Staff

Sophia joined Bluegrass Greensource in 2019 as an Americorps Environmental Educator. Her degree was recently obtained from the University of Kentucky with a major in Environmental & Sustainability Studies and a minor in International Relations. Sophia has over three years of experience working in an elementary school with ages ranging K-5. Her involvement working with a non-profit during her free time intersected with speaking with her students and created an enjoyment to help mold young minds towards sustainable practices. Sophia’s specialization includes: community outreach, creative collaboration, social justice organization, the global commons, and interpersonal communications. During her free time, you will usually find her planning ingredients to bring to her friends’ weekly homemade vegan dinner, making memories with her significant other, or catching up with her grandma on a phone call. 

Kyle is an intern with Bluegrass Greensource and the project coordinator for the Main Street Clean Sweep 2020. Kyle is originally from Brookville, Ohio and has been in Lexington since 2014. He is a senior and getting his undergrad degree in Community and Leadership Development at the University of Kentucky. Kyle has always had a passion for the environment and he is excited to be able to put that passion into action on such a large scale. In his free time, Kyle enjoys spending time outside with his dogs and his husband.

Deborah Larkin joined Bluegrass Greensource in March, 2010, as an Environmental Educator. Deb holds a B.S. in Horticulture from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Before coming to Greensource, she was the Horticulturist for the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, near Harrodsburg, KY. During her 27 year tenure there, she researched and re-established the 19th century apple orchard, herb garden and heirloom seed industry. Her current responsibilities at Bluegrass Greensource include serving as educator for the non-traditional schools in Fayette County, as liaison with Girl Scouts – Kentucky’s Wilderness Road Council, and as outreach educator for Clark, Boyle, Garrard and Lincoln counties.

Lindsie is a Watershed Coordinator for Bluegrass Greensource. Originally from Cleveland, OH, her previous experience as a Civil Engineer included stormwater program management, community and watershed master planning, stormwater modeling, and water quality treatment infrastructure design for several projects in Lexington, KY and surrounding communities. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Dayton and has been a part of the Lexington community since 2012. Lindsie focuses on watershed based plan implementation for several watersheds in the Bluegrass Greensource service area to help improve water quality and environmental health. She also enjoys singing, hiking with her husband and pup, and eating local!!

Noel is an Outreach Specialist for Bluegrass Greensource. Holding a degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, her background is in politics with experience in the Kentucky General Assembly and lobbying for federal regulatory reform with The Madison Coalition. Noel chose to focus her career on environmental issues and enjoys educating people on the many ways they can make minor changes to create a big impact. She also enjoys hunting for vintage vinyl, advocating for the Rebel Alliance, and making statements like “Stevie Nicks is a better songwriter than Bob Dylan.” 

Giulia joined Bluegrass Greensource Fall 2019 as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. She has been passionate about the environment her whole life, but first pursued a career as a ballet dancer. After finishing her career in dance here in Lexington, she completed her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies at the University of Kentucky. She has lived in five states and two countries, but grew up near the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. She attributes her childhood on a farm near the Blue Ridge Mountains as the source of her passion for environmental preservation and conservation. When she isn’t working, Giulia loves baking, hitting the gym, and spending as much time outside as she can.  

Rachel is an Environmental Educator for Bluegrass Greensource. Rachel graduated from Transylvania University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. In addition to her classes at Transylvania, Rachel coordinated litter cleanups of the surrounding area and spent many hours in local schools. She has worked at the Lexmark Center for Children and in Fayette County Public Schools with elementary school students. Rachel enjoys spending her free time kayaking and hiking with her husband and dog.

Karina joined Bluegrass Greensource in 2020 as an intern.  She is currently taking classes at the University of Kentucky and is an International Studies major.  She is from Nicholasville, Kentucky and has lived there her entire life. Karina has always had a passion for nonprofit work and sustainability. She enjoys spending time with her dog and spends her free time listening to music with friends. She hopes to work internationally and do volunteer work with nonprofit organizations. Her responsibilities at BGGS involve research and grant writing.

Chris Porter joined Bluegrass Greensource as Development Director in 2015. His near decade of experience fundraising in the nonprofit sector includes work as a writer for Berea College’s Stewardship and Donor Relations program, as a Development Coordinator for Faith In Action: Elder Outreach, and most recently as the Development Director for the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED). Chris holds a BA in English from Roanoke College and an MFA in Creative Writing—Fiction from the University of Montana in Missoula. A native Kentuckian with deep ties to the state, he enjoys spending his free time laughing with his wife and teaching his daughter to swear in multiple languages.

Maxine Rudder has been with Bluegrass Greensource since 2004. She was the Education Coordinator for two years before taking on the role of Education Director, then Deputy Director. Before joining Greensource, Maxine was a teacher in London, Kentucky for 28 years. She attended Eastern Kentucky University where she earned a teaching certificate in Biology and Chemistry. She also has certifications in Supervision K-12 and Secondary Principalship. Maxine’s responsibilities at Greensource are to oversee compliance with contracts and grant funding, develop new environmental programs, and organize activities with the county liaisons in our service area. Maxine has two grandchildren and a cat. Contact Maxine with questions about environmental education in Central Kentucky and Greensource’s administration.

Kara Sayles is an environmental educator and rain garden project coordinator. Her background is in Environmental Science and she holds a B.A. with a focus on Ecological Design and Sustainable Agriculture from The Evergreen State College. Kara chose to become an environmental educator because some of her fondest childhood memories are from observing tadpole ponds near her home: “Seeing a small tadpole transform into an adult frog was not only amazing but it sparked this lifelong desire to learn about nature.”

Rebecca Shobe serves Bluegrass Greensource as a Finance Officer on a part-time basis.  She is an accounting graduate of California State University, Fullerton, and holds an MBA from California State University, San Marcos.  She brings to the organization over 20 years of experience in finance and accounting management with a variety of industries including government, manufacturing, and healthcare.  After spending most of her working years in San Diego, Rebecca has recently relocated to Kentucky to become a full-time farmer, but maintains an intellectual interest in accounting.  She and her husband spend most of their days on their farm in Estill County with their many dogs, cats, chickens and ducks; and they are devoted to improving the land and living a self-sufficient lifestyle.  

Amy Sohner has been with Bluegrass Greensource forever. She started at its inception and became Executive Director in 2006. She has a background in environmental education and a degree in Natural Resource Conservation and Management, but spends most of her days on program development and people/money management. Though she misses being in actual contact with the environment, she has come to enjoy managing the great staff and working with our community partners. When not at work, Amy likes to play nature hunter with her two daughters at their home near the Kentucky River Palisades. Contact Amy with questions about Bluegrass Greensource’s administration and program development.​

Dating back over a decade, Niah’s relationship with Bluegrass Greensource began when the organization still operated as Bluegrass PRIDE. Every year from 2007-2012, Niah designed and painted a rain barrel for the annual spring auction, for which her owl design, “Give a Hoot!”, received the 2010 Earth Artist Award. Upon transitioning from community artist into single parenthood, Niah’s new child-centered world unearthed a path in academics, taking her to WKU, where she earned an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Continuing her college education in Family and Consumer Sciences, Niah began teaching art and music to preschoolers in 2016, while co-authoring and illustrating two children’s books with her WKU professor, Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence, on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Now, having once again reunited with Bluegrass Greensource, Niah is eager to mesh her creative and academic backgrounds, while working to build meaningful relationships within the nonprofit sector, and reconnect with her community. Free time for Niah is mostly spent with her son, building or recovering lost Lego bricks, getting beat at Clue, and making toys from scratch (sometimes trash).

Pattie Stivender is the Education Director working with pre K – 12 schools and also coordinates community outreach activities and volunteer opportunities. Pattie attended Eastern Kentucky University where she majored in Occupational Therapy. Pattie developed a passion for nurturing the environment as a young child watching television! The Crying Indian PSA developed by Keep America Beautiful opened her eyes to the negative impact that humans can have on the earth. Litter cleanups are some of her favorite activities. Contact Pattie with questions about environmental education in area schools, or to schedule an event in Fayette County.

Danny Woolums serves Bluegrass Greensource as an Environmental Educator. Danny graduated from Transylvania University with a Bachelors degree in Philosophy, much to his mother’s dismay. Danny has served on Transylvania University’s President’s Council for Sustainability, the Transylvania University Garden Association Council, the Board of Directors for Bluegrass Greenworks, the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, and currently sits on the LFUCG Environmental Commission. He is a state certified Environmental Educator and facilitates workshops in 6 of the nation’s leading environmental education curriculum guides. In his spare time, you can probably find Danny in the middle of a board game or binge-watching something on Netflix.