Staff Profile

© Photos by Fred Greaves - fredgreaves.com

Sara Bernal


West Sacramento Urban Agriculture Program Director

Sara Bernal is the Program Manager for the West Sacramento Urban Farm Program. In 2014, Sara left her own farm operation, Moon River Farm, in the Sacramento Delta to join the Center for Land-Based Learning and launch the West Sacramento Urban Farm Program. Sara has worked diligently to convert five sites in West Sacramento into thriving urban farm business incubator sites, as a part of the California Farm Academy’s Incubator Program. The Mobile Farmers’ Market refrigerated truck is Sara’s latest project, which she designed as a way to bring fresh produce grown by the urban farm program directly to residents where they live. Sara also farms and manages Riverfront Farm, the fifth and newest farm site of the program.

In her role as Program Manager, Sara has steered the direction of the urban farm program toward developing multi-sector partnerships throughout the community. Working with local partners, Sara strives to increase the ability of urban farms to act as change agents for the greater good within the West Sacramento community and beyond.

Sara is a graduate of the Sierra Health Foundations Leadership Program in 2019 and the Nueva Epocha Latinx Leadership Program in 2021. These intensive programs focused on reinforcing a systems change mindset around the concepts of the social determinants of health, equity, and community empowerment. Having graduated with a degree in Cultural Anthropology and a double minor in Latin American Studies and Women’s Studies, Sara frames her work around inclusivity, equity, the interconnectedness of all things, and a passion for social justice. Mexican born, raised by two immigrant parents, Sara has lived and worked in countries around the world from Bangladesh to Italy but lovingly feels Sacramento is her home.