EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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Akshita is a dedicated community organizer and public health advocate. With a Master's in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and dual Bachelor's degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Akshita's expertise spans both local and global perspectives. As a Global Atlantic Fellow, she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for community-driven change to her work with The 6th Branch, embodying our organization's values of community partnership, environmental stewardship, and equitable development.

URBAN CANOPY PROGRAM MANGER

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Colin has been an integral part of The 6th Branch since November 2011, starting as a volunteer and taking on various roles within the organization. He graduated from Stevenson University in 2012 with a degree in Public History.

Colin's commitment to service led him to complete two years with AmeriCorps, including service with the Clean Energy Service Corps in Austin, Texas, and as a VISTA with The 6th Branch, where he played a key role in establishing the Oliver Community Farm. During his time with The 6th Branch, Colin pursued further education, earning his Master's in Public Administration with a focus on Public/Nonprofit Management from the University of Baltimore in 2021.

With Liz's arrival to the team, Colin transitioned into the role of Urban Canopy Program Manager while continuing to oversee volunteer opportunities. You can often find him wearing his signature orange hat, caring for and planting trees across our sites and neighborhoods.

Colin's dedication exemplifies our organization's values of service, community engagement, and environmental stewardship.

COMMUNITY FARMING PROGRAM MANAGER

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Liz joined our team in late spring 2022 as the Community Farming Program Manager, overseeing all farm sites. Prior to her farming journey, she pursued Mechanical Engineering and worked in the field for several years before relocating to Baltimore.

In 2017, Liz began her farming career at Whitelock Community Farm in West Baltimore while participating in the Future Harvest Beginner Farmer Training Program. She then served as the Field Manager at Butterbee Farm, a wholesale commercial cut-flower operation. Now, she's returned to growing vegetables alongside flowers and is thrilled to work with the East Baltimore community in the pursuit of food justice.

Liz's diverse background and dedication to sustainable agriculture perfectly align with our values of community engagement and environmental stewardship.

COMMUNITY FARMING PROGRAM COORDINATOR

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After four years in Baltimore's real estate title industry following her economics studies in DC, Grace found her passion with The 6th Branch in 2022. Starting as a volunteer in the Urban Canopy program, she quickly embraced the organization's mission.

After volunteering with Liz on the farm sites, she then worked as an intern for the farming program, gaining valuable hands-on experience. Transitioning into full-time farming, Grace embarked on a journey of learning under Liz's guidance and the support of Future Harvest’s Beginner Farming Training Program. She's thrilled to merge her love for community engagement with sustainable agriculture in her newfound role.

CHESAPEAKE CONSERVATION & CLIMATE CORPS.

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Elspeth studied Environmental Health at the University of Richmond where she developed a passion for community advocacy through conducting research and implementing programs with Indigenous peoples in Kenya and Amazonia. These passions led her to work with human trafficking survivors at a local NGO in Lao PDR for the past year. Elspeth is excited to be in Baltimore as a part of the Chesapeake Conservation & Climate Corps program, learning more about community organizing, farming, food equity, and institutional histories of inequality through The 6th Branch’s community-centric farming and outreach programs.

JHU Community Impact Internship Program

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Jeremy is a rising senior at Johns Hopkins University studying environmental science. They joined The 6th Branch in 2024 and are excited to incorporate their love for community service with their passion for sustainability. They look forward to gaining hands-on agricultural skills and expanding their knowledge of urban food systems! After they graduate college, they plan to pursue a masters' degree in urban planning, with foci in sustainable urban development and transportation equity.