Dear Coastal Roots Farm Community,
We are writing today with news that is both bittersweet and forward-looking, the kind of moment that comes when someone we deeply admire takes a meaningful step toward new growth.
After nearly eight extraordinary years of leadership, Javier Guerrero will be stepping down as President and CEO of Coastal Roots Farm to accept an exciting new CEO opportunity. His last day with us will be April 15, 2026.
When Javier joined the Farm in 2018 as our first full-time Executive Director, the organization was at an important crossroads. What he and the team built from that moment forward is nothing short of remarkable. Under his leadership, the Farm expanded its education programs to reach more than 12,000 youth annually, including every fourth grader in the Escondido Union and Carlsbad Union School Districts. Food production doubled from 40,000 to 80,000 pounds of fresh organic produce each year, while deepening our commitment to food justice, serving Holocaust survivors, low-income seniors, and tribal elders.
He led the team that brought to life production beds in the Food Forest, a Farm STEM Science Lab, and a Nature Play space for early childhood development, while strengthening and diversifying revenue streams and growing a vibrant community of supporters.
Perhaps most remarkable of all, Javier - who came to us with a background in cultural anthropology and nonprofit leadership, and who was neither a farmer nor Jewish - became a devoted steward and ally of the Farm’s values and community, including during challenging times. He embraced teachings such as peah, tikkun olam, bal tashchit, and shmita as a lived framework for how we grow, share, and care for one another and the land. His leadership has left a lasting imprint on the heart and soul of this organization.
One of Javier’s most enduring contributions is the team he built and empowered. He cultivated a culture rooted in care, collaboration, and purpose, investing deeply in people and helping develop leaders who will carry this work forward. That legacy is reflected in the strength of the organization today and in the leadership stepping forward in this next chapter.
Looking ahead, the Board is pleased to share that Kesha Dorsey, our Chief Strategy Officer, will serve as Interim CEO beginning upon Javier’s departure. Kesha joined the Farm team in 2018 and brings deep organizational knowledge, steady leadership, and a strong commitment to our mission. The Board has full confidence in her ability to guide the organization with continuity and care during this transition.
We invite the community to join us as we gather in gratitude and celebration of Javier’s leadership at a Happy Hour Gratitude Celebration. Join us on Wednesday, April 15 from 4-6pm and continue this work together, rooted in the same care, purpose, and connection that Javier helped cultivate.
As we reflect on all that Javier has built, we are also called to carry that work forward. One of the most meaningful ways to honor his leadership is to invest in the future of this Farm, ensuring that the land, the programs, and the communities he has helped nurture continue to grow and thrive. We are deeply grateful for your partnership in sustaining this work.
Javier, we are profoundly grateful. Thank you for your grace, your humanity, and your unwavering commitment to this mission and community. You have shown us what it means to lead with heart. You will always be part of the Coastal Roots Farm family.
We will share more about the path forward in the coming weeks.
Coastal Roots Farm is strong. Our mission is clear. Our community is extraordinary. Together, we will continue cultivating healthy, connected communities: one harvest, one student, and one family at a time.
With gratitude,
The Board of Directors
Coastal Roots Farm
Michael Berlin, Chair
Todd Frank, Vice-Chair
Bill Shen, Treasurer
Elaine Becerra, Secretary