School of Ranch's small but mighty staff is led by our founder and Executive Director, Mark Gross. Rounding out the team are James Hettick, our Workshop Manager, and Mckaylie Capps, our Social Media Coordinator. Finally, hats off to our founding workshop leader, Kaleb Watson, who still consults with us from his new home in Arizona.
Hey there! I'm Mark, School of Ranch's founder, Board President, and Executive Director, and founder. I happened to have a laptop when the Internet came around, and I became the Internet leader at a newspaper and magazine publisher. After 9/11, I left publishing and became an award-winning International Relations teacher in a public s
Hey there! I'm Mark, School of Ranch's founder, Board President, and Executive Director, and founder. I happened to have a laptop when the Internet came around, and I became the Internet leader at a newspaper and magazine publisher. After 9/11, I left publishing and became an award-winning International Relations teacher in a public school in San Jose. While teaching, I started School Loop, an innovative service for schools that saved teachers time while building a support community around each student. I sold School Loop in 2018, and my partner Carolyn and I chucked it all and bought ten acres in rural Oregon, where School of Ranch was born.
James Hettick is our Workshop Manager. James is responsible for running our workshops, a pretty key role in a workshop company! He also runs our DIY Electric series. The first thing you notice about James is the rocks, which he quickly will point out are not just rocks, but gemstones that he and his partner found. James is more more th
James Hettick is our Workshop Manager. James is responsible for running our workshops, a pretty key role in a workshop company! He also runs our DIY Electric series. The first thing you notice about James is the rocks, which he quickly will point out are not just rocks, but gemstones that he and his partner found. James is more more than just a gemstone guy, he's a highly trained mechanic who enjoys nothing more than sharing what he knows and building skills in others. A native of Culver, James grew. In the Marines, James was trained in automotive, jet turbine and solid fuel rocket mechanics, earning many certifications along the way. He returned to Central Oregon looking to give back to his community, share his skills and hobbies, which beyond gemstones include astronomy, another course area he's teaching.
Mckaylie Capps is our Social Media Coordinator. She is a recent grad of Biola University in Southern California, where she got a degree in digital design. Mckaylie is a Central OR native, and grew up in a house with two local educators as parents. Education is in her blood! Not only is Mckaylie a talented designer, but she makes a mea
Mckaylie Capps is our Social Media Coordinator. She is a recent grad of Biola University in Southern California, where she got a degree in digital design. Mckaylie is a Central OR native, and grew up in a house with two local educators as parents. Education is in her blood! Not only is Mckaylie a talented designer, but she makes a mean peach pie with peaches grown on her grandparents' orchard. She is responsible for our social media posts, posters, and other important design projects.
School of Ranch is lucky to have such an experienced and motivated board. From a rocket scientist to a cowboy to a former mural artist turned horticulturalist, our board provides guidance and oversight while managing to not hamstring a fast growing start-up. Quite a feat.
Mark is President of School of Ranch's Board, its Executive Director, and founder. Mark's happened to have a laptop when the Internet came around, and he became the Internet leader at a newspaper and magazine publisher. After 9/11, Mark left publishing and became an award-winning International Relations teacher in a public school in San
Mark is President of School of Ranch's Board, its Executive Director, and founder. Mark's happened to have a laptop when the Internet came around, and he became the Internet leader at a newspaper and magazine publisher. After 9/11, Mark left publishing and became an award-winning International Relations teacher in a public school in San Jose. While teaching, he started School Loop, an innovative service for schools that saved teachers time while building a support community around each student. Mark sold School Loop in 2018, and he and his partner Carolyn chucked it all and bought ten acres in rural Oregon, where School of Ranch was born.
Joan is School of Ranch's Secretary, and a recent transplant. After 30+ years as an engineer in corporate America, she retired to Central Oregon and bought a log home on 5 acres. Now what!?! She grew up following her father around helping with all his projects. DIY is in her DNA. Why pay for something you can do yourself? Her neighbor tol
Joan is School of Ranch's Secretary, and a recent transplant. After 30+ years as an engineer in corporate America, she retired to Central Oregon and bought a log home on 5 acres. Now what!?! She grew up following her father around helping with all his projects. DIY is in her DNA. Why pay for something you can do yourself? Her neighbor told her about School of Ranch on Facebook. Her first workshop with School of Ranch was welding and now she’s hooked. Joan is looking forward to many more opportunities to learn new skills. Her ranching education started with the OSU Master Gardener and Master Beekeeper programs. She has two honey bee colonies and wants to turn some of her land into pollinator habitat with an emphasis on native plants. Chickens and goats are on the list, but they need fencing, sheds and paddocks built first.
Bob is School of Ranch's Treasurer. Bob has lived in Central Oregon for over 30 years. He grew up ranching near Bakersfield CA. Every summer his grandad would send him up into the mountains with the cattle, a horse, and a rifle and tell him stay there till the fall. Bob learned a lot. Fast. He served his country with distinction durin
Bob is School of Ranch's Treasurer. Bob has lived in Central Oregon for over 30 years. He grew up ranching near Bakersfield CA. Every summer his grandad would send him up into the mountains with the cattle, a horse, and a rifle and tell him stay there till the fall. Bob learned a lot. Fast. He served his country with distinction during the Vietnam War, and spent his career working with the railroad. Bob never lost touch with the land and today has a spread outside of Redmond. Bob can advise on a number of topics including tractors and accessories, horses, cattle, lumbering, landscaping, water management, fire prevention, power tools and fence building and maintenance.
Beth's life is one big experiment. Before leaving her artist career and moving here from Ohio six years ago, Beth studied up on desert gardening. On arrival, she became the garden department manager at a local retailer. When her suggestions to stock climate appropriate plants went nowhere, she started High&Dry GardenWorks, her own lab f
Beth's life is one big experiment. Before leaving her artist career and moving here from Ohio six years ago, Beth studied up on desert gardening. On arrival, she became the garden department manager at a local retailer. When her suggestions to stock climate appropriate plants went nowhere, she started High&Dry GardenWorks, her own lab for propagating plants that can thrive with limited water, excessive sun and wind, and deer. Under High&Dry, Beth is rehabbing her non-irrigated 10 acres with natives, maintaining her “Wildlife Habitat” and “Pollinator Pathway” certifications, and building bluebird nesting boxes. Beth says High&Dry is about making a difference, by sharing her failures as well as her successes.
So many great advisors and so hard to get them to send us their photos! We'll keep working at them till they cave! Seriously, we're lucky to be able to tap into such a wealth of experience to help us build School of Ranch. Our board is full of varied experiences across a number of domains, and we are not shy about asking for help! Want to join our advisory board? Let us know!
Kaleb is our primary advisor on developing hard-skills workshops. He designed and led our Practical Welding Workshop, and received raves from the people he taught. He has been an instrumental part of School of Ranch from the outset. Kaleb grew up ranching and farming with his cowboy father, and over time became self-sufficient at home
Kaleb is our primary advisor on developing hard-skills workshops. He designed and led our Practical Welding Workshop, and received raves from the people he taught. He has been an instrumental part of School of Ranch from the outset. Kaleb grew up ranching and farming with his cowboy father, and over time became self-sufficient at home and ranch maintenance.
Kaleb spent six years in the Marine Corps, where he earned his teaching stripes as a pistol instructor.
After 6 years in the Marines, he began a career in construction. He learned welding, equipment maintenance, basic mechanics, hydraulics and, most important to him, troubleshooting. Kaleb has a drive to pass on his know-how and enjoys helping people build the skills he spent years acquiring. He has relocated to AZ where he plans to launch School of Ranch!
Jacob Hundt grew up on a dairy farm in the Driftless Region and was one of the founding students of the Youth Initiative High School in Viroqua. He studied at Deep Springs College, the American University in Bulgaria, and the University of Chicago. Since 2004, he has worked as a trained Waldorf high school teacher and guidance counselor a
Jacob Hundt grew up on a dairy farm in the Driftless Region and was one of the founding students of the Youth Initiative High School in Viroqua. He studied at Deep Springs College, the American University in Bulgaria, and the University of Chicago. Since 2004, he has worked as a trained Waldorf high school teacher and guidance counselor at Youth Initiative High School and was a founding board member and instructor of the Driftless Folk School. Currently, Jacob is Director and faculty member of Thoreau College, an emerging microcollege inspired by Waldorf education, Henry David Thoreau, Deep Springs College, and the Scandinavian folk high school movement.
Kurt Springman is School of Ranch on steriods - Who moves here and decides the first matter of business is to build a giant pole barn. By hand. By themself. And Cathy is even more full of life than Kurt, eager to learn and build community, particularly around horses and endurance riding, her passion. Together they have been among Sch
Kurt Springman is School of Ranch on steriods - Who moves here and decides the first matter of business is to build a giant pole barn. By hand. By themself. And Cathy is even more full of life than Kurt, eager to learn and build community, particularly around horses and endurance riding, her passion. Together they have been among School of Ranch's main advising team and inspiration. They put together and hosted two of our first workshops, and have been there with guidance on marketing, program development, and throwing a great potluck. So happy to have them as part of the team.
Kay is School of Ranch's advisor from SCORE, a national network of retired executives. Her area of expertise is nonprofits, sales, marketing, government contracting and general business planning and strategy. She worked in the construction industry for 25 years. Kay is resourceful and well connected, and has made several important introductions already.
Chris LaVictoire Mahai is an experienced public, private and non-profit board member. She has a leadership and management history of delivering significant operating results in financial, media, healthcare, and professional services. Today Mahai consults with executives and boards of public and private clients across the US and around the
Chris LaVictoire Mahai is an experienced public, private and non-profit board member. She has a leadership and management history of delivering significant operating results in financial, media, healthcare, and professional services. Today Mahai consults with executives and boards of public and private clients across the US and around the world. In her board roles over the past 20 years, she has chaired the audit and governance committees of the board, plus several ad hoc committees. As a private equity investor focused primarily on women- owned and led businesses, Mahai has also played an advisory role in start-up situations.
Interested in getting involved with School of Ranch beyond the Trainer Application? Check out our Volunteer page to see how you can contribute your skills and expertise to our organization. Additionally, if you're a youth looking to gain experience in sustainable agriculture and ranching, our COICyouth program could be a great fit for you. Learn more about COICyouth on our dedicated page.
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