Staff
Jonda Crosby is the Executive Director, where she is responsible for organizational fundraising, staffing and program development. Jonda has 20 years of grassroots, practical application of sustainable agriculture experience working with communities, farmers and educational institutions. Before coming to AERO, Jonda worked as the project director on a W.K. Kellogg Foundation food systems project for Penn State University, The Rodale Institute and The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. Jonda as a Cooperative Extension agent in New York, worked primarily with farmers developing sustainable agriculture marketing and farming practices. Jonda has also served as a coordinating council member of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group that develops federal food and farm policies. She has also served as an instructor of sustainable agriculture at Penn State Univesity, and as a high school ag teacher. Jonda grew up on a dairy farm in western New York, and still owns cattle on the family farm. She currently part-time farms organically in Montana. Jonda has an MS in Agricultural Education and a BS in Agricultural Sciences from Murray State University in Kentucky. Read a note from Jonda.
Ben Brouwer, Renewable Energy and Conservation Program Manager. Ben Brouwer graduated in 2004 with a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College, where he studied and actively pursued sustainable social change. In the years since graduating he has worked as an early morning baker at the Park Avenue Bakery in Helena, built a 24ft. open boat, which he then rowed and sailed to Alaska and back from his childhood home on Lopez Island, WA, and organized the Helena Step-it-Up rally for action on global warming. He brings his experience as an environmental organizer to AERO with the vision of creating energy self-reliant communities. Read a personal statement from Ben regarding his vision for this position.
Dan Lloyd, Neighborhood Conservation Club Coordinator, AmeriCorps VISTA Member. Dan is serving with AERO for one year to develop and implement a neighborhood organizing model to help households of all income levels become more energy self-reliant. Dan joins AERO from the plains of the Midwest—he grew up in Iowa and received his education from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Before coming to AERO, Dan worked with renewable energy and sustainable construction at Sage Mountain Center, near Whitehall, Montana.
Note: As of June 2008 Jim Barngrover is no longer working at AERO, however he’s still easy to get in touch with. Call the AERO office if you would like to contact Jim. Currently Jonda Crosby is managing the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Program.
Jim Barngrover, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Program Manager. Serving in this capacity for two years Jim has continued forging strong relationships with individuals and organizations across Montana that are working on sustainable agriculture and food systems. Jim started commercial scale organic gardening at the Feathered Pipe Ranch near Helena in 1976. Moving to the Bitterroot in 1980 he became one of several partners in Life Line Produce, the largest organic produce farm in Montana at the time. Prior to returning to Helena in 1990 he served as the Horticultural Instructor/Garden Supervisor at the Montana State Prison and as the Organic Crop Land Manager at the N-Bar Land and Cattle Company near Grass Range.
Prior to his program work with AERO, Jim contracted with AERO to conduct farm tours, lobby at the legislature and organize conferences and workshops. Jim grew up on a small diversified farm in Wyoming and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wyoming in education. Read a message from Jim.
