Growing Licking County one garden at a time.
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Meet Our Board
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Board Officers
TABITHA HANCOCK
President
Board Member since November 2016
Tabitha is a life-long resident of Newark, where she lives with her husband and three children. She is an IT Security Leader at UberEther. She received her Business Administration degree from Mount Vernon University with a focus in Leadership. She is very active in her church (Christian Apostolic Church) and serves in children’s ministries.
Stephen Gombos
Secretary
Board Member since January 2023
Stephen Gombos is the Laboratory Manager at Licking Memorial Hospital in Newark Ohio. He completed his Medical Laboratory Science Degree at Kent State. In 2013 he joined the Licking Memorial Laboratory Team, and in 2015 he became the Chemistry Supervisor. He led a 2 and a half year investigation into new chemistry equipment that resulted in major laboratory renovations and the implementation of state of the art technology. He was named Laboratory Manager in 2018, and Laboratory Director in 2022. In 2021 He was named one of Newark’s Top 20 under 40 for his role in helping the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also serves on the Ohio Department of Education’s Industry Advisory Committee for review of health science technologies career field technical content of standards, where he reviews and revises curriculum in Ohio Technical Schools.
He lives in Hanover with his wife Rebeca and two daughters Leah and Rayna where every spring they plant a garden full of tomatoes, peppers and pumpkins.
SHANE HANCOCK
Vice President
Board Member since October 2019
Shane Hancock teaches chemistry and forensic science at Licking Valley High School. He is a life-long resident of Newark but loves to travel the world with his wife and two daughters at every opportunity. He is a licensed minister at Christian Apostolic Church and chair of the Youth Boosters Scholarship Committee. Whenever time affords he enjoys playing the cello.
JENNY WARD
Treasurer
Board Member since October 2021
Jenny currently lives in New Concord, OH where she has lived her whole life. She and her husband, Dave, have two children, Donnie and Jessica, and five cats that are like children to them. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Business from Muskingum University. Her banking career began in 1996 and she has worked within various departments over the years, including Accounting and Internal Audit. She is currently a VP at Park National Bank. During COVID, she started a small business making and selling wreaths. In her spare time, she volunteers at New Concord’s Food Pantry.
Board Members
MELANIE DUGGINS
Board Member since July 2017
Melanie Duggins is retired from Computer Science and Adult Ed teaching careers and hopes to positively impact the lives of the community around her. As a result of switching to a healthier diet, her health was greatly improved and so she desires to share how food affects our quality of life.
SAM SEEDS
Board Member since November 2021
Sam Seeds is an attorney at the Hayes Law Offices, Inc. LPA specializing in estate planning, probate law, and small business law. Sam grew up in Granville and, after graduating from Indiana University, Maurer School of Law, is excited to be back in Licking County to engage with and serve his community through Together We Grow Gardens. Sam is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Licking County Bar Association, and has been involved with Camp O’Bannon. Sam lives in Granville with his wife, Samantha, son, Jackson, and three dogs.
MARY LOLLO
Board Member since Decemeber 2018
Mary has worked for Newark City Schools for almost 30 years. She is an active member of the 20th Century Club and Camp O’Bannon where she has held many offices over the years. She is a member of the Licking County Republican Executive Committee and was Executive Secretary for 15 years. She also served on the Licking County Board of Elections for eight years and has been active in many campaigns over the years. Mary is happily married to Tim Lollo and has one adult daughter. In her free time she enjoys traveling, gardening, reading and crafting.
RENETTA SHAFFER
Board Member since May 2020
Renetta Shaffer is a life-long resident of Utica. Gardening is in her blood, and was instrumental in her family being able to eat abundantly as a child where her family raised about an acre of garden, and NOTHING went to waste. Restaurant work has aided in Renetta’s love for cooking and experiencing different foods, and thus, leads back to the garden to raise all kinds of healthy foods. Her passion, along with her husband, Dr. Scott Shaffer, is to help people get back to cooking and eating natural foods and getting healthy through what we put in our mouths!!
Renetta is a house manager for our very generous donors, Shawn and Laura King, who first introduced her to Together We Grow Community Gardens. She also works with her husband as office manager in Shaffer Chiropractic in Utica.
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JERI GOOD
Board Member since July 2022
Trae Brooks
Board Member since January 2023
Jeri Good retired from Nestlé USA in the Los Angeles area where she worked in the Communications and Digital division. Jeri grew up in Newark and moved back to the area in 2020. She also serves on the board of the Licking County Community Center and Catholic Social Services. She enjoys volunteering at the Midland Theater, Newark Police Citizens Academy, and the Downtown Newark Association. Jeri was a first time gardener in 2022 and encourages others to give it a try.
Luther (Trae) Brooks III is a Senior Business Development representative, Strategic Deterrence Systems, Missile and Weapon Systems. He manages day-to-day sales, marketing and business development for the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile – the nation’s continuous land-based nuclear deterrent since 1958 – and navigation and guidance systems for the U.S. Air Force bombers and Navy submarines of the nuclear triad.
Brooks holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and a Masters of Business Administration, both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach, FL. Additionally, he is a Certified Aircraft Appraiser and Certified Motorcycle Safety Instructor.
Lance Humphrey
Board Member since June 2023
Lance Humphrey is a retired Veteran of the United States Air Force. Within his 20 years of service, he managed multiple crews for Flight Line Operations in both training and deployed theaters. Of the many places around the world that he was stationed, his family’s favorite location was living in a small village just North of Venice, Italy. After retirement in 2019 he returned home to Newark Ohio where he was born and raised. He now manages all plant functions at the Hebron Facility for Tectum Inc - Armstrong World Industries. Happily married to his wife Shannon of 23 years they are blessed with four amazing children, Preston, Piper, Poet and Patience. When Lance is not at cheerleading events with his daughters or at the track with his son, he enjoys working in his garage on restoration projects.