Big Love is Akron’s local environmental health equity organization.  We are an evolving network facilitating neighbor-led/creative placemaking, sustainability, and health equity efforts throughout Akron as a means for social change.

Our Staff

Executive Director: Zach Freidhoff. Zach has 15 years of experience advocating for conflict management and environmental policy change, 6 years experience in donor advised fundraising, and 6 years experience in community organizing.

Chief Operating Officer/Director of Programming: Beth Vild. Beth has 19 years of experience in community organizing, trained in Freire and Gantz theories of health equity. She also has 5 years of experience in urban permaculture, specialized in participatory design.

Gage Gallaher. Gage has experience in canvassing & canvassing management, general management, and community organizing. He currently works with the community Food Forest projects and local gardens.

Wren Kohler. Wren graduated with a B.A. in Medical Biology, and trained with a focus on Ecology. They have lab experience in Biology, Ecology, and Organic Chemistry. More recently they have been working in permaculture design alongside the community Food Forest projects and local gardens.

Morgan Giaimo. Morgan has 4 years experience in Health and Hospitality Administration, general management, and community organizing.

Salem Avery. Salem graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology, and has experience formulating appropriate data collection methods for qualitative research, as well as analyzing meaningful trends in non-numerical data sets. They are trained for cultural competency in communication to support ethnographic research for the purpose of better understanding different cultural groups’ specific lifestyles, environments, and needs.