Bridghe McCracken
Bridghe McCracken, Founder of Helia Land Design, has over 20 years experience in land stewardship, as well as designing landscapes, gardens and beautiful food systems.
Bridghe has a BA in Biology from Colorado College, is a certified Organic Landcare Professional from the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, a certified Horticulturist from MCLA, is a Massachusetts Master Gardener and is a graduate and advanced practitioner of the Four Winds Society.
In 2006 she began a partnership with Project Native, as their Chief Landscape Designer, which allowed her to stay abreast of the latest available native plants. In 2006 she was honored and delighted to be the lead landscape designer and mentor for Project Sprout, an award winning student garden in Western Massachusetts.
Bridghe has also taught Permaculture as an adjunct professor at Simons Rock College of Bard. Her speaking engagements include the Master Gardener symposiums of Massachusetts, the Richmond School, CO-ACT and Miss Hall’s school. Corporate and consultation clients include:
Skidmore College, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Berkshire Community College, Hudson Valley Association, Tanglewood, The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Chesterwood, The Trustees of the Reservation
As a Peace Corps volunteer Bridghe had the opportunity to work directly with underserved communities toward their goal of food security and greater health, which continues to inform her work today.
Post the closing of Project Native in 2015, Bridghe launched Helia Native Nursery, continuing her mission of bringing native plants into the public domain. That same year, the nursery found its permanent home, Sky Meadow Farm -a 109 acre farm in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Here, Bridghe has founded her own workshop series, educating landscape professionals, homeowners and land managers around sustainable land stewardship, native plant design and propagation
Jonathon Williams
Jonathon Williams formative years were spent in Colorado hiking alpine meadows and climbing cushy sandstone, now calls the Berkshires his home. He graduated from UMass Amherst with a BA in Natural Resource Management and a MA in Public Policy. When not in the orchard or apiary on Sky Meadow Farm, he can be found foraging, fencing and being a dad.
Michelle Von Schilgen
Raised in New York just over the Massachusetts border, Michelle spent many hours outside with nature. She completed a degree in Hotel Restaurant Management and then dove into management at high end resorts in Vail, Napa, and Santa Fe. Upon returning home and not feeling inspired by her profession, Michelle was introduced to Bridghe through a mutual friend and began her journey with Helia Land Design in 2009 when it was originally named The Country Gardeners. Michelle started as a land care and installation crew team member and unsurprisingly rose to management. Michelle joined the office to help facilitate the business from behind the scenes as it grew. Michelle has enjoyed her time growing and being immersed in all aspect of the Helia Land Design Family. As they say, the rest is history.
Rachael Desmond
Growing up on the Great South Bay, Rachael has always connected with the open sea and the unique land. Her interests were focused on the animals, flora, and fauna discovered on the ocean floor and on her hikes through the Sunken Forest. Most of her time in high school was spent surfing, exploring at the beach and interning at the Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center where she was on staff as an Educator.
She moved north and studied at the University of Maine; where she immersed herself in Marine Biology, Peace Studies, Communications, Native American Studies, and filled lots of spare time in the gardens at the Terrell House Permaculture Living and Learning Center. Rachael is thrilled to be a member of the Helia team where she is able to expand her plant knowledge & learn how to be a steward of the land.
Jonah Millett
Jonah earned dual BA and BS degrees from The Evergreen State College with a focus on Sustainability Studies and Ecological Design. He is also certified in Permaculture Design and is a Wilderness First Responder. Jonah brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Helia team with decades of experience stewarding the land as a farmer, landscaper, and forager. As a farmer and local food advocate, he founded the New Lebanon Farmers Market and implemented numerous community initiatives to forge new pathways to food access. In his free time, you’ll find Jonah playing in the mountains and wandering through the forest.
Calisha Croney
Growing up in Grenada, Calisha learned all about her islands plants and their medicinal benefits. Shortly moving to the States, she joined the Land Care team at Helia Land Design. Since 2016 she has been applying her focus specifically to landscaping and horticulture, achieving a certificate of accreditation as an Organic Land Care Professional through NOFA and investing in landscape design and stewardship courses at the Berkshire Botanical Gardens in Stockbridge.
Calisha is an integral part of Helia, time in the field leading and training team members, curating garden design and care with both administrative work and muscles! Working with plants brings Cali joy and always sparks intrigue, her connection to nature allows her to be inspired by the nurturing and healing elements that we can share with plants. Cali loves to discuss the depths of the gardens and is always happy to answer your questions!
Emily Haase
Originally from Northern California, Emily grew up in the coastal redwoods, spending time on the rugged shores and hiking in the forest. She learned to appreciate wild open spaces from a very early age and gained a love of gardening from her Sicilian grandfather. She received a B.S. in Biology from Humboldt State University, where she focused her studies on botany, ecology, and printmaking. She has since worked in a variety of horticultural settings, including farming, seed production, nursery work, and restoration, and has an ever-expanding background in herbalism. It is with this range of experience that Emily brings a diverse wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the Helia team. In her free time, you can find her exploring and foraging in the woods with her dog, being a kitchen witch in all things botanical, nurturing her garden, and spending time in her art studio.
