Lyle Estill
Ring Leader and Lion Tamer
Lyle’s role at the Plant is to set the vision and the pace. He oversees workshop operations, repairs and maintenance, hiring and firing, regulatory affairs, finance and occasionally, lunch.
At his heart Lyle is a traveling salesman. He was a tech entrepreneur turned studio artist turned author who now owns and operates the Fair Game Beverage Company and the Plant with his partners Tami and Arlo.
Arlo Estill
Abundance Management
Arlo is the abundance guru and a guiding light to the growth of The Plant. He sees the vision and is unstoppable. He manages running Hempsmith, a regenerative clothing boutique along with the daily tasks of The Plant and keeps music and farming at the center of his being.
He might be on the bobcat clearing a field in the morning, embroidering shirts in the afternoon, picking blueberries for market and finishing his day with a jam session of fellow musicians. Arlo is a force of nature.
Lisa Pigeon
Communications director
Lisa came to work at the Plant through the Yoga Garden door--where she taught yoga classes. Her ambition and energy quickly reverberated throughout Fair Game Beverage, where she rapidly became General Manager.
Since then she joined us at the Plant as our new Communications Director.
Lisa has worked in food and beverage for over twenty years and is intimate with every role the industry has to offer. Her love for food and beverage began at a catering company in Massachusetts, where she cooked, prepped, and served large banquets and private events.
At the Plant she works on management support, business development, public relations, marketing, and festival creation.
Her favorite meal is slow braised short ribs over mashed potatoes with a glass of Petite Sirah.
And did we say she can sing? That girl can sing!
You can reach Lisa at lisa@theplantnc.com.
George Dusek
V.P. of Everything
Most people think we have George on staff for his muscle.
While it is true that he does a lot of heavy lifting, he also oversees groundskeeping and maintenance. He fixes some things. Demolishes others. According to the Plant’s Human Resources Office, George’s primary role is to “Beat back dilapidation.”
When he’s not meeting the dump truck, or operating the Bobcat you might find him with his pole saw creating a “scene” for customers to enjoy.
He’s also central to our scrap metal operations, keeping our fleet of HVAC units happy and the creation of the Tree Museum.
George has been a brewer of beer, a distiller of spirits, and a park ranger, among other things. One important role he plays at the Plant is dispensing wisdom and providing experience to all of us in need.
Melissa Frey
Event Assistant/Cat Herder
Melissa is a veteran event planner, organizer and community instigator. She began collaborating with Tami and Lyle way back during Chatham Marketplace's start-up, including poetry slams on the porch, and fondly remembers the days of young children, potlucks and soccer games at The Plant when its current form was just a vision.
Melissa currently assists with events like Poetry @ The Plant and Improv @ The Plant and a few other niches where quick action and guerilla marketing is in order. Melissa is thankful for the opportunity to be involved "around the edges" at The Plant but mostly she's on her dream farm in Pittsboro running children's camps, boarding horses and providing Airbnb lodging options surrounded by many flourishing fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants!
Tami Schwerin
matriarch of the Plant
Tami is the co-founder and matriarch of the Plant. Best known for her festive approach to living, she is the reason the Plant is so filled with costumes, chandeliers, artful bathrooms and a giant disco ball.
Some say she didn’t get to play enough “dress-up” as a child—a problem that has affected the whole Town of Pittsboro.
Tami has spent decades building spaces where people can create, collaborate, and celebrate life’s full spectrum—from food and music to meaning and mortality.
She is also the founder of Death Faire, an annual event that invites open conversations about death through art, music, ritual, and storytelling. Her book, Welcome to Death Faire: Love, Loss, and Healing in a Small Southern Town, reflects this mission—bringing together voices from her community to explore grief, remembrance, and the beauty of impermanence.
Gloria Rodriguez
Music Director
When Gloria started working at the Plant, it was behind a 12 ft high barbed wire fence that looked a little like a penitentiary. She has been slowly and steadily guiding us into the right food and beverage experience.
Nowadays she runs Music @ The Plant. She’s always been a live music hound. Now she gets to work in the space: booking bands, setting up lighting, sound, promotion and finding those new emerging artists.
She sometimes creates events, like International Dance Night—she was the Grand Marshal for the PRIDE Parade—and she has a watchful eye on what makes things fun and creates community. You can reach Gloria at music@theplantnc.com.
Kali Willard
Events Director
Kali grew up at The Plant. The playground in the backyard was donated by her folks. We are not sure if she is bitter about that—but if she is, it doesn’t show. Now that she’s grown, she runs the Events business at the Plant.
Kali creates everything from weddings to celebrations of life to corporate meetings to disco parties to video shoots. She calmly guides customers through the myriad details necessary to deliver stress free events.
She also paints signs, moves stages, and gets into the dirt that is necessary for creating our vibe of “Distressed Industrial Chic.” Behind the scenes, she does whatever it takes to make The Plant run smoothly.
When she is not enjoying her playground, she answers emails at
Will CoykenDall
Landscaping & Caretaking
Will is our youngest staff member and an old soul. He manages weed eating, and trash disposal. He knocks out handyperson jobs and is currently learning to weld at the Plant. We love his enthusiasm for work and his deep care of the property.
Will is a multi-talented being. He’s a woodworker and a beekeeper who keeps our mowing high and tight, all the while picking up litter he encounters on the Plant campus.
You also might see Will leading parades at The Plant!
Kristen Viera
Artist in Residence
Kristen is our Artist in Residence!
"I’ve loved drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. In college, I expanded that passion through graphic design, sculpture, and ceramics. Growing up in the Pittsboro area, I love spending time at The Plant, and am grateful for the chance to grow as an artist here. I’m building on my painting and design skills while also learning to create metal art through plasma cutting and beginner welding. Around The Plant, you can spot my work in the burn barrels (with all the leaves), the Tree Museum sign, the Little Pond Garden’s sign, and the Fair Game door."