Travis Harding, Co-Founder & Lab Director
Travis is a native of northeast Ohio with an affinity for the natural world. He graduated from the University of Mount Union with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre. He has worked on the touring production of Lion King and for other professional theatres in New Orleans, Chicago, and Columbus. In 2007, Travis put his technical and performance skills to work in conservation education at Nature’s Classroom, and moved on to Camp Joy in 2009 to continue his efforts in helping students understand the importance and impact of their everyday choices. In 2013, he joined the Camp Joy maintenance team where he learned large scale composting practices, heavy machinery maintenance, creative problem solving, and campus-scale facility management. In 2014, he took the position of Fine Arts Facility Manager at his alma mater where he met his eventual partner in life and business, Lindsey. In his role at Mount Union, he coordinated student work teams to run box office, front of house, lighting, and sound for events in the newly constructed Giese Center for the Performing Arts. “While I enjoyed the challenge of being the facility’s inaugural manager, creating procedures from scratch and honing my technical skills on the building’s state-of-the-art systems, I am excited to turn my full-time attention to Tenderfoot’s mission.”
Dr. Lindsey Rudibaugh, Co-Founder & Executive Director
Tenderfoot is the convergence of Lindsey’s values, education, and experiences. A first-generation student from Appalachian Ohio, she earned her undergraduate degree in Spanish and served as a Spanish teacher at Beaver Local and Strasburg High Schools. She completed her Masters in Higher Education Administration at the University of Akron in 2010 and began working at the University of Mount Union’s Center for Global Education. In this position, she traveled extensively to recruit international students and to secure opportunities for domestic students to study abroad. Through time spent in the global south, Lindsey developed a strong commitment to social and environmental justice. Her interest in starting this educational non-profit drove her to pursue a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education at Prescott College and to seek more well-rounded experience in university administration. Since 2010, she has worked in diverse areas of higher education including international student services, admission, academic advising, study abroad advising, residence life, student activities, student conduct, leadership programming, classroom teaching, and experiential learning.
Luke Davin, Chef Educator
With a culinary degree from New York’s International Culinary Center and a Master’s in Education, Luke brings an ideal confluence of skills for leading Tenderfoot’s kitchen. His work experience spans continents and coasts, from Los Angeles to Japan to New York to Savannah. A native of Appalachian Pennsylvania, Luke treats our students to a diverse array of local and global flavors and cooking techniques using locally sourced and foraged ingredients. Ramen is a particular specialty, and his improvised Pond Pork, cooked with Beech leaves and cattails from our property, became an immediate signature dish. Luke’s wide-lens approach to food teaches students sustainable foodways ranging from foraging and fermentation, to using the whole plant, to honoring long-held cultural traditions.
Priscilla Roggenkamp,
Board President
Born in Bangor, Maine, Priscilla has lived in Maine, Ohio, Virginia and Arkansas. Priscilla is a visual artist who actively uses sustainable practices in her artmaking. She is an educator who has taught art and written curricula for all ages of students. Recently retired from Ashland University, she makes art, plays bass in the band, Rock Salt and Nails, and enjoys her farm and garden.
Anna Grabowsky, Board Secretary & Student Representative
Currently pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems with a minor in Finance at Ohio University, I’m passionate about community development. I am committed to ensuring sustainability in our operations and believe in the power of our collaborative work among the board members to continue Tenderfoot’s mission.
Dr. Jen Myers,
Board Member
Jen is a long-time sustainability educator and activist who has traveled the globe, learning and contributing to diverse approaches to sustainable community development. A Peace Corps alum and a graduate of Prescott College’s doctoral program in Sustainability Education, Jen serves as Visiting Assistant Professor and Sustainability Department Chair at Wells College in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
Sean Kidd, Board Member
You may recognize Sean as your local Bookmobile driver! Sean Michael Francis Kidd has lived and worked in Athens County for over a decade. With a work history ranging from food service to non-profit work, he has settled in as the Outreach Services Manager for the Athens County Public Library. As an alum of Leadership Athens County, a community development program led by the Athens County Foundation, Sean hopes to bring his knowledge of the needs and assets of Athens County to the table in his role as a Board Member. He currently resides with his wife in Athens, but plans to move to New Marshfield, where Tenderfoot happens to be located, to be closer to family. Sean earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio University and enjoys the outdoors through disc golf.
EllieAna Shanklin,
Board Member
EllieAna is a recent graduate of Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College. She earned her degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Law, Justice, and Culture. EllieAna is a well-rounded individual with a background of unique life experiences which contribute to her variety of strengths and passions. She takes pride in her strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and ability to understand and identify factors that hinder the health and wellbeing of underrepresented populations in society. Her love for the environment and her ability to be a systems thinker fuels her passion for environmental justice and the dire need to protect both people and the planet. In addition, she has a strong interest in the implementation of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge into climate change mitigation, and conducted her thesis on the topic. EllieAna is looking forward to bringing her skills and insight to the Tenderfoot Board and giving her time to this organization that greatly enriched her time in Athens.
Catherine Galla,
Board Secretary
Catherine recently earned an Environmental Studies degree at Ohio University. As a student, Catherine was involved on campus in environmental education efforts and immersed herself in the Athens community. Catherine’s journey with Tenderfoot started during the spring break program of 2022. She felt an instant connection to Tenderfoot’s mission, the land, and the people building this vision. Experiential learning has been the cornerstone of making learning objectives from the classroom come to life in the real world for all of Catherine’s education. She is a hands-on learner, always wanting to be able to make connections between content and lived experiences. Tenderfoot has helped make those connections through experiences Catherine gained spending time on the land. Catherine is excited to provide grant writing support during her time on the board.
Tenderfoot Learning Lab, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
9365 Five Points Rd, Athens, OH 45701 | (740) 664-7116 hello@tenderfootlearninglab.org