Our Team

Mark Wheeler

OUR FOUNDER

The soul, vision, and creation of our farm was by founder and former owner, Mark Wheeler. He established Pacific Botanicals in 1979 after healing himself using herbs. Mark was so inspired by his own journey that he started a small farm in southern Oregon to grow organic herbs. After 10 years he moved the farm to its present location in the heart of the Applegate Valley where he eventually expanded the farm to its present size of 140 acres.

Mark's experience and expertise, developed over three decades in the herb business, has allowed Pacific Botanicals to become a leader in our industry. Mark has a simple but powerful vision: to help as many people as possible experience healing by providing them with the finest quality organic herbs available.

Matt Dybala

DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS

Since earning a degree in Environmental Studies in 1998, Matt has dedicated his career to fostering a deeper connection between humans and plants. Over the past decade, he has cultivated a wide diversity of herbs and spices in Oregon. His commitment to biological soil-building, regional ecology, and organic principles compliments Pacific Botanicals' ability to offer domestic-grown, quality herbs to every customer.

Kat Crane

Head of Global Trade

Kat's journey in the organic botanical industry started at Mountain Rose Herbs in 2018, where she spent four years as a raw material buyer learning about global sourcing. Prior to that, she had recently completed her BS at Oregon State University in Environmental Science with a focus in Sustainable Agriculture. In 2022, she continued her buying career by accepting a role with Yogi where she developed a specialization and passion for supply base management strategy.

Over the course of her career, she has been extremely privileged to travel the world and see the origins of many of our plant allies that don't grow on the farm in Oregon. her travels often lead her to a similar conclusion: in business, we must act with intention, in a way that honors both people and the environment. It is this intention that drew her to her current role, and she looks forward to what's in store.

Kat resides in the Willamette Valley with her husband, Jonathan. In her free time she enjoy seeing live music, foraging for mushrooms in the fall, exploring new cities and waterfalls, expanding her vinyl record collection and playing with her cat, Crow.

Dori Moran

QUALITY MANAGER

Dori began working for Pacific Botanicals in 1998 when she was drawn to the work being done at the farm. She started out working in the Greenhouses learning about the propagation of herbs. Through the years she has enjoyed learning many aspects of the business including seed harvesting, fresh herb coordinating, customer service, accounting, and quality assurance. Her current role as QC Manager allows her to be a part of the greater team in assuring quality herbs and quality processes for our customers.

One of the aspects that she has enjoyed most about her employment here at Pacific Botanicals is the people that she gets to work with, both co-workers and the wonderful customers that she has gotten to know through the years. Her favorite botanicals are Nettles, Sea Veggie Mix, Angelica, Baikal Skullcap, and Passionflower.

Wes Kendall

Operations Manager

Wes originally started in December of 2022 as a Production Supervisor for Herb Pharm and then transitioned to Pacific Botanicals in December of 2024. Prior to that, Wes worked in the plywood and lumber industry for ten years and decided to seek out an opportunity in a more eco-conscious and sustainable industry, and luckily, he has found that experience working at Pacific Botanicals and Herb Pharm.

Wes has called Oregon home his whole life and grew up in the Illinois Valley in Southern Oregon. He enjoys spending time with his wife who he's been with for 13 years, and his two girls, Annabelle and Birdie. He also enjoys fishing, backpacking, and spending time in nature.

Working for Pacific Botanicals and Herb Pharm have been the greatest joy in Wess's professional life. Not only does he feel a great sense of passion for the products we provide, but also being a part of the great community that has been fostered and grown by our founding members, tenured staff, and the great people that work across our farms and facilities. He looks forward to serving our loyal and passionate customers! His favorite herbs are Oregano and Ashwagandha.

Shayna Rayboy

Farm Manager

As a seasoned grower, processor, and practitioner of plant medicine, Shayna's role as Farm Manager feeds into her passions, as well as builds off her experience.

After finding her way to Oregon in 2018, Shayna's transition from the concrete jungle of South Florida has been one of exponential healing. Realizing her greatest growth came from having her hands in the dirt, she transitioned to focusing on cultivation over the years. For Shayna, farming is a magical act of symbiosis and an inherent birthright that belongs to us all. Beyond stewarding the land, the community around the agricultural space is the most grounding force present in her life.

Professionally, her path has evolved through several incredible shifts. With her early foundation built upon sales and account management, the most recent decade was spent climbing into, up, and out of, cannabis. Although she'll always have love for the plant herself, transitioning to working with other plant medicine is more aligned. She has been utilizing tinctures forever, finding her first allies in her 20's. She enjoys wildcrafting, gardening, foraging, trail running, creating art, writing, hanging with her animals, live music, and long days on the water. Her favorite herbs include Mugwort, Goldenseal, and Albizia.

Dave Metzger

Farm Supervisor

Dave has been with Pacific Botanicals for nine years and is responsible for all farm-related activities. His previous employment was also in the agricultural field.

Dave's favorite botanicals are Chamomile and Echinacea.

Bruce Fain

FACILITIES MANAGER/MECHANIC

Bruce's job is to keep things working and moving on the farm. As a former millwright, his work here is similar. His work includes engine and mechanical repairs, troubleshooting, fabricating and general maintenance. He is originally from near Coos Bay, Oregon. He grew up in a timber community working in logging and road construction. He came to Pacific Botanicals from there and has been with us for over 15 years.

Bruce's favorite botanicals are Nettles for tea and cooking, and Linden flower for its aroma.