Vernon is inspired by SHI’s commitment to fighting poverty and hunger by improving the lives of people, especially in rural communities with sustainable farming methods. Vernon has over 15 years of professional experience in accounting, finance, internal controls, risk, and business management. Vernon is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and currently is an Inspection Specialist with the PCAOB in Washington, DC. Vernon spent most of his career in public accounting as a financial auditor and worked for the World Bank internal controls and risk management office. His interests include improving and developing the lives of people and communities in need around the world, financial accounting, risk management, traveling, and outdoor grilling.

Extra credit: Vernon and his wife were born in Sierra Leone and they have three children.

Rhett returned to Sustainable Harvest International’s Board in June 2020 and has been a supporter of SHI since its founding. She has always been inspired by how SHI’s work reverses global warming and supports environmental and social justice. Reducing rainforest destruction, supporting better nutrition, keeping families together, and creating economic opportunity for small-scale farmers are some of the many outcomes of SHI’s work that resonate with Rhett. She is honored to bring her skills as a Fortune 100 corporate lawyer to support SHI’s scaling process to bring transformative regenerative agriculture to more and more farming families around the world. Rhett lives in San Francisco, and loves critters, yoga, tennis, swimming, scuba diving, gardening, dancing and art.

Extra Credit: On an SHI board trip, Rhett learned to make biochar by burning organic matter in a controlled way without oxygen called pyrolysis. Biochar sequesters carbon, keeping carbon in the soil for hundreds of years, holding water, and supporting plant growth as a natural fertilizer. Rhett then used biochar to restore her family’s large White Ash tree on their island home, saving it after it was badly damaged in the second so-called 100-year storms that had rocked the area within just two years. The tree is stronger and greener than it has ever been.

Walter Vergara is a climate specialist with long-standing interests in a variety of climate adaptation and mitigation topics. He is vice-president for Latin America for the Climate Institute. Prior to joining the Institute, Walter organized and directed the 20x20 initiative at the World Resources Institute (WRI), an ambitious, country-led land restoration effort aimed at substantially contributing to a reduction in the carbon footprint of land use and land use change activities in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

During his career Walter has authored or coauthored 14 books and numerous technical articles. His last publication was: “The Economic Argument for Land Restoration in Latin America,” published as a discussion paper by WRI. He was also a review editor in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report.

Mr. Vergara is a Chemical Engineer by training with degrees from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Cornell University. He serves on the Board of the American Bird Conservancy, Sustainable Harvest International and of the Fundación Natura.

Extra Credit: Isabel, Walter’s wife of 48 years, is an emeritus professor at George Washington University.

Jaime is a lover of the great outdoors and a conservationist. Originally inspired by the breadth of SHI's impact, he has been working with the organization on and off over the last 10 years. He seeks to to chart a path towards sustainable growth and scaling the organization's impact.

Jaime is a principal with BCE Consulting based in Falmouth, Maine. He leads BCE’s Social Sector practice area. He has ten years of experience in strategy, business operations, non-profit management, and corporate development. Additionally, he brings ten years of management consulting experience, working with clients in healthcare, technology, and public sectors. Jaime supports social sector clients with key strategic and operational issues, including philanthropic/impact strategy design, execution, and implementation, development and earned income strategy. His work has covered a wide range of mission areas, including sustainability, environmental stewardship, agriculture, community development, and corporate social responsibility.

Judith enthusiastically joined the board with a trip to Belize, after supporting SHI through donations for some years. She has worked, supported, and volunteered with many local nonprofits, and helped people outside of her community through Medical Missions. Now, Judith is retired and was diagnosed with osteo arthritis, but that does not stop her from going “off the beaten path.” She has a teaching degree from UC Berkeley, and her 44 years as a Registered Nurse (R.N.) included diverse experiences in medicine. After nursing, Judith decided to focus on agricultural, environmental, and humanitarian volunteer work, which is my passion. She volunteers for her local homeless shelter, farm, and the Red Cross. She also mentors youth and is part of her local garden club.

Extra Credit: Judith loves fashion, design, art, dancing, and adventures.