Meet The Crew 🌱
Nick Canino
Executive Director | Founder | Farmer
While he was introduced to gardening at a young age through his mom’s community plot in Seattle, Washington, it wasn’t until he graduated high school and worked on organic permaculture farms in New Zealand that his obsession with growing plants truly took root. While living on the North Island, he worked planting trees, maintaining perennial food crops, and building homes from cob.
He returned to the US in 2011 to attend the Johnston Center at the University of Redlands in California. There he worked with the school’s garden, where he spearheaded an independent study project to plant an orchard of apple, fig, plum, peach, pomegranate, and citrus trees. He also planted an herb garden outside the college cafe, initiated a composting effort amongst his peers, and – to the great delight of his roommate – kept a bin of composting worms in his dorm room.
Since he left university, he has dedicated his time to botany. He has worked as a farm manager, as well as designed and installed dozens of unique home-scale gardens across Oregon, Washington, and California. His main passion is working with unconventional edible plants. In particular, he is fascinated by the process of plant selection and understanding how growing conditions encourage new varieties to emerge and adapt to our changing climate.
As well as founding Rhythm Seed Farm, Nick is our in-house botanist, landscape designer, and permaculture expert.
Sachin Bangalore | Farm Manager
Sachin is a food systems educator and farm manager rooted in food sovereignty, justice, and collective care. At Rhythm Seed Farm, he supports seed saving, apprenticeship programs, and community education. His work spans India and the U.S., including food rescue, beekeeping, and garden-based learning.
Becca Westerly | Marketing & Communications Manger
Becca is a business strategist, facilitator, and community weaver rooted in equity, creativity, and collective growth. With over 10+ years of experience and an MBA in Sustainable Business, she supports organizations in building resilient systems and thriving cultures. Her work spans global cacao sourcing and chocolate making, community gatherings, and mission-driven business development.
Sophia Autumn | Community Liaison
Malik Coburn is a systems thinker and dynamic professional who specializes in program management, community engagement, and sustainability initiatives. With expertise in curriculum design, strategic planning, and fostering resilient systems, Malik bridges ecological and social solutions to drive equity & regeneration. They are passionate about cultivating spaces that prioritize care for earth, people, and resources through innovative and collaborative approaches.
Malik Coburn | Board President
Nancy Canino | Board Secretary & Treasurer
Nancy's background is in science, as a research scientist at the University of Washington and then a science and math teacher at Lakeside School in Seattle. She retired in 2021 and now lives on an organic food forest farm in Oso, Washington, where she spends many hours planting seeds and pruning fruit trees.
Ashley Bonn | Board Member
Ashley is an event producer, facilitator, and community leader based in Portland, Oregon. She is the founder of Conscious Growth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building community resilience through land-based education, cultural programming, and transformative gatherings across the Cascadia bioregion. With a background in sustainability education and nonprofit management, Ashley has spent the past decade designing and producing events that integrate ecological knowledge, community building, and cultural expression. Her work brings together diverse participants to engage in place-based learning and regenerative practices. Ashley’s approach is rooted in a deep respect for land, ancestry, and community, and is guided by the belief that culture can serve as a powerful pathway for ecological restoration and collective resilience.
