Co-Founder

Amanda C.

Amanda (she/her) is the co founder of Proudly Rooted Collective, owner of True You Studio in downtown Wake Forest, and the co founder of Wake Forest Pride.

Amanda loves plants, but is excited to learn more with the Proudly Rooted community as it grows. Grateful for expertise from friends where she is lacking in knowledge, her desire to build this garden comes from a simple hope: to turn unused land into a place of connection, learning, food, friendship, and inclusive community care. For her, the garden is about more than growing plants. It is about creating a space where neighbors can meet, learn from one another, and show up as themselves.

Outside of work and community projects, Amanda serves on the Mayor’s Roundtable and the Human Relations Council, loves thrifting, live music, spiritual/woo woo reflection, creative projects, and spending time with her wife, Courtney, and their fur babies.

Co-Founder

Hayley L.

Hayley (she/her) is the proud owner of Living Roots, LLC; a plant and landscaping business built from her lifelong passion for plants. With more than 20 years of landscaping experience, Hayley began her career working with Capstone Landscaping, a family owned landscaping company. 
Over the years she has expanded her knowledge base by obtaining a Master Gardening and Landscaping Certificate through NC State, Pesticide Licenses and by getting hands on learning with nursery experience. Hayley truly loves growing plants.

Living Roots started as a small backyard nursery where she enjoyed growing edible plants like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Hayley really shines when interacting with her customers; she enjoys sharing her experience and knowledge. Hayley believes that experimenting is the first step to success in a garden and landscape. For Hayley, starting the community garden is truly about community engagement and being able to teach and provide for others. Through this initiative, she  hopes to help cultivate not just a space where we learn about plants, but a deeper rooted connection with the community.

Operations Support

Jamie B.

Jamie (she/her) is a native plant enthusiast who brings her curiosity, care, and love for local ecosystems to the community garden. Originally from sunny San Diego, California, Jamie has called Wake Forest home since 2018 and has embraced the region’s vibrant plant life with open arms.

During the workweek, Jamie applies her analytical mind as a business analyst for a local bank. Outside of her 9–5, you’re most likely to find her tending to her own garden, walking her three dogs, reading a good book, knitting something cozy, or unwinding with video games.

Jamie joined the community garden to connect with fellow plant people who share her passion for food security and for showing love through action. She believes that growing food together strengthens both the land and the community, and she’s excited to help cultivate both.

Seeds & Systems Lead

Rachel K.

Rachel (she/her) believes gardens can do more than grow food — they can grow community.

Growing up in a military family that moved every 2-4 years taught her to appreciate different people, places, and perspectives from an early age. That experience shaped her love for travel, connection, and creating welcoming spaces where everyone feels respected and included.

Nature is where she recharges. Rachel loves traveling to different countries to experience a new culture different from my own, meet and learn from others, and try amazing food. Hiking, being in the mountains (shout out to her home state of Colorado with some real mountains!). There’s something healing about being outside. Along with watching her own garden evolve through the seasons — especially seeing perennials return and expand year after year.

Rachel also holds a certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture from UNC - Chapel Hill, which deepened her understanding of the connection between nature, wellness, and community care.

Rachel joined this garden because she wanted to help create a safe, affirming space for all people, especially within the LGBTQ+ community. Rachel is passionate about helping others learn, connect, and feel at home here.

As the Seeds & Systems Lead, Rachel helps with organization, communication, seed knowledge, and building sustainable systems that support the long-term growth of the garden and the community around it.