Our Team

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Heidi Barr (she/her)

FOUNDER/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

“The natural world in collaboration with human labor makes beautiful textiles.”

  • For over a decade Heidi owned and operated  Kitchen Garden Textiles, a Philadelphia based lifestyle brand working at the intersection of food and fabric. This work led to a deep understanding of the connection between textiles and farming. In 2020, with farmer Emma de Long, Heidi took this understanding to the next level and the PA Flax Project began. Heidi is a founding board member of the North American Linen Association, a trade organization advancing bast fiber production and processing in North America. Her love for textiles and lifelong attention to environmental issues combine into her passion for bringing linen production back to Pennsylvania.

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Emma Delong (she/her)

FOUNDER/CHIEF AGRICULTURAL OFFICER

“…Lo and behold! Reel away, reel away, Straw into gold.” Rumplestiltskin

  • Emma de Long (she/her) has lived and farmed in Pennsylvania since 2012. She owns and operates Kneehigh Farm, a 4-acre diversified vegetable farm located outside of Pottstown. She also co-owns Red Dog Market, a hyper-local grocery store, with her husband Aaron de Long, as of 2020. Emma is committed to climate mitigation and is passionate about changing the food and textile industry for the better. She has been growing flax for linen at Kneehigh Farm since 2020.

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L Polish (she/they)

OPERATIONS MANAGER

“Never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.” Fannie Lou Hamer

  • Lisa Turner Polish (often going by L Polish) is an operations and administration professional, artist, and social-impact entrepreneur. With a background spanning arts leadership, education, and organizational operations, L brings a systems-thinking approach to building people-centered processes. She is also the founder of Project Mycelium Inc., where she develops community-based initiatives focused on housing, creative economies, and mutual aid. Her work lives at the intersection of logistics, creativity, and care—bridging operational strategy with cultural and community stewardship.

Sergei Konanykhin (he/him)

INTERIM DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE

“Introducing farmers and researchers to all aspects of fiber flax production, from seed to bale.”

  • Sergei worked in the Russian flax industry for 12 years before moving to Argentina, and then eventually the United States. He describes flax as his “first love” and is very excited to get to aid with the beginnings of this industry in this region

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Janell Wysock (she/her)

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

“Community created consciousness through flax fiber education.”

  • Janell is a textile artist and designer who has a deep love for natural fibers. She feels that creating by hand gives the maker space to consider slowing down, to articulate what their life holds, and a pathway to tap into their wellbeing. She has joyfully taught students of all ages for the last 20 years. She loves to walk dogs and host dinners to connect with friends and build community.

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Evan Reinhardt (he/him)

DIRECTOR OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

“Buildings ground our human aspirations to place.”

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  • Evan has spent the majority of his career in the construction and development industry, with some forays into farming & food systems. He currently owns and operates Common Craft: a value-based, small scale development firm focused on adaptive reuse and community-oriented building projects.

    Evan's role with PA Flax Project includes capital planning and pre-development as we turn our vision of a cooperatively owned fiber flax scutching mill into a reality.

Emily Brochin (she/her)

BOOKKEEPER

“I'm excited to be part of the 30,000 year tradition of humans collaborating with the flax plant.”

  • Emily has Excel spreadsheets for everything and never met something she didn’t want to organize. Her previous careers included: TV writer, social media strategist, journalist, and food writer. She’s an avid gardener and is obsessed with all things flax.

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Jackie Marino-Thomas (she/they)

COMMUNICATIONS & CONTENT MANAGER

“"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world." Margaret Mead

  • Jackie is passionate about storytelling and spreading information. She feels that the world is a better place when we are all connected, and loves to take advantage of algorithms to do so.

    She has been a freelance social media manager since 2019, and is very excited to get outside more with the PA Flax Project and support their amazing work.