The Happy Cooks Club was launched in August 2025 through a grant from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation @sproutsfnd; We are excited to have this support to plant the seeds of a healthier future for our kids and community. 🌱 @Sprouts Farmers Market  @sprouts]

The Happy Cooks Club Mission is to plant seeds to nourish the health of our bodies, our community, and the earth through the experience of food and the wonder of the natural world.

With goals of community, inclusivity, and connection, the work of the Happy Cooks Club offers hands-on experiences to improve childhood health and wellbeing, provide nutrition education, and promote healthy living. We do this through:

• Free Cooking Classes and family-friendly food tastings and demos
• Regenerative Farming classes and hands-on on-farm experiences
• Holistic Nutrition practices and education
• Capturing the stories and Everyday Language of Food – the ways food brings us together in community, lifts up our individual heritage, traditions and identity, while bridging cultural difference

Kelly Hedberg

Kelly Hedberg is an outdoor educator with over sixteen years of teaching experience in gardens and outdoor settings in Phoenix, Arizona. She spent her early teaching years at Desert Botanical Garden. It is here that she fell in love with the Sonoran Desert and realized the importance of a connection with nature for all youth. For six years she ran after-school garden programs (DIG IT! Outdoors) at community gardens, Montessori and public schools. Since 2019, she has been employed as a Garden Integration Specialist at Rover Elementary School in Tempe and is grateful to spend her teaching hours outside.

Kelly established Hedberg Garden Group (HGG), LLC in 2014 as a school garden education company. Its mission is to advocate for daily outdoor learning in K-12 education for all children. HGG supports educators in four main areas: outdoor education program management, professional development, garden design and curriculum adaptation to outdoor settings.

Cassie Tolman

Is a holistic nutritionist, plant-based chef & educator.

She collaborates with local farmers, community partners, integrative health practitioners, children and their families to improve the health of our community, one delicious bite at a time.

As a plant-based chef (embracing all eating preferences- from vegans to carnivores and everyone in between!) with a big appetite for wholesome, locally grown, delicious food, I have spent many years exploring the connection between food, well-being, community, and the planet.

From co-owning Pomegranate Café—a beloved mother-daughter owned, organic, indulgently healthy eatery—to working as a holistic private chef creating culinary nutrition plans & preparing nourishing meals for individuals with chronic health conditions, to creating a wellness education curriculum and teaching hands-on cooking classes for children of all ages, I am inspired by the healing power of whole foods.

I have always been hungry for more: more flavor, more color, more creative & delicious ways to nourish our bodies and care for the Earth.

I graduated from the chef’s training program at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. In addition to my culinary training, I have continued my education in Food as Medicine to deepen my understanding of nutrition and holistic health. I am now completing a Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health and working toward becoming a Certified Nutrition Specialist.

One of my greatest joys is working with children. I also love bringing communities together through hands-on cooking classes, where kids, teens, and adults learn to prepare simple, nourishing meals that are as fun to make as they are to eat.

Maya Dailey

Owner at Owner at Maya’s Farm, Operating partner ASU / ASUFarm at ASU Principal of Innovation and Sweete Center Collaboration and works at District Garden Manager at Phoenix Elementary School District #1

MAYA’s FARM is a family-run operation owned by Maya Dailey, who credits her success to local chef-owned restaurants, farmers’ markets, and loyal CSA members.

Maya began her farming journey while working in Santa Fe restaurants, initially growing herbs for local chefs. Her passion grew, leading her to Arizona, where she expanded to edible flowers and eggs. In 2006, she made the leap into full-time urban farming, quickly establishing Maya’s Farm as a beloved local landmark.

Maya remains committed to sustainable farming practices, community health, and quality produce, making Maya’s Farm an integral part of the local food movement.

Dig deep and enjoy!