about us
We’re a highly collaborative and supportive team of expert Garden Educators. We are passionate about the connections, growth and learning that takes place in nature.
Our Mission & Vision
We strive to build unique, long-lasting and organic school learning gardens that produce abounding harvests. We will create a space for school staff and students to make connections with themselves, the earth and each other while learning and growing. We will continue to be the number one school garden expert in the North-West Houston area.
Our Values
We aim to deliver the very best Garden Day experience each and every time with highly-qualified Garden Educators, hands-on student experiences, relevant curriculum and dedicated gardening support.
“The Ready to Grow Gardens staff is always prepared, knowledgeable and flexible.”
Elizabeth Franklin
Teacher, CFISD
Do you want to become a Garden Educator? Positions are filling up.
Applications are open for the 25-26 school year.
Meet the Ready to Grow Gardens Team
Stephanie Baker (Founder and Owner)
I earned my Texas Master Gardener Certification from the Texas Cooperative Extensive and Harris County Master Gardener Association in June of 2003.
I completed my volunteer work with students at Sheridan Elementary where two days a week I taught two hundred third graders how to grow a variety of vegetables out of 70 individual container gardens. I am proud to say that Sheridan Elementary is still one of our Garden Day Partner Schools to this day. Since then, we have expanded across the NW Houston area over the last 23 years.
I love spending time outside my grandchildren in our little “farm” in Tomball. I have 2 children, 5 grandchildren and a lot of animals! We have chickens, goats, dogs and a tortoise! You will often see them make appearances on the Ready to Grow Gardens social media pages.
This year I am proud to be entering our 23rd year of ‘Garden Day’. I get emotional every time I think about how far this company has come. From me growing in buckets with students at Sheridan to a whole team of women that reach 35 schools and over twenty thousand students!
Kara Wolf (Program Operations Manager)
As a child my room was covered in pictures of butterflies and I was always sketching flowers that I found in my mother’s garden or out on hikes. Peace always found me in nature and it continues to.
After spending 4 years as a Spanish teacher with preschool through 12th grade (that’s right, I taught them all!), I found myself craving something different.
I discovered Ready to Grow Gardens in 2019 and saw daily proof that a school garden is more than just a beautiful display of flowers and food; they are spaces where school communities connect with the earth, each other and the wonder of learning. This will be my 6th year working with Ready to Grow Gardens. It is a perfect combination of everything I love: nature, kids and teaching!
I live in Conroe, TX with my husband Jonathon and our dog Eli. I spend much of my time in my own home garden, cooking and, more recently, preparing a nursery! Jonathon and I are expecting our first child, a little girl, this fall. We could not be more excited.
Celise Hamann (Lead Garden Educator)
I have always had a love for the outdoors. I grew up camping most weekends and truly enjoyed being out in nature. Today you can find me in my own yard tending to my flower beds or looking for a new plant to add to my collection.
I retired in 2022 after 27 years of being an elementary classroom educator in Cypress Fairbanks ISD. My career was split between Lieder Elementary and A. Robison Elementary. Even after 27 years, I can say that I still have a passion for teaching. God has blessed me with this opportunity to share my love for gardening with my love of children.
I look forward to all the fun garden experiences I will share with them in my 4th year as a Garden Educator with Ready to Grow Gardens!
Maria Paoli-Vega (Lead Garden Educator)
I have always felt like a gardener without a garden. I read gardening blogs, subscribed to dozens of gardening content creators and constantly made plans for everything I wanted to grow. I dreamed of cooking dinner using ingredients from my backyard and making flower arrangements from flowers I grew myself. In 2021 I stepped back from my role as a Military and Family Life Counselor and moved to Houston to pursue my dream.
After breaking ground on m y garden and putting my hands in the soil for the first time, I began searching for a career that would allow me to garden every day. I’m grateful for the opportunity to blend the skills I’ve honed as a counselor, my love of working with children and my desire to garden, as a part of the RTGG team.
I’m stepping into 3rd year as a Garden Educator in the 2025-26 school year with gratitude and enthusiasm. I am excited to meet the students and teachers. I am most excited to help the students learn science through the various stages of caring for the garden.
Kara Auer (Garden Educator)
From a young age, I found peace and wonder in the natural world — climbing trees, walking along the beach searching for seashells, or planting flowers and watching them bloom. That love for nature has only deepened with time, and today, I’m fortunate to turn it into meaningful work by helping others connect with the earth through gardening.
With years of working with children, hands-on gardening experiences, countless courses in soil health, organic growing and herbal medicine. I’m always learning and always growing.
I blend my passion for the natural world with a love of gardening to create joyful, nature-based learning experiences for children. Gardening is more than a job or a hobby for me — it’s my therapy, my joy, and my way of giving back to the next generation.
Kim Maxian (Garden Educator)
Flowers and gardening have always been a passion of mine. I love to arrange flowers and
work in my home garden. I grew up working in the gardens with my parents and that green
thumb carried on into adulthood. Gardens remind me of childhood, they provide peace and
hope for all the beauty nature gives us.
I retired from teaching in Cy-Fair ISD, after 27 years. I was blessed to work at Lamkin, Gleason,
and 21 years at Sampson Elementary. I taught 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade before moving to be the
Art teacher for 13 years. I also grew up in CFISD; attending Millsap, Arnold and Cy-Fair HS.
Continuing to be involved in Cy-Fair ISD while getting to live out my passion for gardening is a dream come true. I get to spend time with children and teach them the love for nature’s art! I’m so excited to be a part of the Ready to Grow Gardens team.
Melissa Phillips (Garden Educator)
I’ve always loved being outside—whether I’m hiking, fishing, observing my backyard birds, or digging in my flower beds. Nature has always been where I feel most connected and inspired. I also enjoy traveling and spending time with my family, which brings me so much joy!
After 29 wonderful years teaching early childhood special education, I’ve always believed in the power of hands-on, experiential learning especially when it takes place outdoors. For over 15 years, I had the joy of taking my own students to the garden and participating in “Garden Days” at Hamilton Elementary in Cy-Fair ISD. Watching their eyes light up as they explored, planted, and discovered in the garden was one of the true highlights of my teaching career.
Now, as a Garden Educator, I’m thrilled to share that love of the outdoors with even more children. I can’t wait to bring hands-on science learning to life in such a natural, engaging environment. My hope is to spark curiosity, joy, and a deep appreciation for the world around us!
Are you ready to join the team? Applications open for the 25-26 school year. We are seeking one part time outdoor educator.