Our board

Meet the Rooted Board of Directors

Polly is a farmer, cooperative entrepreneur, and a law student. Her love of growing food with others blossomed through years of volunteering on CSA farms, and starting community farm projects and value added food businesses. Beyond land stewardship and food production, she has had the privilege of serving on two city councils in Stevens Point and Appleton, putting on conferences centered around starting farms and cooperatives, and being a part of cooperative construction and property development projects. Not one to work alone, she enjoys the collaborative creativity of working with others and the camaraderie of friends and family on her adventures. She lives with her partner, her adopted 8 yr old daughter, new baby boy, and cat, BUT she usually cooks for eight. She enjoys a full day of farm work followed by a lake swim and a backyard grill out!

Francesca Hong (she/her) is a mom, service industry worker, and community organizer. Elected in 2020, Hong serves as the first and only Asian American elected official in the Wisconsin State Legislature. She represents the 76th Assembly District in Madison, WI. Francesca has received numerous awards for her work, including the National Association of Asian American Professionals Inspire Leadership Award (2021), the Bon Appetit Heads of the Table Award (2021), the Wisconsin Conservation Voters Conservation Honor Roll (2021-22), and the School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin Legislator of the Year (2022). Francesca is Co-Founder of several Madison and Dane County organizations, including the Culinary Ladies Collective, Cook It Forward, the Dane County Food Collective, and the Healthy School Meals for All Coalition. She also serves on the Asian American Pacific Island Coalition of Wisconsin Executive Committee, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, and the Kennedy Heights Community Center Board.

Brigid is a CPA and Partner with Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP in Madison, WI. She has been with the firm since 1999, where she specializes in serving manufacturing and/or distribution companies and their owners with accounting, tax, and consulting services. With broad experience with tax compliance including planning, preparation, and review of corporate, partnership, and individual tax returns, Brigid offers expert assistance to clients with various business and personal planning projects including buy-sell transactions and estate and business transition planning. Brigid received her B.S. in Accounting from University of Wisconsin–Platteville and is a member of the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Allen serves as FCI’s Compliance Officer, where he leads the organization’s compliance infrastructure and ensures adherence to the wide range of regulatory, reporting, and contractual requirements established by FCI’s funding partners. In this role, Allen develops, implements, and oversees compliance processes that strengthen organizational accountability, transparency, and operational effectiveness—supporting FCI’s ability to responsibly deploy capital in service of its mission.

Allen brings extensive experience in financial operations and compliance within highly regulated environments. His background provides him with a strong analytical perspective and a deep understanding of compliance best practices across complex organizational settings. Through his work with Forward Community Investments, Allen has also cultivated strong professional networks and community connections throughout Wisconsin, enabling him to contribute valuable perspectives and relationships that support Rooted’s collaborative and community-centered approach.

Jasmine Banks is a lifelong Madisonian dedicated to empowering communities and fostering connections. With over a decade of experience in non-profit work, education, mentoring, and employment training for emerging adults ages 16-24, she currently serves as the Deputy Director of Empowerment and Strategic Initiatives at Operation Fresh Start. She brings a wealth of experience and leadership in community-focused initiatives and creating equitable opportunities for underserved populations. Jasmine believes in the transformative power of the outdoors to heal and empower individuals and communities, and is passionate about nature and environmental stewardship. A Master Naturalist and avid outdoorswoman, she enjoys hiking, birding, community gardening at Badger Rock, and kayaking. Her love for the land is not only personal but also intergenerational, as she seeks to pass down the values of sustainability and conservation to her two granddaughters. In her free time Jasmine can be found exploring Wisconsin’s natural beauty, whether birding at Cherokee Marsh, hiking at the city, county and state parks, or mentoring others in the joys of environmental care.

Jim Bradley is a life-long resident of Madison, WI. Mr. Bradley received a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied real estate and finance. Upon graduation, Jim joined Home Savings Bank, was named President in 1985, and now serves as the bank’s Chief Executive Officer. Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2020, Home Savings Bank has a long-term commitment to being a positive influence in the community it serves, including being a positive influence on the strength and vitality of the local economy and the quality of the natural environment. In his community activities, Jim has primarily been involved in the areas of affordable housing, strengthening downtown Madison and the local economy, and environmental sustainability. He has served in leadership roles for many community organizations and currently serves on the boards of Sustain Dane, Madison Lakeway Partners, Destination Madison Foundation and Rooted.

While raising four children, Deirdre Wilson Garton attended law school and practiced law in Madison, WI, her home for the last 38 years. As a family law attorney, prosecutor and consultant to law enforcement agencies, Deirdre saw firsthand the impact of poverty on the lives of children and their families. She came to understand that providing services to those families to meet their potential was the most cost efficient and safest approach to community development. Deirdre has chaired the Board of the Dane County Mental Health Center, participated on the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, served on the Executive Board of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and chaired the Wisconsin Governor’s Juvenile Justice Commission for eight years. She has also worked on court improvement projects via positions in state government, and her own company. In addition, Deirdre has worked on behalf of the Ten Chimneys Foundation, founded by her late husband, Joe Garton; chaired the Board of the Kanopy Dance Theater in Madison; and chaired the board of the Overture Center Foundation, which manages a six-venue performing arts center in Madison, WI.

Nina Gehan-King is the co-founder of MeaningFULL Development and Communications, where she partners with her husband to transform nonprofit development and communications through an equity and sustainability lens. As a trusted advisor to local nonprofit leaders, she’s known for building authentic relationships and creating sustainable funding strategies. With over fifteen years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, Nina has helped raise millions for community organizations. Her expertise spans leadership roles at prominent institutions including UW Madison, Centro Hispano, and Lussier Community Education Center. Born in France, Nina brings a bilingual, bicultural perspective that enriches her approach to community-centered development. Nina currently chairs Rooted’s Fund Development Committee, which she helped launch when joining the board. When she’s not advancing community causes, Nina cherishes time with her husband, their five children, and their dog, bringing the same energy to family life as she does to her professional passion.

Chris Kilgour is the founder of Color in the Outdoors. Christopher has spent his entire life exploring and enjoying the outdoors in one capacity or another. His main motivation for starting CITO was to be able to connect people with the outside world and with other like-minded individuals and organizations. Chris is also the Community Outreach Manager for the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, where he has increased the outreach capacity by supporting efforts to better address diverse access to institute programs and services by building deeper relationships with post-secondary institutions, campus partners, and community organizations. Chris brings all of this experience and passion to the Rooted board and has been instrumental in linking our work to the broader community and campus community.

Bio coming soon.

Recognized by In Business magazine as “Visionary of the Year” in 2012, Joe Sensenbrenner is the former President of Sensenbrenner Associates (1989-2009). A former Mayor of the City of Madison, WI, Joe served three terms (1983-89), and led the pioneering efforts to adapt and expand cutting edge private sector practices across the wide range of municipal government services. He has published several articles on those efforts, including “Quality Comes to City Hall,” Harvard Business Review (March-April 1991), “Quality in the Community: One City’s Experience,” Quality Progress (April 1991), and “Quality for Cities,” Nation’s Business (October 1991). Joe is a graduate of Williams College (B.A., cum laude) and the University of Pennsylvania (J.D.), and participated in two Total Quality Control Seminars with W. Edwards Deming at George Washington University.

Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner is a retired attorney, complementary health care provider, and civic activist in environmental, women’s and arts issues. She has served on numerous non-profit boards, including the Edgewood College Board of Trustees and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art’s Board of Trustees. Mary Ellyn received her law degree from Notre Dame Law School.

A few of our board members want you to know why Rooted is so important to Madison.

Rooted board members come from diverse backgrounds, just like our community. We have members who have served for over 20 years, and others who are just getting started. These are people actively working in our community, some who are parenting, and a few who are retired. Regardless of their background, all board members share Rooted’s mission of increased land access, food access and urban agriculture education here in Dane County.

Do you think Rooted is important? We would love to hear from you!

Our board

Polly Dalton
Board President

Francesca Hong
Board Vice President

Brigid Elliott-Boger
Board Treasurer

Allen Houston
Board Secretary

Jasmine Banks
Director

Jim Bradley
Director

Deirdre Garton
Director

Nina Gehan
Director

Christopher kilgour
Director

Louise Root-Robbins
Director

Joe Sensenbrenner
Director

Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner
Emeritus

Hallie Kuenning
Committe Member

Our board

Polly DaltonBoard President

Francesca HongBoard Vice President

Brigid Elliott-BogerBoard Treasurer

Allen HoustonBoard Secretary

Jasmine BanksDirector

Jim BradleyDirector

Deirdre GartonDirector

Nina GehanDirector

Christopher kilgourDirector

Louise Root-RobbinsDirector

Joe SensenbrennerDirector

Mary Ellyn SensenbrennerEmeritus

Hallie KuenningCommitte Member

Polly Dalton
Board President

Francesca Hong
Board Vice President

Brigid Elliott-Boger
Board Treasurer

Allen Houston
Board Secretary

Jasmine Banks
Director

Jim Bradley
Director

Deirdre Garton
Director

Nina Gehan
Director

Christopher kilgour
Director

Louise Root-Robbins
Director

Joe Sensenbrenner
Director

Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner
Emeritus

Hallie Kuenning
Committe Member