LOGIN

IMPORTANT: You can find our statement regarding the COVID-19 outbreak here.

Kiss the Ground

Kiss the Ground believes regenerative agriculture is a viable solution to combat the climate, water, and health crisis. Tens of millions of consumers have already been influenced by the film and the work of Kiss the Ground. 

Learn MoreWays to Give

Kiss the Ground

Kiss the Ground believes regenerative agriculture is a viable solution to combat the climate, water, and health crisis. Tens of millions of consumers have already been influenced by the film and the work of Kiss the Ground. 

Learn MoreWays to Give

About Kiss the Ground

Kiss The Ground was founded in 2013 by Ryland Engelhart and Finian Makepeace in Venice Beach, CA.  They, along with other founding members, including Lauren Tucker and Karen Rodriquez, were inspired by the teachings of Graeme Sait, a well-known soil health expert, who shared that a major solution to healing our planet was right below our feet – rebuilding healthy soil.  The founders felt united in their vision that if their ‘awakening’ could be shared globally, humanity could begin to make a positive impact on the planet.  This shared vision led to the formation of Kiss The Ground, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing this knowledge to the world and building a movement centered on regeneration as a key pathway to healing some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Today, Kiss The Ground reaches millions of people through its immersive storytelling, education, and advocacy initiatives, but its core mission remains unchanged: to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration.

The name “Kiss The Ground” was inspired by a quote from the 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi, who urged us to: “Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” – Rumi.  Kiss The Ground holds the vision that every person has a unique way to participate in the reverence, stewardship, and regeneration of the planet.

In 2020, in partnership with Big Picture Ranch, Kiss The Ground released a groundbreaking documentary on Netflix narrated by Woody Harrelson. The film, which has been viewed by over 10 million people, explores regenerative agriculture, an innovative approach to farming that combines indigenous knowledge, holistic management, and modern science and has the potential to heal the planet, create food security, and mitigate climate change.

Kiss The Ground firmly believes that regenerative agriculture is a crucial component of addressing some of the most challenging issues facing our planet, including climate change, human health and nutrition, and water quality.

Mission

To awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration. A solution for the climate, water, and health crisis.

Approach

Kiss the Ground, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has become a leading voice in bringing awareness to regeneration through its storytelling, education, and advocacy of regenerative agriculture and soil health.

Ways to Give

Donate

Learn More

Take Action

Learn More

Take a Course

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Kiss the Ground

PO Box 515381 PMB 63508 

Los Angeles, California 90051-6681

Tax ID/EIN: 46-4507696

Please email us at development@kisstheground.com so we can direct you to the correct donor portal to update all necessary information.

You can connect with other supporters in your area and beyond through our Mighty Networks community. You can enter the Mighty Networks community here

Additionally, we will also be holding four community webinars a year where you can connect with the Kiss the Ground team, get real-time updates to new projects we are working on and interact face-to-face (virtually) with other supporters both in your area and beyond. Keep an eye on your email for updates on when these webinars will be going live! 

For more detailed information on the breakdown of our funds, please visit our impact report page here.

Discover Other Charities

Operation Gratitude

Learn More

West Valley Food Pantry

Learn More

Senior Concerns

Learn More

World Vision

Learn More

Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club

Learn More

See Charitable Giving Page

Charitable Giving Page

This website is using cookies.

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, personalize content, and analyze our traffic. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

Request A Quote

[ninja_form id=17]

Get Your Free Cyber Threat Assessment

Gary Dergazarian

Vice President

Gary brings 15 years of experience in the technology, office software, and equipment world. He is a business development professional and a workflow solution solver with proven success as a sales leader in services and technology organizations. Gary has been one of our Top selling producers and strategists year after year. He possesses major strengths such as excellent communication skills and business acumen. Gary is passionate, dedicated, and creative. He thrives when working with other business leaders to find innovative ways to create better efficiency and productivity in their offices, and he is comfortable providing solutions for many different types of industries. He is an avid fisherman and outdoors man. When he is not problem solving, Gary loves to hike, golf, and enjoys cycling.

Michael Shoop

Field Service Supervisor

Field Service Supervisor Michael is a Sharp Master Technician. If you aren’t familiar with that term, it’s a bit like winning Iron Chef – the best of the best. There aren’t a lot of them around. He is a veteran and was with AOA for 30 years. His main service area will be Ventura County. He is also very committed to his customers, and always seeks to provide world class service.

Nasim Attaripour

Marketing Coordinator

Nasim brings 5 years of Graphic Design experience to GoodSuite and has been with the company for a year now. She minored in Psychology and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design from California State University, Fullerton. Nasim is extremely detail oriented, creative, and loves building relationships. Nasim is a big asset to company and her strive to constantly learn more has allowed her to grow from her original position as an Administrative Assistant to her new position as Marketing Coordinator. Nasim is a big Foodie and is constantly searching for new places to dine and has a passion for traveling to new places and learning about new cultures when given the chance.

Saleh Shirafkan

Technician

Saleh brings 16 years of industry knowledge to the team and is copier certified on Sharp, Xerox, HP, Samsung, Brother, and Oki. His attention to detail, need for efficiency, and superior customer service skills earns him constant praise from customers and colleagues alike. As a great leader and a fast learner, Saleh is always eager to learn more. When he’s not troubleshooting, Saleh enjoys playing soccer, poker, or solving jigsaw puzzles in his spare time.

Garry Dominiak

Technician

Garry has a 30 year history in the industry and carries a degree in electronics technology. He has completed courses with network administration and is also certified for Xerox, HP, Sharp, Samsung, Oki, and Brother copiers. Garry is a demonstrated hard worker who is willing to go above and beyond to complete job tasks. Garry’s interests include education, street bikes, recreational activities, camping, travel, and family time.

Brent Portera

Director of Managed Services

Brent has been in the Managed Services field for 12+ years focusing on strategic client alignment. He began his career in the document imaging space as an Account Executive and consistently overachieved expectations with a primary focus on Managed Print Services. He has served at numerous roles in the past ranging from MPS Specialist to Vice President of Sales & MPS. Brent has a degree in Computer Science which has continually aided in his ability to deliver custom tailored solutions for his clients. Brent is currently leading the charge for GoodSuite as the Director of Managed Services focusing on Managed IT, Managed Print, and Managed Phone systems for our clients enabling each customer to leverage technology to reach their organizational goals. Brent also focuses on devoting time to coaching his children in numerous sports and loves to unwind at Dodger Stadium with his family.

Colby Noji

Vice President of Service

Colby has been in the copier industry for 27 years. With a degree in electronics and various network certifications, he brings a lot of industry knowledge to GoodSuite. Colby is certified on the following brands: Sharp, Xerox, HP, Samsung, Brother, Oki, Kyocera, Konica Minolta, Canon, and Risograph. He has great customer communications skills and is a strong leader, team player, and self-starter. Outside of the office, Colby likes to bowl, exercise, watch sports, and make trips to Vegas when he gets the chance.

Thomas Chacko

Controller

Thomas Chacko holds a master’s degree in Accounting and brings more than 15 years of industry experience to GoodSuite. He has held a variety of roles, which enable him to identify areas of opportunity and solutions quickly. His honest, humble yet determined personality makes him an invaluable resource. Thomas has always enjoyed sports. Highlights of his high school baseball career include pitching two no-hitters. In his free time, he plays both basketball and softball in recreational leagues. He also loves cooking, experimenting with new recipes all the time. If he is not playing sports or cooking, you can find him exploring nature with his family.

Stuart Fratkin

Executive Vice President

You may recognize Stuart from his previous career as a professional actor in which he amassed over 20 years’ experience in entertainment. Most notably, guest starring on Friends, N.Y.P.D and Judging Amy several times. He co-starred in the films Teen Wolf Too as “Stiles” and the cult classic Ski School as “Fitz”. He starred in his own TV series in 1989-1990 called They Came From Outer Space.

In 2002, wanting to transition to a career that could provide steadier income for his family, he started as a Xerox Account Manager. He worked his way up to Training Manager and began his role as Sales Operation Manager with Copier Headquarters in 2006. He was promoted to Vice President of Agency Operations in 2010 and to his current position as Executive Vice President in 2015. Stuart’s main focus is training his sales staff to bring levity to every situation you are in, people always remember who made them laugh. He is focused on being the anti-salesman; creating relationships and reasons to make the office easier to work in, which are always more beneficial than a quick sale.

Dan Strull

Founder / CEO

After graduating from the Marshall School of Business from USC, Dan worked in various roles at Xerox Corporation for 11 years learning the industry before starting Copier Headquarters, now GoodSuite in 1998.

Dan’s focus from day 1 has been to provide the best level of customer service at the speed of business. Dan’s ambition to be the number one vendor in the area is by trying to find a way to improve the level of service by thinking of creative ways and using dynamic consumer tools to stay ahead of the market.

Dan is proud of what he has built and has used the company success to be a beacon in the community and give back. The company feels that giving time and effort is more important and the company provides two days a year for Volunteer Time Off to serve the community. After all, if you are not giving, you are not living.

Christianne Strull

CFO

Christianne Strull graduated from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. She has been GoodSuite since its infancy, and her role has expanded along with the company. She is excited to see the growth and transformation of GoodSuite has managed over the years. Christianne enjoys spending time with her family, their dogs and attending USC football games, among other pursuits.