Who We Are
Mission
To cultivate social & emotional wellness through creativity and interaction with nature.
Vision
Our greater vision is accessible, alternative, and integrative mental health support that supplements traditional treatments and services. We envision safe space and equitable opportunity for individuals, community, and ‘āina to grow and thrive in unison.
Aliza McKeigue Gebin, founder & facilitator
Aliza holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Connecticut College and a Certificate in Horticultural Therapy from AHTA-accredited Chicago Botanic Garden. She has a decade of experience in adult mental health, the Hawaii public school system, and in child and family services. Her experience in residential, outreach, and day programs for adult mental health in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Hawai’i led her to establish Root & Rise.
She began her horticultural endeavors on an organic vegetable farm in Massachusetts, and then moved to Hawai’i island in 2015 to work on a diversified organic farm in South Kona. Since then, she has worked as a school garden teacher, and has helped develop and maintain community gardens and privately owned landscapes.
Most recently, Aliza has developed and facilitated āina- and art-based programs at group homes for adults with mental health diagnoses in Kailua-Kona and for keiki and caregivers at parks in the Ka’ū district.
Aliza is CPR certified and trained in Mental Health First Aid and safeTALK (Suicide Alertness).
