About Us
Who We Are
Hi there. We’re glad you’re here. In the spring of 2023, we were inspired to create a space where everyone could reconnect with the land together.
While thinking about what this place would be, we had the privilege to visit groups who were already doing this work in beautiful and radical ways. Some were farms, some were monasteries (some were farmasteries), some were agricultural communities, and some were retreat centers in rural settings. At some point on this journey, I (Tony) was able to tour Bluestem Conservation Cemetery in North Carolina and was struck by the reverence the space required of me. It was a beautiful example of how land could be preserved—set apart as a gift for all—and also a space for healing and nourishment in the midst of grief and loss. We discovered that entwining life, death, and the land has created many meaningful and impactful stories.
From that point on, this vision to build a land commons and conservation cemetery has been growing and taking shape. We’ve been listening to the humans and other creatures of southern Michigan (and we plan to continue listening) to hear how this space can be their space. We continue to feel inspired to do this work and find hope in these projects, for our community and for the world. We hope you’ll join us.
Through community conservation and natural burial, our mission is to offer a space, a commons—for all people to restore the land and connect with each other.
For all people of Southern Michigan to have access to natural space in which they can grieve loss, grow and share food, and delight in nature.
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Community and Fellowship
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Rest and Delight
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Stewardship and Service
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Reverence and Thanksgiving
Our Name
As people of faith, with a big vision of what God is doing in the world, we wondered, “what might happen if we loved the land the way God loves it?” Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann often called Jeremiah the prophet of the land par excellence.
Much like the prophet, we decided to commit ourselves to the local land, and to restore our relationship to it—to receive the land as a gift and value it as such. (Jeremiah 19, 20, 29, and 32 are great passages on this point.) Of course, land is the most universal connector on this planet. It’s a gift to which all should have access.
Sharing things in common started long ago and this tradition is rooted in communities across history and around the globe. Land held and cared for by a group of people can nourish the whole bio-community, not just a few.
Officers & Directors
Tony Mayotte
CO-FOUNDER / PRESIDENT
When I’m not busy working to grow Jeremiah Commons and giving talks about natural burial, I spend most of my time with my family and studying for law school at the University of Michigan. With a background in faith, food, and environmental justice and a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School, I enjoy spending time outside in creation and talking with folks about anything that makes them feel alive. Shari and I live in Jackson, MI with our three children.
Shari Mayotte
CO-FOUNDER
My first job is being a mom to our two daughters, and my second is working as a mental health therapist. I have a deep interest in what it means to be human, especially from a psychological and emotional perspective. I’ve come to believe that so many people are longing for community and connection, especially in the midst of loss, and I think Jeremiah Commons’ vision can help meet that need. I’m genuinely excited about the prospect of our dream of a land commons and conservation cemetery coming to life, because it could offer equitable access to land, food, and connection to community for so many.
Erin Mette
DIRECTOR
Erin is an attorney at the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, where she advocates for environmental justice and public health through legal services, community education, and policy development. With a passion for land conservation and sustainable agriculture, Erin draws on her background as an outdoor educator and farmer to inform her work. She lives in Detroit with her husband and two children, where she enjoys backyard gardening and kayaking along the Detroit River.
Jeremy Siegrist
DIRECTOR
Jeremy grew up in Jackson, Michigan, left home to travel the world with a nomadic community of musicians, then moved back to the Irish Hills where he has been doing ecological land restoration over the last decade for Iron Creek Land Community. He continues to devote extensive time to observing the natural world, foraging for wild food, participating in local bird and butterfly surveys, reading, and traveling. He has led many nature walks for children and adults. He also plays music with his experimental folk orchestra theillalogicalspoon, and has written for and co-edited several d.i.y. publications.
Andrew Van Valin
DIRECTOR
Andrew is an AICP-certified urban planner, real estate professional and dedicated urbanist with a deep conviction in the nexus of thoughtful urban development and rural land preservation. Andrew's professional work is interested in the improvement of family outcomes and the cultivation of community through housing and traditional neighborhood design. He currently serves as the Senior Manager of Acquisitions and Development for the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, spearheading the Foundation's Housing Initiatives to provide housing for vulnerable populations. As a board member, Andrew hopes to bring his professional expertise to Jeremiah Commons' mission to provide a conservation cemetery and land commons to the people of southern Michigan. Andrew resides in West Palm Beach, FL with his wife Chelsea and their three children
Jack R Baker, PhD
SECRETARY / DIRECTOR
Jack is a strategic communicator, educator, and writer with a passion for sustainability and community-centered initiatives. With over 20 years of experience spanning academia, fintech, and consulting, he specializes in storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and organizational strategy. Jack currently leads internal communications at a global fintech company. An expert on the works of Wendell Berry, Jack explores local questions and is moved by the web of stories that connect us to each other. He is honored to contribute to Jeremiah Commons’ goal of learning to love “the land the way God loves it” by providing accessible, dignified, and ecologically sustainable burial alternatives and community spaces for gathering together with others.
Matthew Nelson Hill
TREASURER / DIRECTOR
Matthew moved to Michigan in 2011 with his wife, Helene, and their five children. He has been an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church since 2009 and earned his Ph.D. in ethics from Durham University in 2013. Matthew and Helene love the outdoors, beekeeping, raising sheep, and spending time in nature with their family and local community. For his job, Matthew is a Professor of Philosophy at Spring Arbor University and enjoys writing about biology and its interconnection to philosophy, theology, and ethics.
Michelle Liska MSW, LMSW, CST
DIRECTOR
Michelle is a clinical social worker in private practice in Jackson and Hillsdale, Michigan. She has been providing mental health therapy in private practice since 2004. Michelle completed her undergraduate degree at Hillsdale College, majoring in Sociology and German and completed her graduate work at the University of Michigan, majoring in Interpersonal Practice and minoring in Administration. She holds both a clinical and macro license to practice social work in the state of Michigan, and she is a nationally Certified Sex Therapist. Upon graduation from the University of Michigan, Michelle became the executive director of a small nonprofit organization for eight years. She has worked for multiple hospital systems in inpatient and outpatient behavioral health settings. Michelle had the privilege of working for the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan, where she provided therapy for the resident Dominican Sisters who founded Sienna Heights University. It was there that Michelle was able to witness the beauty of a green burial. Michelle recently completed her End of Life Doula training with The Dying Year, trained by Merilynne Rush and additional The Dying Year staff. Michelle is currently developing the scope of her End of Life Doula practice. Michelle has 3 adult children and their partners, as well as 3 grandchildren, and she resides in Jackson, Michigan. Michelle enjoys baking and cooking, biking, travel, trees, solitude, meditation, and hosting others for a meal and deep conversation.
Rev. Jadon D.Hartsuff
DIRECTOR
Rev. Hartsuff, a Jackson native, is an Episcopal priest and a Chaplain in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Aftering majoring in Economics and Management at Albion College, Jadon journeyed from Detroit to Chicago to L.A. for management roles in corporate philanthropy, sales and marketing, and as the managing partner of an international design firm, before answering a call to ministry. He earned a Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary in New York City and was called to church leadership roles in Denver and Washington, D.C. He returned to Jackson in 2020 to be close to family and in 2022 became Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, one of Jackson's oldest congregations, where his family has five generations of history. A passionate proponent of "GreenFaith," Jadon is excited to bring his diverse experience in business, ministry, and chaplaincy to aid in Jeremiah Commons' efforts to create a conservation cemetery in Southern Michigan.
Resources, Learning & Inspiration
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Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
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New Testament
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Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Agrarian Spirit by Norman Wirzba
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When the Streetlights Come On by Heather McTeer Toney
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This Sacred Life by Norman Wirzba
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Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
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Soil and Sacrament by Fred Bahnson
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Our Last Best Act by Mallory McDuff
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Eaarth by Bill McKibben
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Life is a Miracle by Wendell Berry
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The Future of the Commons by Elinor Ostrom
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Refugia Faith by Debra Reinstra
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Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture by Ellen Davis
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Deep Incarnation by Denis Edwards
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Waiting for God by Simone Weil
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In Search of our Mothers Gardens by Alice Walker
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Becoming Human by Luke Powery
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Nurturing Faith by Fred Edie
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Re-genesis by George Monbiot
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Second Nature by Michael Pollan
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Testament of Hope - MLK Jr.
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Lay Me in God's Good Earth by Kent Burreson and Beth Hoeltke
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The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry
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Creation Justice Ministries
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Art and Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto Fujimura
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Awakened by Death by Christiana N. Peterson
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The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wholleben
Land Acknowledgment
We would like to acknowledge that the land in which this vision will likely take root was first inhabited, cared for, and nourished by Michigan’s First Nations Peoples whose descendants still honor those ties today.
This region of Michigan was, and is still, home to the Anishinaabeg, of which, the three largest nations are the Ojibwe (Chippewa), Odawa (Ottawa), and Bodewadomi (Potawatomi), which collectively form The Council of The Three Fires. We hope to continue to learn from their legacy and relationship with this place.