At Made Greene we empower students and teachers by creating engaging outdoor learning through hands-on experiences. All this is made possible by our dedicated and experienced team of experts.
Mary Jo Greene
Executive Director
In 2017, Mary Jo Greene founded Made Greene to address the growing need for School Gardening Education, particularly in the aftermath of Covid-19. As a former teacher who moved from the UK to the US eight years ago, Mary Jo recognized the importance of outdoor learning and sought to support educators in utilizing this under-utilized tool.
With a background in school and community gardening in the UK, Mary Jo brings a wealth of experience to her work with Fort Worth schools. Having personally benefitted from a school system with gardens during her elementary education, she understands the transformative impact outdoor learning can have on a child’s educational journey.
Mary Jo collaborates with various organizations, including The Blue Zones Project, Texas Health, Kaboom!, The Giving Grove, Fort Worth ISD, and Arlington ISD, to establish and maintain School Garden Programs. Her dedication extends to serving as a Board Member of the North Texas School Garden Network, fostering community, collaboration, and cooperation among school garden supporters in the North Texas area.
In addition, Mary Jo leads the School Garden Committee at the Tarrant County Food Policy Council, working to support growing initiatives in communities throughout Tarrant County. Her credentials include certificates from The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), certification from The Texas Organic Research Center, and recognition as a Tarrant County Master Composter. Mary Jo Greene’s commitment to school gardening and community collaboration has made a lasting impact on education and sustainable initiatives in the North Texas region.
Anne Santana
Project Director
Anne Santana serves as Project Director with Made Greene School Garden Services which serves the larger school garden community through educator professional development, garden development and maintenance and onsite education lessons for children.
After a career in museum education, Anne Santana had the exhilarating opportunity to renew a school garden and develop and lead a STEM-based garden program at a Fort Worth ISD public school. Each week she interacts with over 200 school children in hands-on learning experiences that deepen their understanding of the natural world and connect them deeply to the food they eat. The concepts they learn in the indoor classroom literally come alive in the school garden.
Anne is a Board Member of North Texas School Garden Network and is a member of the School Garden Working Group, part of the Community Garden and Urban Agriculture group at Tarrant Area Food Policy Council.
Christi Cryer
School Garden Educator
Christi Cryer is a School Garden Educator with Made Greene School Garden Services delivering onsite school garden education. A Fort Worth native, Christi is a lover of the outdoors and gardens. Having worked in PE in schools for many years, she knows first hand why movement in the outdoors is important and beneficial to students’ health and well-being. She is a huge advocate for School Gardens, and when she isn’t working with school garden groups, she can be found working hard in her own yard with her family.
Ray Brantley
School Garden Educator
Ray Thompson, the newest member of the Grow Garden Grow network in North Texas, is a dynamic force in the local gardening scene. His commitment to community service is evident through the installation of raised beds in pre-K and elementary schools across Fort Worth, Mansfield, Haltom City, and Castleberry ISD. Ray’s expertise shines with the completion of the 2022 Tarrant County Master Gardener Program, earning him the “Extra Miler of the Year” award.
With a background in Biblical Studies and two Masters Degrees in Pastoral Care, Ray combines his passion for horticulture with a deep understanding of community needs. He was recognized as the “2022 Rookie of the Year” at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and actively contributes to the Backyard Vegetable Garden and Composting Center.
Ray’s dedication to continuous learning is reflected in his ongoing participation in the Cross Timbers Master Naturalist program and the Master Volunteer Entomology Advanced Training Program. Beyond academia, he and his wife nurture vegetable gardens at the TCMGA Demonstration Garden, UT-Arlington Community Garden, and their backyard raised beds. Ray Thompson’s story is one of passion, education, and community impact in the vibrant North Texas gardening community.
Morgan Jansing
School Garden Educator,
Program Assessment and Evaluation