Dear friends of Coastal Roots Farm,
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am proud to share that Kesha Dorsey has been named Chief Executive Officer of Coastal Roots Farm.
For the past eight years, Kesha has grown alongside the Farm. She first joined as Marketing and Philanthropy Manager and has since held many roles across the organization, including overseeing the Education Department and serving as Chief Strategy Officer. In her tenure, she has helped shape the Farm’s most recent strategic plan, strengthened our philanthropic foundation, and supported the organization’s growth from a $1.5 million budget to more than $4 million today.
Kesha has served as Interim CEO since April, following Javier Guerrero’s departure. Within just a few months, the Board saw clearly what many in our community already know: Kesha is the right leader for this moment.
“No one is better suited to lead the Farm into its next chapter of growth than Kesha Dorsey. She understands who we are, what we stand for, and where we are going,” said Michael Berlin, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Kesha brings a rare combination of strategic expertise, genuine commitment to community and food justice, and deep grounding in Jewish values. Through her years of service, she has earned the trust of our staff, partners, and community.”
Kesha’s career has been shaped by work that reflects her Jewish values: pursuing justice, caring for others, building bridges across difference, and helping create a more equitable world for people of all faiths, cultures, and identities. Her leadership experience spans Jewish communal work and public health, with roles focused on issues ranging from anti-hate work to sexual health and gang prevention. Across each chapter, she has carried a consistent understanding that wellness is holistic. Much like the Farm’s own work, her approach to “nourishing community” extends beyond food alone to include access, belonging, systems change, community-centered care, and the resources people need to thrive.
This is an important moment for the Farm and the communities we serve. SNAP benefit cuts are deepening food insecurity, the funding landscape is shifting, and the Farm is entering its next decade with both external and internal evolutions ahead. This moment requires discipline, imagination, and thoughtful leadership. Kesha brings all three.
Under Kesha’s leadership, Coastal Roots Farm will continue growing organic food, sharing our harvest with neighbors facing food insecurity, educating children and families on the land, cultivating Jewish life rooted in sustainability and care, and welcoming people of all backgrounds.
She is deeply proud to lead a Jewish farm that is truly for all people.
“This Farm has shaped me as much as I hope to help shape its future,” said Kesha Dorsey. “Our work sits at the meeting point of land, justice, Jewish wisdom, education, and community. I am honored by the trust the Board has placed in me and deeply committed to leading Coastal Roots Farm with clarity, care, and courage as we grow into this next chapter.”
Thank you for being part of this community. The Farm’s work is possible because of the people who believe in it, show up for it, and help it grow. We cannot do this work without you and are grateful for your continued support.
With gratitude,
Coastal Roots Farm Board of Directors
Michael Berlin, Board Chair
Todd Frank, Vice Chair
Bill Shen, Treasurer
Elaine Becerra, Secretary
Bertram Edelstein
Brett Macleod
Join Us
We will raise a special l’chaim to this next chapter at our August 9 Farm-to-Table Dinner and would love to have you with us. Stay tuned for a more formal opportunity this fall to gather as a community and mark this moment together.
Honor This Next Chapter
If you would like to honor this transition with a gift to Coastal Roots Farm, your support will help sustain the work at the heart of this next chapter: growing and sharing food, educating children and families, cultivating Jewish life, and building community rooted in care.