TEAM

Lev Natan / Founder & Executive Director

Since 2010, Lev has been catalyzing breakthroughs for changemakers, as a leadership coach, organizational consultant, men’s group facilitator, & sound healer.  He founded AVF in 2018 as the breakthrough project in his MA in Organizational Leadership. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston University in Human Ecology. Lev is also certified as an Integrative Sound and Music Practitioner and Empowerment Life Coach.  Lev was raised in the Jewish tradition; his ancestors come from Kiev & Odesa in the Ukraine; and he sustains his connection to the lineage of Kabbalah, Chasidut and Jewish mysticism. He also practices the indigenous ceremonial way of life; including sundance, vision quest, and sweat lodge. Lev is a proud husband and father, and lives with his family in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.

Mikelle Carver has been working with AVF since 2019. She is our trusted financial strategist, empowering the organization’s growth through numbers. She is a passionate advocate for agriculture and sustainable resources. To learn more about her, visit her LinkedIn page.

Rachel Hector is the Assistant Grants Manager at Capacita Consulting serving clients through project management, grant coordination, grant writing, and grant research. Rachel has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has 10+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector working in direct service, education, program design, grants management, individual giving, and communications.

She is passionate about supporting organizations focused on promoting human rights, catalyzing change by addressing root causes, and accessing justice for populations who have been historically marginalized. 

Joseph Plante, New Media Storytellers
Founded in 1998 by award-winning journalist and musician Bill Plante and his son Joe, New Media Storytellers has partnered with organizations dedicated to psychological health, emotional wellbeing, and social transformation. Our research-based approach recognizes that storytelling is humanity's most ancient and powerful medicine - a tool for healing, connection, and meaningful change.

From mental health innovators to educational visionaries, from grassroots movements to global initiatives, we craft authentic narratives that touch hearts and inspire action. Bill's legacy lives on in our commitment to transformative storytelling and the causes that make our world a better place.

Roger Vanoro is an award-winning documentary film maker. He also is a counselor and healing arts practitioner. We are grateful to have his masterful skills to share AVF’s story. To learn more about Roger, visit www.rogervanoro.com

Yonah Sadeh has been making films since 2010. To learn more, read his featured article in Rural Intelligence.