Who We Are
We are passionate about connecting people with plants and creating
ways for herbal knowledge to be shared with a wider audience.
ways for herbal knowledge to be shared with a wider audience.
Herbstalk was founded in 2011 by wife-and-husband team, Steph Zabel and Henry Kesner. With a shared love of plants, they originally met while working in a botanical museum. At the time Steph was an herbal student and imagined creating a gathering for people of all backgrounds to exchange and celebrate their plant knowledge. When Steph asked Henry to help create the kind of community event that she envisioned, he enthusiastically agreed and instantly came up with the name "Herbstalk"! Together they have been the creative force behind the organization for over a decade. |
Steph Zabel: Founder
Steph has loved plants since she was a young girl growing up in South Carolina. Her botanical inclinations led her to studies in plant science and horticulture; she also holds a master's degree in ethnobotany. She has been fortunate to have lived abroad -- in Spain, Mexico, the U.K. and Dominica -- to study botany and plant medicine in these places. Upon moving to Boston Steph continued her herbalism studies, worked in the botanical collections of the Harvard University Herbaria, and launched her business Flowerfolk. For over a decade she has combined her passions for herbalism, education, and connecting people with nature.
As Herbstalk's founder and vision maker, she oversees all the logistics for the event, and dreams up new ways that the organization can have a greater impact. She believes that gathering people together to learn and share in a joyful environment can have life-changing effects. Steph envisions Herbstalk as a catalyst of change, healing and collaboration on both individual and collective levels.
As Herbstalk's founder and vision maker, she oversees all the logistics for the event, and dreams up new ways that the organization can have a greater impact. She believes that gathering people together to learn and share in a joyful environment can have life-changing effects. Steph envisions Herbstalk as a catalyst of change, healing and collaboration on both individual and collective levels.
Henry Kesner: Co-Founder
Henry was born on a mountain top in Tennessee. Since an early age, Henry has loved exploring and studying the natural world. A huge fan of children’s literature, Henry is deeply inspired by the classic work of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, and has always sought out ways to serve as a voice for plants. For Henry, Herbstalk embodies this vision as a perfect way to educate a wide audience about the power, use, and wonder of the plants that surround us on a daily basis.
Henry brings his event, project, people & operations skills to the Herbstalk team, ensuring that the event will run smoothly for years to come. He is honored to be part of this team and looks forward to sharing Herbstalk with the world!
Henry brings his event, project, people & operations skills to the Herbstalk team, ensuring that the event will run smoothly for years to come. He is honored to be part of this team and looks forward to sharing Herbstalk with the world!