWDER

Shelley is a native Idahoan who grew up in the Magic Valley. She is so grateful to be part of the school garden and all it offers our community. The last few years she has been involved with 5th graders and the pumpkin patch.

Grow pumpkins grow!

Charli Williams

The seventh generation born into a southern Utah ranch family, Charli seized the opportunity to return to the valley her family has called home since 1999 and joined LRLT’s staff in 2011 after receiving a bachelors degree in Agricultural Science, Communications and Leadership from the University of Idaho. In 2023, she moved into the role of Executive Director of LRLT and currently serves as the treasurer for the SSG. Charli is also a leader with the Lemhi County 4-H program, where she leads market beef, market lamb, breeding sheep and cooking projects and is the treasurer for the Lemhi County Junior Livestock Program.

Tina Ruffing

Tina Ruffing is an Idaho native who was raised on a farm in the Magic Valley. She was introduced at an early age to the fun, and hard work of gardening as well as raising crops and livestock. She pursued a degree in range livestock management at the University of Idaho and has worked for over 30 years as a rangeland management specialist for the US Forest Service. In addition to raising her own small garden at home, Tina enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, fishing, camping and riding her horses. She also enjoys supporting local youth by helping out at the school garden and participating in activities that support 4-H and FFA participants.

Katie Cooper

Katie Cooper teaches agricultural education at Salmon Jr/Sr High School. She has taught in Salmon for 11 years and is the advisor for the Salmon FFA Chapter. She has two sons who are active in 4-H, FFA, sports, and rodeo. As a founding board member, Katie now actively uses the garden for her Ag Science, Greenhouse Management, and Landscape Design classes. Her Agricultural Construction and Welding classes also work on infrastructure projects as needed for the garden.

Sherry Elrod

Sherry loves the Lemhi Valley and has lived here for the last 14 years. Currently a REALTOR® with Mountain West Real Estate, she continues to invest many hours as a volunteer in Lemhi Valley. She is an Idaho Master Gardener and currently a team member on the Salmon High School Garden Project. She is an active participant in the Local Foods Group and Founding board member of the Lemhi Valley Community Foundation.

Our Team