Team

Erik Cutter is Managing Director of Alegría Fresh, headquartered in Laguna Beach, CA. Alegría Fresh is a zero-waste, regenerative urban microfarm employing organic soil-based growing systems. Mr. Cutter is also Founder of the Alegría Farmacy, an integrated carbon neutral food production system designed to grow superior produce anywhere, anytime. Mr. Cutter has over 35 years experience growing ultra nutrient-rich produce using regenerative organic techniques and is a leading pioneer in developing cost effective growing systems that can be deployed over man-made surfaces close to where people live and work. See www.AlegriaFarmacy.com and www.SoxxBoxx.com. He has a background in biochemistry and oncology, and possesses a lifelong passion for creating haute cuisine using the finest ingredients, most of which he grows himself. Mr. Cutter’s mission is to increase adaptability and resilience and combat auto-immune disorders by creating greater awareness of the numerous health benefits of consuming fresh, regenerative organic food. The company’s goals include connecting individuals with where their food comes from and how it should be grown in living soil to optimize microbiome health, influencing positive change in resource management, teaching healthy eating habits, promoting entrepreneurship programs and creating green jobs in urban agriculture. Mr. Cutter’s interests include photography, marketing, design and engineering, cooking, and all outdoor activities including camping, trekking, volleyball and skiing. He is constantly scouring the web for information on health-related topics and enjoys teaching those around him how to feel better and create more balance in their lives. Mr. Cutter takes full advantage of all the wonderful opportunities we have at our fingertips to maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit. It has been said that his closest friends are tired of hearing, “and it’s really good for you!”.

“Time is our greatest gift. How we use it determines who we are and how we will be remembered.” – Erik Cutter

Lindsey Shinn is the Director of Strategic Business Development at Alegría Fresh. Growing up in rural Montana, Lindsey developed a deep respect for nature, the environment, and issues surrounding sustainability. She was a teenager when her adventure into business ownership began. For more than ten years she co-owned, and was the finance manager of a landscaping and masonry stone mining company. This not only taught her firsthand the ins and outs of creating, maintaining, and scaling small business, but also how important it is to protect and respect the environment especially in industries such as mining.

Lindsey earned a bachelor’s degree in business (finance and economics), and then an MBA. During that time, she became increasingly interested in international matters. She began focusing her studies and training on global environmental economics, sustainability practices, and international cultural interactions in business. This led her to pursue several unique opportunities that took her to work, study, and occasionally live abroad. She has spent years advising entrepreneurs in business and most recently was the CFO/COO of a mineral company in Montana.

Lindsey has always believed in the healing power of fresh organic produce and has incorporated it into her everyday life from a young age. She is deeply concerned that there is increasing food inequity in our society and believes that hunger and food insecurities can be addressed free of processed and/or chemically laden options.

Lindsey enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, trail running, and traveling. If she is not outside, she can usually be found listening to music, cooking, and dancing around her kitchen.

“I believe that access to the freshest, most nutrient dense, organic produce should not be a luxury of the few and that we should never have to choose between harming the environment and prosperity. The solutions are all around us, we just need to change our priorities and implement them.” – Lindsey Shinn

Chef Loghan Call is passionate about the future of food and healthy soil and inspiring folks from around the country to reconnect with and understand the critical importance of fresh, locally-grown food consumed at harvest. This passion was ignited at a young age, growing up in the Hudson Valley where his mother Naomi (a chef and nutritionist) grew everything from vegetables to edible flowers on the property where Loghan grew up.

Loghan and Erik have been working together since they connected in Irvine at the Alegría Farm over five years ago. It was this connection that inspired Loghan to start a series of dinners where the produce was harvested early morning, on the same day and transformed into a seven course meal by dinner. This regenerative, “Food as Medicine” approach to cooking took off and Planted Cuisine was born. Since those early dinners Loghan has continued to refine his approach by connecting with people wherever they are on their food journey. His dinner experiences have transformed the way that people perceive food and the transformation that is possible when eating ultra-fresh, nutrient dense foods.

In 2020, his work is centered around creating symbiotic relationships between the future leaders of our communities: farmers, doctors and chefs. Since the moment he walked onto Erik’s farm five years ago, Loghan realized the critical role that the Alegria Farmacy will play in a regenerative future. He hopes to see Alegria Farmacy’s in every corner of our communities, providing access to superior nutrient dense foods to those who need it most. Loghan believes, “ The Alegría Farmacy model is perfect for community engagement at all levels and creates an opportunity that simply doesn’t exist otherwise.”

Jean Arcel was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in the Motor City with the sounds of Motown on the radio. She moved to Montana when she was 18. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Reading Minor from the University of Montana. Over the course of several years, she taught Title I Reading in the elementary grades and over the past 30 years spent her working hours in accounting and the hospitality industry. Today Jean is the manager of Alegria’s new Regenerative Health Center currently being designed and developed in Kalispell, MT.

Jean’s father was a rose gardener which inspired her to be an obsessive gardener in Montana for over 40 years. She has participated in the local farmer’s markets for the last 20 years and has worked as a market master in the Whitefish markets for the last 10 years. Jean finds that there is nothing quite so nice as playing around in the dirt.

Jean is married to renaissance man Jeff Arcel and together they raised two wonderful children, Ashley and Julian.

Pippa Sorely is a Sustainable Business consultant who works with non-profits, B Corps, NGOs and conscious businesses that have paved the way toward transforming business from extraction-based to regeneration-based. She is a consummate entrepreneur who has founded several businesses, and has worked for cutting edge sustainable companies such as Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats Markets, Elephant Journal, Pangea Organics, Slow Money and others. She currently serves as Deputy Director at Earth Guardians, one of the oldest and largest youth-led non-profits globally, whose mission is to provide a platform for millions of youth to tap into their well of power to create solutions to the most pressing issues of our time.

Pippa is deeply passionate about economic systems, and using the platform of commerce to shift the paradigm towards a socially and ecologically regenerative economy. She co-founded one of the first and largest online eco-market places eConscious Market, which was founded on triple bottom line standards. She lives in Boulder, CO with her wise-beyond-years 11-year old son and her insanely smart border collie, Yoda.

Dr. Steven D. Dreyer was born and raised in Corona Del Mar, California. Since graduating from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic in 1987, Dr. Dreyer has been practicing in the Newport-Mesa area for the majority of his 25 years in practice. He completed a three year postgraduate course of study in the highly acclaimed Chiropractic Orthopedics Program and has achieved Diplomate status with the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists, a distinction earned by approximately 800 out of the 60,000 licensed practicing Chiropractors in the United States.

Jordan Sprick is very passionate about regenerative organic farming and the production of locally grown organic food. She is currently a student at CalPoly San Luis Obispo majoring in recreation parks and tourism administration. She hopes to use her degree to bring awareness to the importance of urban farming. Jordan has been volunteering at Alegría Fresh for the past four years and is now employed by the company leading a team and teaching other urban farmers how to build soil and practice regenerative urban agriculture. Jordan enjoys expanding her knowledge of living soils and what is needed to produce nutrient dense food that nourishes, protects and heals our bodies.

Teryl Chapel has a strong background in the Building Arts, Healing Arts, and has been practicing Regenerative Design with a focus on food systems since 2010. He holds an Msc degree in Integrative Eco-Social Design with a concentration in Controlled Environment Food Systems. His design/build work has focused upon food systems suitable for urban environments. Teryl designed and built the first rooftop Aquaponics teaching farm in Harlem New York and the first vertical, edible, aquaponics wall systems for Page Restaurant in Sag Harbor, New York. He has helped build and operate several hydroponic indoor vertical farms and high-tech greenhouse growing systems. Teryl’s passion for Regenerative Agriculture and growing high nutrition food has led him full circle to soil-based food production systems. Teryl is also a member of Eco-system Restoration Camps and co-founder of Virsoleil Center for Regenerative Living in Ajat, France.

Teryl has recently returned to Orange County to join Erik Cutter and the Alegría Farmacy team to provide urban communities access to the highest quality locally grown food produced in integrated regenerative zero waste urban farms.

Dr. Heather George is an Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD), Acupuncturist (LAc), Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), Yoga Teacher (ERYT-500), with a degree in Education. Through mind, body and spirit, she is dedicated to supporting and inspiring people to grow and live vitally. With a deep understanding of classical Chinese and Ayurvedic medical perspectives, she promotes “Food as Medicine”, educates on the historical use of cannabis and the critical importance of our EndoCannabinoid System (ECS). Her practices focus on bringing the ECS and all human systems into balance. Dr. George is the Founder of The Lotus Way, and Executive Director of AOMScholarship.org, all of which her services are provided in support.

Leif Kemp is a United States Marine and combat veteran who served tours in Desert Storm and Somalia. Following his deployment, Leif enjoyed a successful 15-year medical device sales career. Recognizing the opportunity to make a big difference and pursue his passion for health and wellness, Leif focused on investing in veterans and others who find healing through regenerative agriculture. In 2014, Leif discovered Alegría Fresh, a regenerative organic urban farm company operating in Irvine, CA. In 2017, Leif earned his certificate as a Sustainable Resource Management Professional & Consultant through San Jose State University.

Leif is most compassionate about the veteran community and connecting with other vets to educate and assist them in transitioning their military leadership skills into a meaningful relationship within the communities they live. Leif believes practicing a zero-waste lifestyle, combined with consuming healthy, nutritious food using regenerative agriculture practices provides a strong foundation for vets to address some of the difficulties they face today. Leif promotes the powerful therapeutic benefits from creating healthy soil and nurturing plants to reduce the emotional and physical trauma many vets live with, and he is committed to making a difference through continuing to serve the veteran community.

Leif is an accomplished athlete (basketball, football, track and field) and an ocean lover. He dreams of one day traveling the country, seeking out the finest rivers and streams to perfect his fly-fishing stroke.

Micheal Holecek is an innovator in the field of bio-physics and ecological design.  Mr. Holecek has received awards for providing successful program training, administration and leadership on integrated land-use design, energy-efficiency, analysis of systems, and applications of sustainable economic development models.

As a compliment to Michael’s background in ecological design and project management, he has extensive training in the fields of phytochemistry, plant/soil pathology and biogenic health. Mr. Holecek has studied western herbalism at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine with Michael Moore, and ortho-molecular nutrition with Dr. Michael Manion.

He has long-term experience with soil health and plant vitality, which came from working many years with permaculture design principles at the High Altitude Permaculture Institute in Basalt, CO. His related projects include the development and manufacture of plant-based nutrition products, utilizing algal and plant concentrates, working with Dr. Mitchell May of Synergy Company and Desert Lake Algae Technologies in Klamath Lake, Oregon. He is the co-founder of Algae Aqua-culture Technologies in Whitefish, Montana and Co-Founder of BioCarbon Technologies producing certified organic soil nutrients and biocarbon-based water treatment medias based in Missoula, Montana.

Ryan Wirick is an award-winning filmmaker, film editor, cinematographer, and writer. Since becoming a father, Ryan has focused on projects that highlight solutions to critical problems in the world, and the people behind those solutions. He Co-Founded Earth Conscious Films with Rob Herring, then Co-Directed/Produced/shot and edited the feature length documentary,The Need To GROW.

In a race against the end of farmable soil, The Need To GROW follows three individuals (Alicia Serratos, Erik Cutter, and Michael Smith) as they fight for change in the industry of agricultural food production, calling for a revolution. Executive Produced and narrated by Rosario Dawson, The Need To GROW has won numerous Best Documentary honors in film festivals, and has now been seen in over 170 countries.

Ryan began his career as a journalist, and was recognized with an Orange County Press Club Award. He graduated from Chapman University with an MFA in Creative Writing, an MA in English, and a BA in Philosophy. There he received the Tom Massey Award, the John Fowles Award for Creative Writing, and the William James Award in Philosophy.

Today, Ryan is creating a global network of empowering resources through Earth Conscious Life, Herring and Wirick’s new platform of regenerative solutions to both human and planetary health. They founded ECL based on the simple truth: our potential as a species is both empowered and bound by the potential of our living biosphere. Human health = Planet health.

John Porterfield has a varied background and has always served as a strong advocate for the organic agriculture industry. John is a private sector representative to numerous committees in the State of Montana including the Montana After-School Network. John brings a diverse synergy of skills and knowledge with his community service-oriented background to the Alegría Farmacy Team coming from a family in farming and mining, an education in forestry and recreation management, and a career in sales and marketing. Collectively these experiences have inspired John to advocate the educational need to to take our STEM education to a STREAM model adding Recreation and Art to the acronym. He is a member of the STEM Education Task Force and the Montana Youth Restoration Partnership with 25 state and federal agencies. John founded the Montana Coalition for the Homeless coordinating statewide resources. He also served as an adviser to the Washington Corporation’s Early Care Education Study. John is a catalyst for building local food security and community resilience in Montana by collaborating with State and Federal Agencies from the US and Canada. Mr. Porterfield currently serves on the Montana Organic Association Board of Directors, representing 315 organic farmers and ranchers on 550,000 acres of USDA Certified Organic land in Montana. John is also Vice President and Board Member of the Organic Marketing Association. John enjoys his two children, working on his farms and hot springs resort in western Montana, along with farms and communities across the state as a licensed hemp grower.

Joe Gilson holds a B.S. in Agronomy from Mississippi State University as well as M.A. in Clinical Psychology through Azusa Pacific University. Joe has attended the Farm School at Wild Willow Farm and Educational Center in Imperial Beach, CA where he gained valuable understanding in regenerative agriculture and the healing power of both plants and people. Joe has worked at the Farm + Food Lab in Irvine, CA., a public demonstration garden to promote Urban Regenerative Agriculture designs in the community. Joe is passionate about people and the natural world and humankind’s place within it. Joe’s background in both agronomy and psychology strives to connect people through building soil and growing healthy food systems within our community.