Staff

Alaina is serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Bluegrass Greensource. She graduated from Berea College in 2011 with a BA in Spanish and from the University of Kentucky in 2018 with a BS in biology. Alaina chose to pursue a career in the environment, because she is concerned with the negative impact humans are presently having on the world. She is very interested in climate change, resource depletion, global hunger, habitat loss and species extinction, sustainable living, and how we can implement positive changes to restore our world. She is a passionate vegan who loves to play Dungeons & Dragons, game, cook, and hang out with her four cats.

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!!

Cassie is serving Bluegrass Greensource as an AmeriCorps member through the Environmental Education Leadership Corps. She attended the University of Kentucky, where she studied Geography and Environmental and Sustainability Studies, and graduated in 2018. She is pursuing a career in the environment because she believes that environmental impacts should always be considered in decision-making processes. She is excited to both educate others in the community and learn more herself about the different ways to live more sustainably. In addition to hugging trees, Cassie also enjoys spending way too much time in thrift stores, drinking tea, and cuddling with her cat. 

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." 

Tammy Patrick works as the finance officer at Bluegrass Greensource on a part-time basis. She graduated from Morehead State University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with an accounting emphasis. She obtained her Certified Public Accountant license in 1997 while working as an auditor for the Auditor of Public Accounts. There she specializes in local government audits and manages the annual statewide audit of Motor Vehicle Registrations.

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.

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.”

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.​

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.