Who We Are

Alessandra Rolffs has her PhD in English, Creative Writing with an emphasis in ecoliterature. With her husband, she grows vegetables, herbs and cut flowers at Hoot Blossom Farm on Washington Island. Raised in California, Alessandra has lived in the midwest for more than a decade and yet, the changing seasons still surprise and delight her every year.

As Gathering Ground’s first executive director, Alessandra is excited to be a part of Gathering Ground’s growing educational and community programs. When she is not working in her garden or at Gathering Ground, you can find her throwing rocks into the lake with her two sons.

Russell was recovering from completing an MA in philosophy from the University of Chicago when he discovered that he needed to be outdoors more to feel fulfilled. He taught high school for over ten years. In addition to managing the farm at Gathering Ground, Russell runs Washington Island’s Hoot Blossom Farm with his wife, Alessandra.

Russell is passionate about growing good food and pondering how humans can live within the ecological bounds of the earth.

Jeannie Kokes combines two loves as a founding board member of Gathering Ground: her deep connection with our environment and a passion for volunteer service. In her earlier years, she directed a nonprofit organization of over 300 volunteers supporting parents in crisis. Later as a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Chicago, she taught and supported sustainable practices in communication between people. Like emeritus board member Sue Dompke, a friend and fellow widow, she initiated a wholly different career about seven years ago when she purchased Hotel Washington. With a team of kindred spirits, she created a space to reconnect people with nature, themselves and each other. Gathering Ground is another way to connect to the Island community by supporting a land ethic and practices that balance preservation with progress for generations to come.

Miranda Dahlke lives on Washington Island and is the middle and high school science teacher at Washington Island School. Dahlke has been an instrumental part of Washington Island, earning thousands of dollars in grants from Samsung as a part of their Solve for Tomorrow initiative. In 2019, Washington Island won the state competition as Dahlke’s students tackled the town’s wastewater concerns. The school’s involvement in the program allowed Dahlke to participate in a special teacher cohort with Samsung. With her husband, Jake, she runs WIS-CO coffee shop. 

Margaret became a full-time, year-round island resident 40 years ago, when she married Kirby, a life-long islander.  Together, Margaret and Kirby raised their daughter Lydia on the island, where Margaret taught in various capacities. Margaret is especially devoted to Gathering Ground because of its commitment to education and partnership with the Washington Island School. Now, with grandchildren also growing up here, she looks to maintain and grow the island’s long history of strong ties to preserving its beauty and bounty.  Margaret is proud to be a member of an organization dedicated to sustainable practices, intended to simultaneously protect and utilize what these beautiful lands offer, while continually studying, learning, and disseminating knowledge to the entire community.  She hopes this work will benefit the island’s people, lands, and waters for many generations.

Karen Yancey is a conservationist and journalist. She is the executive director of the Geneva Lake Conservancy, spearheading the protection of almost 1,000 acres of land. Under her leadership, the organization earned the Wisconsin Land Trust of the Year award in 2020. She served for 16 years on the Door County Land Trust board of directors and led its Washington Island Project Committee from 2000-2010. Ms. Yancey has also worked as a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Chicago Tribune and Gannett Wisconsin Media.  She currently serves as the President of the Washington Island Observer and as a member of the Washington Island Literary Festival Committee. She and her family have enjoyed spending summers at their Washington Island farmhouse for almost 30 years, where she loves to work in her garden, read on the front porch or kayak with her husband to Rock Island.

Zuzka is a community member. She moved across the world from Slovakia in 2007 to be with her husband Kraig. She loves her family and living on Washington Island. She has been gardening all her life and continues to do so in her new home on Washington Island.

Zuzka’s priority is the Island community and its sustainability.  She loves what this Island has to offer to young families. She hopes to make a difference, and to make this an even better place for everyone.

Casey Dahl is an experienced farmer and tree enthusiast, especially fond of chestnut and apple trees. A graduate of Michael Fields, he has been working with trees for more than 15 years in a variety of settings, including planting his own chestnut and hazelnut orchard, Feral Farm, in Southern Wisconsin. He works at Island Orchard Cider, managing their orchard on the Island.

John and his wife, Jane, retired to the island in 2021 after careers with the U.S. Department of State.  After many years of living overseas in foreign capitals, John is looking forward to more rural pursuits such as having a garden, raising bees, making maple syrup and being a good steward of John and Jane’s bit of forest.