Our Team​
Chris Poad, Director of Operations
Chris is responsible for operations at Holy Oak Farm. He holds an M.S. degree in Horticulture and is from several generations of growers, ranging from horticultural gardeners to professional growers, some of whom made their living from sustainable agriculture. He has grown flowers and food commercially in field crops and greenhouses utilizing soil based, hydroponic, and aquaponics growing methods. Since the early 1990’s, he has been researching, experimenting, developing, and using intensive bed-based production and has sold wholesale, retail and farm markets throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. Chris shares his highly-productive growing methods in his book, Intensive Management of Soil-Based Production. His impressive production results include 143,000 pounds of produce, grown and harvested off approximately 1 acre of land using only hand tools.
Dr. Debra O'Beirne, Medical Advisor - Recovery Services
Debra O’Beirne, MD, FASAM, received her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland. During her career, she has cared for veterans and the underserved; she feels honored and blessed to share in this expression of the Orthodox Christian faith. She is a convert to Orthodoxy and was one of the founding members of St. Innocent Orthodox Church in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. After residency, Dr. O’Beirne served as a Psychiatrist in the United States Army. She then practiced at two Veterans Administration Medical Centers, where she developed her interest in Addiction Medicine.
Dr. O’Beirne is presently the Director of Addiction Medicine for the Fairfax/Falls Church Community Services Board in Fairfax, Virginia. She is board certified in Addiction Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Society for Addiction Medicine. She serves as Secretary for the Virginia Society for Addiction Medicine. She is a member of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Ashburn, Virginia.
Help Wanted - Farm Manager
The Farm Manager:
1) plans and coordinates the operation of farm, nursery, greenhouses, and other agricultural production sites.
2) oversees all aspects of running the farm and other facilities that produce crops.
3) Duties include planning, supervising, participating in the planting, fertilization, and harvesting processes.
4) will be in charge of hiring, training, and managing farm workers, ensuring that they are properly prepared for their important positions.
5) involved in selecting the proper equipment and supplies needed to properly support the farm.
6) maintain records and financial books
7) markets the yield for that year.