Our team
Behind the work of 21 Roots Farm is a dedicated board and staff who share responsibility for guiding and sustaining the mission.
Board members generously volunteer their time, expertise, and leadership, while the 21 roots staff bring the mission to life each day through hands-on work, care, and collaboration. Together, they ensure the farm remains a welcoming place where everyone belongs and has the opportunity to thrive.
Our board
Matt Bergan
Board President
Matt has served on the 21 Roots Farm board since 2025 and has been a volunteer at the farm since 2022. He recently retired from Medtronic after a 36-year career, where he held roles including Research Scientist, Clinical Quality Manager, and Global Program Manager.
Matt and his wife, who also volunteers at the farm, live in Forest Lake, with their two adult children residing in the Twin Cities metro area. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, both from the University of Minnesota, and volunteers locally with the Forest Lake Area Good Samaritans organization.
Matt and his wife regularly contribute to 21 Roots with woodworking projects, facility maintenance, and—most importantly—connecting with the farmers each week. He is excited to support the long-term sustainability and future growth of 21 Roots Farm.
Kayna Plaisted
Board Member
Kayna Plaisted is the Regional Professional Development Specialist at BrightWorks, where she leads the metro region’s Minnesota Low Incidence initiatives. Over the course of her career in special education, she has served in many roles, including Classroom Teacher, Instructional Coach, and Adjunct Instructor.
Kayna’s passion for advocacy is deeply personal. She grew up alongside her three siblings with disabilities and has worked closely with families outside of school settings, experiences that continue to shape her commitment to inclusive education and support.
Since 2019, Kayna has been an active member of the 21 Roots Farm community, sharing meaningful experiences with her brother Mason, an adult with Down syndrome. The farm has become a bright and important place in Mason’s life, offering friendship, confidence, and purpose through hands-on farm work. The joy the farm brings him is unmistakable—often expressed through squeals of excitement during programming—and those moments continue to inspire Kayna and all who witness the beauty of his experience.
Jayson Smart
Board Member
Jayson Smart has dedicated his career to the charitable nonprofit and public sectors, with experience spanning disability advocacy, family support, public health, and arts administration. He currently serves as Managing Director of Programs at Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.
In 2018, Jayson and his family relocated to Minnesota from Alaska, where they raised their three children. Their oldest son, Andrew, lives with an intellectual disability and a rare genetic condition known as ATRX Syndrome. Through supporting Andrew, the family was introduced to 21 Roots Farm in 2023.
Andrew participates in seasonal programming, including the Farm Enrichment program, and the family enjoys farm events such as the Holiday Market, apple picking, and Concert on the Farm. Jayson joined the 21 Roots Farm Board at the beginning of 2025, where he contributes to fundraising efforts and supports the organization’s broader mission and governance.
Dave Ott
Board Member
Dave Ott grew up in Deer River, a small town in northern Minnesota, before moving to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota. While earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism in 1994, he spent five seasons playing trumpet in the University of Minnesota Marching Band.
After graduating, Dave spent eight years working in various marketing roles before joining Collins Associates, a reinsurance intermediary, in 2002. He currently works at Aon, where he leads the U.S. Agriculture team and represents clients who insure crop and livestock risks for farmers.
Outside of work, Dave enjoys music, baking, reading, and collecting comic books. He and his wife, Heather, live in St. Paul with their dogs and spend much of their free time at their lake cabin in northern Minnesota. Dave is excited to serve on the 21 Roots Farm board and contribute his professional experience to support the farm’s mission and future growth.
Jim Moeller
Board Member
Jim Moeller joined the 21 Roots Farm board at the end of 2025. He has been following the Farm’s success since his time on staff at Northeast Metro 916’s Karner Blue Education Center in 2018, where he witnessed the transformative power of supportive environments for individuals with developmental disabilities. Jim is deeply drawn to the Farm’s mission of connecting people with developmental disabilities to nature, community, and purpose through farming.
Jim holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor’s degree from Creighton University. His early volunteer experiences—including service trips with Creighton, serving as a teaching assistant at Omaha Madonna School, working in St. Joseph’s Hospital Intensive Care Unit, and serving as a caretaker at Encor (a developmental disability service provider in Omaha, Nebraska)—reflect a lifelong commitment to service that continues today at 21 Roots Farm.
Jim and his wife Janel have deep family roots in the Twin Cities extended-metro area. They loved raising their two children and now cherish spending time with their two grandchildren. In his spare time, Jim has enjoyed coaching youth sports—including soccer, baseball, basketball, and softball in Forest Lake—as well as volunteering with organizations like Family Means, Eaglebrook Church, Reiser Relief, and Habitat for Humanity.
Jim enjoyed a successful career in sales and business, including sales at Ecolab Healthcare covering Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Alaska; as well as a diverse career at Andersen Windows.
Jim and Janel connected with the welcoming spirit and meaningful impact of 21 Roots Farm once they became involved; they look forward to continuing hands-on contributions and building relationships with the farmers and participants. Jim is excited to serve on the 21 Roots Farm board to help strengthen the organization’s long-term sustainability and expand its impact on those it serves!
Steve Anderson
Board Member
Steve Anderson is the founder and former CEO of Preceptis Medical, Inc., a device manufacturer in the pediatric ENT space. Prior to this position, he was the President of Acorn Cardiovascular, Inc., a device manufacturer developing therapies for the treatment of systolic heart failure.
Mr. Anderson has 30+ years of experience in the medical device industry, starting with Medtronic and St. Jude Medical and also including senior management positions at TÜV Product Service and St. Croix Medical. Steve has a BS in Materials Engineering and an MS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He was an Adjunct Professor at the University of St. Thomas Graduate School, has served on multiple boards for medical device companies (both public and private) and has served on multiple not for profit boards.
Our staff
Amy Peterson
Co-Founder and Head of Farm Operations
Amy has been with 21 Roots Farm full-time since 2018 and is a co-founder of the organization. She brings thoughtful leadership to the daily rhythms of the farm and a deep appreciation for animals and the ways they enrich our lives. Fun Fact: She can’t get enough of sled dogs and following sled dog races.
Brittany Wiitala
Co-Founder and Progam Manager
Brittany, co-founder of 21 Roots Farm, has been full-time since 2018. She is dedicated to adapting activities to meet people where they are, helping them share their skills, and creating opportunities to learn meaningful skills. She especially enjoys growing and sharing the fruits of the farm’s labor with the community. Current fixation: fur creation.
Georgia Meyer
Agricultural Supervisor
Georgia joined 21 Roots Farm full-time in 2025. She has a background in local food systems and sustainable agriculture, and is passionate about supporting adults with developmental disabilities in a meaningful, hands-on setting. Georgia is committed to eating as locally as possible and enjoys expanding her food preservation knowledge by trying new and adventurous recipes.
Ryan Henriott
Facilities Manager
Ryan has been keeping the farm looking its best since day one. As Facilities Manager, he works tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly and the grounds are always in top shape. When he’s not maintaining the farm, he loves getting lost and discovering places where people aren’t, and photographing them.
Samantha Blum
Farm Activities Supervisor
Known as “Soap Sam,” Samantha has been supporting 21 Roots Farm part-time since 2022 and has been an active part of the farm since 2018. She works closely with adults in our summer programs and loves animals and experimenting alongside farmers to create farm products. Special interest: Samantha loves her horses and is involved in horse theatre.
Chase Hoff
Farm Activities Supervisor
Chase joined 21 Roots Farm part-time in 2024 and supports adults and youth across a wide array of summer programs. He is passionate about learning and growing alongside the farmers while fostering meaningful, hands-on experiences for participants.
Elizabeth Dallager
Administrative Assistant
Elizabeth has been with 21 Roots Farm part-time since 2022, supporting adults and youth across a wide array of summer programs. Now our Administrative Assistant, she has taken on many vital administrative tasks and is deeply valued and beloved by the whole team.
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