Our Team
Teamwork makes the dream work.
Laura Dorris
Executive Director
Laura is a Nashville native who considers herself very fortunate to have spent many years after college living in Baja California, Mexico working with various nonprofits. She loves using her español and love of Latin culture to connect with the diversity of Nashville and be a bridge to the resources in the city. She loves to be outside and involved in the many areas of work that Cosecha facilitates!
Catherine Lewis
Garden Manager and Program Coordinator at Wright Middle School
Catherine Lewis is a long-time resident of the Woodbine neighborhood. She has always loved facilitating opportunities to meet neighbors and develop community. With over a decade of experience in educating diverse learners, she is always planning events through an educational lens and prioritizes building relationships in programming. Catherine can be found working in one of our gardens or hosting an after- school cooking and gardening club. Wherever she is, yes she wants to stop what she’s doing and get coffee with you!
Celia Aguilar
Garden Manager and Program Coordinator at Whitsitt Elementary School
Celia has a strong connection with God’s creation. For her, working in the garden is more than a chore; but is a place where she finds joy and peace. Celia is passionate about opening spaces for people to come together and get their hands dirty as they seed, clean, and harvest. She is a wonderful mentor and teacher for her children and many others living in the Woodbine neighborhood. She loves her community and always strives to be kind and graceful to everyone. Celia’s wisdom, hard work, and friendly spirit have enabled Cosecha Community Development to make a difference.
Board of Directors
Rev. Carlos Uroza
Becca Blank
Vianey Sanchez
Rebecca Weiser
Emily Ramsey
Paola Flores
Cathy Carrillo
Patricia Tarquino
Kyle Jonas
Jael Fuentes
Angela White
Our History
Carlos Uroza (Co-Founder)- not only has the heart for community, but he also has the extraordinary gift of being able to connect people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Carlos is an innovative thinker who enjoys gathering people around the table, especially in the Woodbine Community where he has been serving for the past decade. Carlos has the unique ability to combine creativity with practicality to provide inspiration for others. After arriving in the USA from Mexico, Carlos earned his GED, B. S. in Culinary Management from the Art Institute and Masters of Divinity from Vanderbilt. He and his wife, Dr. Sarah Uroza, have a seven-year-old son Luke and a dog named Tamale (Molly).
Courtney Hicks (Co-Founder) spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector doing community development work, specializing in marketing, development, and social enterprise. During this time, she co-founded Cosecha as well as Harvest Hands CDC / Humphreys Street Coffee & Soap. She holds her Masters of Education in Nonprofit Leadership and Bachelors of Science in Journalism and Religion from Belmont University. Courtney now serves the community at Belmont University with the Creative Arts Collective for Christian Life and Faith and as a Spiritual Director. She lives in the Woodbine neighborhood with her family, two doodle dogs, one wild tuxedo cat, and a flock of well-loved and named chickens.