Our Team
Anna Balch
Director of Hospitality + Restoration
Anna graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2023 and soon after moved to the land. In school she studied environmental science with minors in religion and art history. After never having an indoor job, she was well equipped to spend the summer living out of her car. She loves hosting, facetiming her grandma, and acquiring obscure craft skills. As Director of Hospitality + Restoration, she is responsible for the ecological stewardship of the land and making residents feel at home.
Dorothy R. Hartley
Director of Cultivation + Development
Dorothy Hartley is an artist, farmer, and contemplative inhabiting the spaces between Biglerville, PA and the Washington, DC area. She treasures memories of spending time with her grandparents on the Hartley land as a child and is immensely grateful to be a caretaker for the property as an adult.
Dorothy heads up our agricultural and educational programming while making connections for future partnerships and developing our facilities on the land. She loves walking and swimming in the cold, practicing yoga, driving her broken 2004 Honda Civic, and sleeping with the window open.
You can find Dorothy’s work at dorothyhartley.com.
Rachel York
Director of Creative Programming
Rachel York is an artist, writer, and educator. As a Co-Founder of the Hartley Residence, she directs creative events and artistic programming for the residency. Rachel earned her M.F.A in painting from Louisiana State University and currently teaches as an adjunct art professor. Her visual work has been collected throughout the nation and exhibited in numerous venues within Pennsylvania as well as in Boston, Baton Rouge and Washington D.C. You can view her work online at www.ryork.art and can reach her at rachellynn.york@gmail.com
Andrew York
Director of Operations
Andrew York is a musician and believer that, more than anything, “Beauty will save the world.” (If interested, check out his work at thepassingby.bandcamp.com)
He has been dreaming of starting the Hartley Residence since his senior year at Gordon College - where he met his wife Rachel, and fellow co-founder Dorothy! There he majored in English Literature with a specialty in Creative Writing.
At his day job, he is a business development professional with experience in the coffee industry and consumer packaged goods distribution.
Pippin, Chef, Sister, and Fish
Farm Family Pets
Pippin (Dog) is happiest playing fetch on the land and wherever snacks are available.
Chef + Sister (Cats) don’t know very much about personal space and are eagerly awaiting more summers on the land.
King, Cassius, Roman, Mr. Swim, Clay, Brill, and Shark (Fish) don’t say much, but are looking forward to your visit.