Officers

Amanda Kaleta-Kott, President
Constance McCarthy, Secretary

Joanne Aggens, Vice President

Bob Bower, Co-Treasurer
Jeffrey Holmertz, Co-Treasurer

Board Members

Joanne Aggens, Vice President

Management Consultant, Wilmette, IL

Joanne joined our board in 2007. Early in her career she taught elementary school. She is a United Methodist Diaconal Minister. She has been a pastoral counselor. She served The Gallup Organization for 25 years as an analyst and senior consultant. Most recently she served for two years as a Wilmette Village Trustee. An avid traveler, Joanne participates in an annual medical mission team to Senegal. She is an Angelic Organics shareholder.

Bob Bower, Co-Treasurer
General and Growing Manager, Angelic Organics, Caledonia, IL
Bob is a founding board member and currently serves as co-treasurer. He joined Angelic Organics farm in 1995 and has headed up efforts in customer service, distribution, finance, marketing, and more. Prior to Angelic Organics, Bob spent nine years in the corporate world with responsibilities ranging from accounting to computer management. He is a Certified Public Accountant as well as a student of anthroposophy and biodynamics.

Amanda Kaleta-Kott, President

Design Planner and Strategist, Chicago, IL
Amanda joined our board in 2006. She is a design planner and communications strategist with extensive experience in initiating, planning, and leading large-scale website projects and integrated marketing programs for Fortune 500 corporations and leading organizations. She is currently pursuing a Master of Design Methods from the IIT Institute of Design, with a focus on design research and strategic planning. Amanda is an Angelic Organics shareholder.

David Kostka
Co-owner, Juda Springs Farm, Juda, WI
David joined our board in 2004. He is vice-president of the Sugar-Pecatonica Watershed Partnership, a committee chair of the Four Rivers Environmental Coalition, and the retired director of the Regional Environmental Center. He brings more than 35 years of teaching experience and 40 years of organic gardening experience to his involvement in on-farm education at the Learning Center. David holds a life-long commitment to live close to the earth and is currently working to rehabilitate a 134-acre farm with his partner, Cindy. He received a BS from Michigan State University and a M.Div. from the Lutheran School of Theology.

Don Larson

Co-owner, Pine Row Farm, Roscoe, IL

Don joined our board in April, 2009. He and his wife Tresea own a farm in Roscoe, IL. They sell soap made from their goat's milk, eggs from their laying chickens and are partners in a vegetable CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Don and Tresea are graduates of the Stateline Farm Beginnings© course coordinated by the learning center (Year 2: 2006-2007). Don got his first agricultural experience doing chores on a friend's conventional dairy farm while growing up. Don is also a musician and music teacher. He holds a Master of Music from dePaul University. He teaches Music Fundamentals and Appreciation at Rock Valley College. He also maintains a private music studio teaching saxophone, clarinet and flute to adults and children. Don plays saxophone for the Rockford Wind Ensemble.

Constance McCarthy, Secretary

Linguistic Editor, IBFD, Machesney Park, IL

Constance joined our board in 2008 and currently serves as secretary. She is a linguistic editor for an international publishing company and recently retired from teaching high school. In addition to serving as a mentor to youth in our Roots & Wings program, Constance is a Master Gardener, a volunteer with the Klehm Arboretum, and president of the Wild Ones (Rock River Valley chapter). She received a B.A. Honors in French and Political Science and a J.D., both from Loyola University Chicago.

John Peterson, (President Emeritus)

Farmer and Founder, Angelic Organics, Caledonia, ILJohn is the founding president of Angelic Organics Learning Center and has served as president emeritus since 2004. He runs Angelic Organics, our partner farm and one of the largest community supported agriculture (CSA) farms in the United States, growing vegetables and herbs for more than 1,350 families each year. John is the subject of Taggart Siegel’s award winning feature documentary film The Real Dirt on Farmer John, which has been seen in theaters and television throughout the world. He published Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables in 2006. He is now writing his autobiography and a book of short stories about farming.

David Schroeder

David Schroeder Architects, Owner and Proprietor

Tom Spaulding (Non-voting)
Executive Director, Angelic Organics Learning Center, Roscoe, IL
Tom is our founding executive director. He focuses on strategic planning, building partnerships, and managing our staff team and facilities. Tom has played a leadership role in several local and regional food policy efforts, most recently serving as co-chair of the 2006 Rockford Food Summit. He was a founding board member of Growing Home and has received a Kellogg National Fellowship from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Prior to co-founding the Learning Center, Tom was associate director for the YMCA’s International Group, where his responsibilities included leadership development and cross-cultural education programs. He received his MA in International Affairs from George Washington University. Tom’s first season as an Angelic Organics shareholder was 1993.

William Zieske

Zieske Law, Owner and Proprietor