Chairman Emeritus
Abby Sayler,  
Abby has a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Maryland and she graduated with honors from the Corcoran School of Art in Washington DC. She has a Masters degree in Medical and Biological Illustration from the University of Michigan. In 1997, she established Abby's Health & Nutrition.

Victor Karydis , Governing Board

- Victor Karydis,  Owner of Abby’s Health and Nutrition, is a certified National Health Professional, working on his doctorate in Naturopathy.  With over 26 years in the health and nutrition field, he has been working at Abby's for over 23 years. Originally from Greece, he has a four year degree in Business from John Abbott College in Montreal, Quebec. 

David Housefield, Governing Board

David was a title company executive for 39 years and during that career was involved in various real estate related businesses including title, mortgage and casualty insurance.  He has served on several boards and committees for charitable non-profit organizations over the past 40 years.  David was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area, has been married to Darlene Mirabella Housefield for 49 years and has 4 children and 9 grandchildren.  He has been a passionate gardener for most of his life and joined Abby’s Health & Nutrition in 2014 to develop Abby’s Organic Community Farm, Inc. David has been the Farm Director since 2015 and responsible for the development of the farm to carry out the nission and vision of Abby Sayler/

I retired June of 2020 to become a full time beekeeper and to grow my business.  My passion as a beekeeper is “Education”!  My education (Currently enrolled at UF Master Beekeeper Program) and the education of the next generation.  Prior to the farm I performed many honey bee experiences at my house. It was awesome but limited to 10 to 15 people.  My wife and I discovered Abbys the spring of 2021 and just had to join the farm family.  I was anxious to rediscover my childhood passion for growing anything and sharing my beekeeper talents.  Plugging into the educational opportunities at Abbys has truly been a blessing and has more than doubled my impact to 30/40+ people at a time.  My wife and I are looking forward to being lifelong members at Abby’s.

Born and raised in Tampa, Nancy comes from a long line of farmers and gardeners and has recently retired after 35 satisfying years of teaching. She is married with 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren.

Nancy has always enjoyed cooking, gardening and kids. After spending time at Abby’s farm, it was only natural that seeing food in its real form, in the garden, as a valuable learning experience that she believes should be used to inspire our youth to plant, grow, cook, and eat good healthy food for life.

As Director of Education at Abby’s Farm, she is responsible for field trips and Nature Lab programs designed to educate parents and children about how to navigate our food sources for better health and how to be stewards of our Earth.

Rita Wickner grew up in Rhode Island with her two brothers and four sisters. She is married to Todd and they have two children, Dan and Joanna.

Rita started her working career in the banking business as a bank tell. After moving the London England she started to volunteer at her son’s school, Hempstead International . After moving back to the United States Rita achieved her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Medical Record Technology at Maricopa County Community College, Phoenix Arizona. After sitting for a national exam she became an Accredited Record Technician. Rita had a rewarding career as a medical record coder, working in community hospitals for over 22 years.

After retiring eight years ago Rita started to focus on non profit organizations. Some of these organizations are The Straz Center, Feeding Tampa Bay and Abby’s Organic Community Farm. Rita is a current board member at the Straz Center for Tampa Opera and serves on the Broadway Ball auction committee. Rita and her husband have co-chaired the Straz Center Broadway Ball in 2013.

 Gayle Marretta was born and raised in Michigan. She moved to Florida in her young 20’s, got married and raised 3 children. She earned her bachelor’s degree from University of South Florida in her early 40’s; double majoring in both, Gerontology and Psychology. She was inspired to start her own vegetable garden (after failing for many years to have a “Michigan” garden) after spending time with one of her Hospice patients whose husband frequently shared his gardening

knowledge and harvest with her. Later, while continuing to work with the elderly population and being the caregiver for her mom, she saw all the medicines they were taking and she decided there had to be something better, less toxic for the body. After completing her year-long herbal training she joined Abby’s Organic Community farm at the invitation of another member hoping to learn more about Florida gardening in order to grow medicinal herbs and vegetables. Since joining Abby’s Organic Community Farm growing her own food and medicine has become

a passion she hopes to pass on to others and the next generation. She is continuing her Herbal education, is a beekeeper, has a flock of chickens & a couple goats, and is enrolled in the Master Beekeeping Program with University of Florida/IFAS.  She has been married to her 2nd husband, John, for 17 years and between the two of them they have 6 children and 9 grandchildren.

 Hello, my name is Christina Sallustio. I am married to my high school sweetheart, and am mom and homeschool teacher to our three amazing teenaged boys. My family has been a part of Abby’s Organic Farm since the beginning of 2019. The farm has been an answer to prayer for me. My lifelong dream has always been to have my own farm, and I spent most of my childhood (and even adult life) wishing I was Laura Ingalls Wilder! Living in suburbia, I have been limited in the space and freedom to learn and put into practice this love, but Abby’s has given it all to me! Learning how to grow your own food is one of the most satisfying endeavors, and sharing and teaching others is equally rewarding. I am grateful for all the patient people at the farm who share what they know and what they grow for the benefit of all, and I am proud to be a small part of the process.