Our Team
We bring different perspectives to the table, but we’re united by a love for purposeful work, thoughtful design, and real connection.
VERONICA PETTY
Founder | Executive DirectorVeronica leads initiatives centered on urban growing, regenerative practices, and community-based food education. For nearly a decade, she has nurtured growth, healing, and connection through the power of gardening. A Certified Texas Master Gardener (2024) and current Whole Farm/Ranch Trainer-in-Training with Holistic Management International, Veronica combines hands-on growing experience with intentional program design to help families grow food in small and urban spaces.
With a professional background as a Commercial Senior Claims Adjuster and a B.A. in Business, Veronica brings strong leadership, structure, and strategic planning into her work. Her passion is rooted in stewardship, connecting people to the land, improving health outcomes, and creating systems that support long-term community resilience. She is committed to expanding access to food and land, strengthening communities, and promoting sustainability through education and collaboration, with a focus on helping families grow together.
AMMIE BIRD
PresidentAs the Owner and Operator of 3 Birds Ranch LLC and a retired District Operations Manager with Waste Management, Ammie brings strong leadership, agricultural resources, operational expertise, and emotional intelligence to Simply Grace Gardens Foundation. She is passionate about helping Black families reconnect with their roots and believes that families who grow and care for their own food together build stronger communication, deeper connection, and healthier foundations.
Through her role, she hopes to lead by example and inspire individuals and families to invest in land ownership, financial literacy, sustainability, and legacy-building. Her passion for gardening began by watching her grandmothers garden as a child and deepened through personal loss, which led her to study the connection between food and health. She chose to leave a successful corporate career to purchase land and grow her own food, believing this path can help families reduce health risks and reclaim wellness. She believes that as future generations gain these life skills, communities will experience greater financial freedom, self-sufficiency, and generational wealth.
NATASHA WILLIAMS
As an Elementary School Registrar, Natasha manages daily operations while supporting students, families, and staff with leadership, organization, and care. Her professional background has strengthened her skills in administration, communication, and community engagement, all of which she brings to Simply Grace Gardens Foundation. Natasha offers strong leadership, office management, and community-building experience, along with a lifelong passion for education and empowering others. She has believed for more than 30 years in teaching people how to grow their own food and live more sustainably from the land.
Through her role, she hopes to inspire families to take control of the food they place on their tables and embrace the belief that food can be a source of healing and wellness. Natasha believes this work will create lasting generational impact by helping families become less dependent on grocery stores and more empowered to grow, sustain, and trust their own healthy food sources, leading to stronger families and healthier communities
Vice President
SHENIQUA MCNACK
TreasurerAs a professional makeup artist and owner of 1118 Makeup Bar, LLC, as well as Co-Founder of MCN Financial Group, Sheniqua brings a dynamic blend of entrepreneurship, business leadership, and financial insight to Simply Grace Gardens Foundation. With hands-on experience in both the beauty and finance industries, she offers valuable expertise in management, budgeting, and strategic growth. She is passionate about helping communities return to healthy roots while educating youth on the importance of nutrition and wellness.
Her vision is to create peace of mind, economic opportunity, and additional income for those involved, while inspiring others to understand the value of gardening and producing their own food. She believes that once this knowledge spreads, positive community impact can grow rapidly and create lasting change.
DEJA SAINTILUS
SecretaryAs a Financial Services Consultant at TIAA and a Graphic Designer, she brings a strong combination of customer service, communication, creativity, and organizational skills to Simply Grace Gardens Foundation. Her experience in both corporate and entrepreneurial spaces allows her to effectively understand partners’ needs, build relationships, and support the organization’s growth. She is passionate about the mission of SGG Foundation because she has seen firsthand how many urban communities struggle financially, especially later in life, and believes the foundation provides real solutions that create hope, stability, and self-sufficiency.
Through her role, she hopes to make a lasting impact by helping equip communities with the tools, confidence, and guidance needed to grow and thrive. As a new gardener, she finds inspiration in watching seedlings break through the soil, a reminder that growth comes through persistence, resilience, and reaching for the light. She believes this work will help restore valuable knowledge, strengthen community connections, and preserve independence for future generations.
JACQUELINE BENNETT
Governing ChairWith a professional background in insurance, she brings years of experience in medical leave administration, supply chain management, accounting, policy creation, and research to Simply Grace Gardens Foundation. Her diverse skill set includes organizational leadership, accounts payable and receivable, operational systems, crop harvesting, and community service. She is passionate about the mission of Simply Grace Gardens because of the awareness it brings to critical community issues such as health disparities caused by limited access to healthy food options.
Through her role, she hopes to help navigate governmental processes, develop policies and procedures, and create new opportunities that support the foundation’s long-term growth and impact. Personally inspired by the organization’s mission, she views Simply Grace Gardens as a blueprint for healthy living and enjoys preparing nutritious meals for her family, hiking, and spending time in nature. She believes this work will create lasting change by addressing overlooked food and health inequities while bringing real solutions to the community.
JESSICA BENNETT
Director of OperationsServing as the Director of Operations for Simply Grace Gardens Foundation, Jessica is an experienced operations strategist with a background in business operations, compliance, process management, training, and team development. As the founder of Pink Print Strategy and a board member of Free to Live, she brings strong leadership and nonprofit governance experience to the organization. She is deeply passionate about SGG Foundation because she believes in addressing the systemic challenges affecting underserved Black and Brown communities, particularly around food access, health, and generational well-being. Jessica is committed to building structure, strengthening teams, and ensuring every member understands how to contribute effectively to the mission.
Through her role, she focuses on unifying people, improving systems, and helping individuals excel in their positions while working toward a shared purpose. She believes this work will help communities unlearn harmful cycles, rebuild through education and collaboration, and create long-term improvements in health, behavior, and self-sufficiency.
PATRICIA RAY
Director of FundraisingA dedicated nurse by profession, urban farmer, and herbalist, Tricia brings a powerful blend of health knowledge, agricultural experience, and community leadership to Simply Grace Gardens Foundation. Passionate about education, service, and empowerment, she is committed to advancing the founder’s vision and supporting the organization’s mission through values she deeply believes in.
Tricia is focused on helping navigate challenges, developing successful strategies, and ensuring the foundation remains rooted in its purpose and “why.” With a love for urban farming and inspiring others to grow their own food, she is driven by the belief that our collective impact will create stronger, healthier, and food-secure communities.
Serving as the Community Outreach Director for Simply Grace Gardens Foundation, Lajia Moore, affectionately known as Ifa Bunnmi, is a community-centered leader, spiritual mentor, and advocate dedicated to creating meaningful impact through service, connection, and empowerment. With a strong background in community engagement, event coordination, leadership development, and grassroots outreach, she brings passion, authenticity, and vision to the organization’s mission.
As the founder of initiatives focused on healing, empowerment, and unity among Black and Brown communities, Ifa Bunnmi is deeply committed to helping individuals feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow. Her work centers around building safe spaces that encourage wellness, personal development, spiritual balance, and collective healing. Through organizing community events, volunteer efforts, women’s empowerment experiences, and outreach programs, she continues to bridge gaps and strengthen relationships throughout the community.
She is passionate about the mission of SGG Foundation because she believes true change begins with people having access to resources, education, support systems, and opportunities that encourage long-term growth and self-sufficiency. Her leadership style is rooted in compassion, collaboration, and creating environments where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute.
Through her role, Ifa Bunnmi focuses on strengthening community partnerships, increasing outreach efforts, and developing impactful programs that encourage healing, connection, and transformation. She believes that by bringing people together through service, education, and intentional community-building, lasting change can be created for future generations.
Community Outreach Director