Our Mission

Bridget Walsh

Bridget has nearly a decade of experience working on humanitarian projects both locally and globally as well as 6 years of experience in project management and 5 years in team management .  While earning her bachelor degree in biochemistry, she was a Humanitarian Engineering Scholar at The Ohio State University. During her undergraduate career, she worked with a non-profit organization in Panajachel, Guatemala to improve water sanitation and waste management, was a project engineer at a biomedical engineering firm, and assisted in teaching underclassmen in the humanitarian engineering scholars program. While she found herself interested in her biochemistry research and studies, it was her involvement in humanitarian projects that sparked her passion for serving others. 

    Following her graduation, Bridget decided to continue her education to be better equipped to pursue humanitarian work. She went on to earn her master of public health in global epidemiology from nationally ranked Emory University and was certified in healthcare in humanitarian emergencies. She worked as a fellow at CDC, focusing on refugee health particularly in low resource settings. Food insecurity was an area of health that sparked Bridget’s interest due to its extreme effect on all subsequent areas of an individual's health and its clear preventability in many areas of the world (particularly right here in the United States). 

    Most recently, Bridget has worked with the Georgia Department of Public Health managing epidemiologists and ultimately working towards health equity in the state of Georgia. She has also volunteered with Tennessee local business, HATponics, to work on food security systems in Los Limones, Dominican Republic.

Spencer Barker

Spencer has over 5 years of project and team management experience. He earned his bachelor degree in agricultural, food, and biological engineering at  The Ohio State University where he was a Humanitarian Engineering Scholar. Spencer worked at Tennessee local business, HATponics, for 3 years. During his tenure as their Director of Operations, Spencer managed countless construction projects and teams, and learned the ins and outs of business. Over his three years working in greenhouse design and construction, Spencer worked with communities across over thirty states and two countries and grew a passion for sustainable agriculture. 

    Spencer then traveled throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe learning culinary and agricultural practices from locals throughout the world. He spent a month volunteering with community gardeners in southern Greece, learning the arts of natural farming and sustainable food growth at the community level. Spencer returned from his travels and became a certified Master Gardener through the University of Tennessee Extension. Through his work as a master gardener and through volunteering at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Spencer has learned the neighborhoods of the greater Chattanooga Area and is grateful for the opportunity to improve food security through Floating Tree.