our Team
Staff
Earth Matter NY
Marisa DeDominicis
Co-founder &
Executive Director
Marisa has a BA in Business and Organizational Communications from Emerson College, Boston. She worked for the Trust for Public Land as an environmental educator and site coordinator for 18 years.
Charlie Bayrer
Co-founder &
Compost Operations Manager
Charlie has been an active community composter and gardener for 13 years. He was a co-chair of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust healthy soils initiative, which sampled and tested the soil in all 34 member gardens from 2007 to 2008.
Andrea Lieske
Zero Waste Island Manager
Andrea joined Earth Matter in 2013 as an apprentice and was fortunate enough to turn her passion for playing with microbes into a job. She has been an active composter and community garden member in Harlem since 2012, where she is a founding member of the compost group the Earth Picklers.
David Klein
Organics Recovery Coordinator
David initially volunteered through NY Cares to look after our chickens in the 2015 Winter season. In April 2015, David dedicated his time to complete our 200 hr compost apprenticeship program. Throughout his time with us, David regularly maintained a calm, thoughtful demeanor, determined to pursue work in the sustainability field.
Elena D’Amanda
Farm Co-Manager & Educator
Elena is a graduate of Farm School NYC and the Earth Matter Soil Start Farm’s Apprenticeship Program. Her experience in these programs strengthened her commitment to building community around equitable food access and nurturing a reciprocal relationship with the Earth.
Samantha Normandia
Compost Operator & Educator
Sammy joined the Earth Matter team during the Summer of 2022 as an Organics Recovery Coordinator. She has always been fascinated about natural processes and is dedicated to learning about them through the lens of intersectional environmentalism. She went to school for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona where she adopted her curiosity and admiration for the composting process. Through this work she is able to continue contributing towards our collective stewardship of the land with an inspiringly motivated community.
Bryen Pittner
Strategic Planner
Bryen was introduced to Earth Matter as a GreenThumb community garden composter in spring 2023. Hooked on the model and mission, Bryen wore various hats as an educator and fundraiser before taking a full-time role as Strategic Planner. By drawing on her experience as a planner, doula, performer, and community composter, Bryen is poised to support Earth Matter program development and implementation, funding and contracts, operations, external relations, and in field facilitation.
Tiffany Yu
Citywide Education Facilitator
Upon moving to NYC, Tiffany found her passion in community composting at Maple Street Community Garden in Brooklyn. Working outside with people, plants, and critters is one of her greatest joys, and she is passionate about helping Earth Matter reach people across all five boroughs.
Sakina Shahid
Island Education Facilitator
Sakina joined the Earth Matter team in 2024 as the Island Education Facilitator. She has a background in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health caring deeply about all levels of life on this planet. Back in Oregon, she has worked on several farms and converted her front lawn into a food forest!
Jessica Wang
Community Composting Administrative Manager
Jessica joined the Earth Matter team in 2024 as a Compost Project Administrative Manager. She has a MS in Accounting and is passionate about working within the sustainability field, particularly on materials recovery and circularity. She previously worked at the NYC Department of Sanitation on various programs to increase business and school participation in recycling and composting.
Courtney Scheffler
Compost Operator
Courtney has experience operating a tractor and running food scrap drop offs as a compost coordinator and hauler. She is a member of the Whole Neighborhood Community Garden. Courtney was a 2024 Brooklyn Queens Land Trust Youth Education and Engagement Fellow where she led workshops and hands-on experience for young people while supporting the work of community gardens. She is passionate about compost education and experience being free and accessible to all.
Kristine Dunn
Development Associate
Kris began working on development and communications projects at Earth Matter in 2025. During her path from an early career in public libraries and creative small businesses across the city, she developed a passion for community-focused work and sustainable operations. With years of experience building partnerships across NYC, Kris believes in helping individuals own their power to create lasting environmental change.
Sandra Watanabe
Reuse Coordinator and Lavender Field Coordinator
Sandra (she/her) loves community gardening and community composting for its ability to unite diverse people as well as its vital role in making our city more equitable, resilient, and sustainable. She came to Earth Matter in the Spring of 2022 as a GreenThumb Farm and Compost Apprentice, participated in the Zero Waste Island Internship that Fall, and continues to contribute to and support Earth Matter’s mission and work with the Zero Waste Island and Lavender Field teams.