Kendall Runyan (she/they)
Business Administrator
businessadministrator@lostvalley.org

Kendall Runyan serves as the Business Administrator at Lost Valley, where she has worked in various administrative roles for over two years. In this position, she focuses on improving organizational management systems and administrative processes.

Kendall is passionate about dynamic governance systems and appreciates Lost Valley's commitment to fostering harmonious relationships with both the natural environment and community members. She strongly believes in the organization's mission as an educational center and its potential to demonstrate alternatives to extractive societal practices.

With a bachelor's degree in political science and certifications in permaculture design and sociocratic facilitation, Kendall brings diverse experience to her role. Her background includes extensive work in education, particularly with children, and administrative experience in a county elections office. She also completed an internship with C-SPAN, enhancing her understanding of media and public service.

Additionally, Kendall is an organizing member of a local Regenerate Cascadia hub, working to promote bioregional relationships and sustainable futures.

Brian Byers (he/him)
Executive Director, Land Steward & PDC Lead Instructor
executivedirector@lostvalley.org
landsteward@lostvalley.org

Brian Byers is a permaculture designer, educator, and activist with over a decade of experience in sustainable agriculture and forestry within the Willamette Valley. As a passionate advocate for building resilient communities, reconnecting individuals to the natural world, and fostering a sense of place, Brian brings a holistic, systems-based approach to all of his work.

Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Gutenberg College and has studied permaculture with regional experts including Andrew Millison, Heiko Koester, Hazel Ward, and Jude Hobbs. He is a certified permaculture designer with advanced certifications in surveying, earthworks design, forestry, and teaching.

Since 2016, Brian has served as the lead instructor for the Lost Valley Permaculture Design Course (PDC). His tenure at Lost Valley also includes roles as Garden Manager (2014–2016), Land Steward (2019–present), and Executive Director (2022–present). In these capacities, Brian has enjoyed supporting the organization’s mission to promote ecological and social resilience through education, land stewardship, and community engagement.

Nathaniel Nordin-Tuininga (he/him, ki/kin)
Education Director
educationdirector@lostvalley.org

Nathaniel Nordin-Tuininga is a long-time environmental educator. He spent much of his childhood learning directly from 1200 acres of meadows and forests and from the elders who helped him cultivate a deep reverence for the more-than-human world. His life has been an ongoing exploration of alternative educational models, including indigenous practices still used in many “developing” nations, which rely heavily on the interaction between children and the natural world. He holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon, two degrees in Early Childhood and Grades Education from Waldorf Teacher Education Eugene, and an Ecovillage and Permaculture Certification from Lost Valley Educational Center. He is also certified as a Somatic Movement Educator. Nathaniel brings patience, joy, and an intimate appreciation for the ecological interdependence of life.

Glen Carlberg (he/him)
Internship Coordinator
internshipcoordinator@lostvalley.org

Glen Carlberg joined Lost Valley as Internship Coordinator in May 2024, bringing a unique focus on how individuals develop through their relationships with both land and community. In his role, he emphasizes personal growth and empowerment, focusing on how to authentically pursue what calls to us most deeply – including understanding how setting boundaries can help us better commit to our deepest values.

As Internship Coordinator, Glen creates intentional spaces where interns and community members can share deeply and feel witnessed in their journey of connecting with the land and the more-than-human world. His approach draws from decades of experience working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, where he honed his organizational, managerial, and communication skills. This background enables him to support interns in creating fulfilling and harmonious experiences at LV. Glen finds particular joy in composting – both literally and metaphorically. Whether working with forest and garden materials or helping transform challenging human experiences, he appreciates the process of converting what's no longer needed into nourishment for future growth.

Holly Glaspey (she/her)
Visitor Coordinator
visit@lostvalley.org

Holly Glaspey is the visitor coordinator at Lost Valley. She moved to LV with her husband and two sons in July of 2024, and began this role in January 2025. She has long held an interest in sustainable design principles, and is passionate about designing and living within systems that are respectful of earth’s relationships and processes. Living at Lost Valley provides a path for living out these values. The visitor coordinator role is especially exciting to Holly because it allows her to welcome interested parties to see the Lost Valley approach to these sustainable living principles and other aligned ideas, such as permaculture, nonviolent communication and sociocracy. Holly has a degree in graphic design from Portland State University and a minor in communication. Running her own freelance graphic design business for a decade gave Holly ample chance to learn to be organized, manage multiple priorities simultaneously, and to be inviting when communicating with potential new friends or business allies.

Elizabeth Maragioglio (she/her)
Outreach Coordinator
outreach@lostvalley.org

Elizabeth Maragioglio serves as the Outreach Coordinator at Lost Valley Education Center, where she manages social media, marketing, and community relationships. Her vision is to establish Lost Valley as a hub for sustainability learning, helping people discover the wealth of resources and opportunities available at LV.

Elizabeth finds deep joy in her unique workplace environment, particularly her morning commutes through the meadow during camas blooming season in May. She draws inspiration from working alongside passionate colleagues who bring their authentic selves to stewarding the 87-acre permaculture project and fostering an enriching community life. Elizabeth particularly values the energy and fresh perspectives that students and interns bring to the community, and she delights in seeing them engage with Lost Valley's diverse offerings, from natural building workshops to willow weaving and DIY solar batteries.

Her background includes a BA in International Relations from John Cabot University in Rome, Italy, where she developed a deep appreciation for food systems and the slow food movement, reinforcing her understanding of local food, land stewardship, and community engagement.

Theo Lane (they/them)
Maintenance Staff and Health & Safety Coordinator
theol@lostvalley.org
hscoordinator@lostvalley.org

Theo is part of our Maintenance Staff and is also our Health, Safety, & Resilience Coordinator. They have been at LV since 2023 and bring a decade+ of experience from various technical roles at startups, and enterprise class organizations throughout the SF Bay Area. They have a strong curiosity for systems and love of puzzle solving that they bring to everything that they do. They enjoy videogames, media dissections, growing plants, building things, and helping others.

Leanna Sadin (she/they)
Grants Manager
grantsmanager@lostvalley.org

Leanna began the role as Grants Manager after completing two internships and the Permaculture Design Course at Lost Valley in 2023. These learning opportunities were deeply transformative as they offered a pathway toward a more community-centered and ecologically oriented way of living. As grants manager, Leanna helps to secure funding opportunities that support Lost Valley’s goals to provide accessible education in permaculture, conserve and restore native ecosystems, and strengthen community resilience. 

Leanna has a bachelor's degree in sociology and a background in sustainability consulting. While her previous work involved international sustainability projects, her current work focuses on weaving local relationships for slow and small solutions. With a passion for social and environmental justice, Leanna loves that her work is oriented around finding and implementing initiatives that support food sovereignty, land stewardship, community health, and connection with the more-than-human world. Outside of work at Lost Valley, Leanna loves foraging and exploring in the forest, working on the land and in the gardens, and making music with friends.

Kelson Gorman (he/him)
Garden Manager
gardens@lostvalley.org

Kelson is the Garden Manager at Lost Valley, where he oversees agricultural systems that promote food security, resilience, education, and research. He fosters a learning environment focused on permaculture and agroecological approaches to local food systems. Kelson emphasizes the importance of building relationships with the more-than-human world and the role of stewardship grounded in place.

Passionate about collaboration, Kelson works alongside community members to create a compassionate world that supports future generations. He stands in solidarity with global agroecological movements advocating for just, sustainable food systems that prioritize local communities over profit.

Kelson has a degree in Sociology and Philosophy from the University of Oregon, as well as a strong foundation in Latin American Indigenous movements. His experience includes working on multiple farms through WWOOF and permaculture programs in Central America, and earning a permaculture design certificate. Kelson completed a six-month internship at Lost Valley in 2024 and has extensive experience in community gardens.

Outside of gardening, he enjoys rafting, backpacking, basketball, and mutual aid work.