Karen Barale is the Pierce County Extension Educator, Nutrition. Her main program responsibilities include Food $ense, EFNEP, and general nutrition. Karen earned a B.S. in Home Economics from WSU and an M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Washington. She is a Registered Dietitian and Fellow of the American Dietetic Association.

Curtis Hinman is Associate Professor with Washington State University Extension and Adjunct Faculty with WSU Department of Natural Resource Sciences.  He directs water resource programs for WSU Extension in Pierce County to protect water quality and aquatic habitat in Puget Sound basin.  Mr. Hinman is the author of the "Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound” and the “Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners”.   He is researching, designing and monitoring various low impact development strategies applicable in western Washington, as well as serving on advisory committees that develop regional stormwater management policy and identify funding and research needs.  Mr. Hinman earned a B.S. degree in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning (specializing in lake ecology and water resource management) from University of California Davis.  He holds a Masters of Science degree with a concentration in stream ecology and watershed management from the Yale University.

Nicole Martini is the Coordinator of the Master Gardener Program. She is responsible for recruiting, developing, recognizing and retaining Master Gardener Volunteers. She has prior Extension experience with program development, community outreach, education, and volunteer management as an Extension Agent in Decatur, Georgia. She earned an M.S. in Horticulture with a focus on sustainable agriculture from the University of Georgia, a Graduate Certificate in Conservation and Sustainable Development from the Institute of Ecology at the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Idaho.

Linda Mathews works with the WSU Square Foot Nutrition Project in Pierce County. During the past 20 years Linda has served in both private and public schools in Puget Sound as an Artist-in-Residence, a teacher and Development Officer. She has BA from The Evergreen State College.

Cindy Wroblewski provides office support for special projects including the Square Foot Nutrition and Food$ense programs. Cindy also volunteers regularly as a receptionist and for other office duties.