2024 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA
“U LS is where I was taught to think, and my time there really gave me confidence. ... This award is incredibly meaningful to me, and I’m humbled to come home to honor and celebrate all that ULS has given me.”
Yehia’s education was a big motivator for her, and she was encouraged at ULS to imbue her career with her individual passions. This blend is perfectly illustrated by Vertical Harvest, the urban farming company that she co-founded in 2016 and now leads as CEO. Vertical Harvest is committed to building the country’s first network of hydroponic urban greenhouses — built tall on fractions of an acre while being capable of producing as much food as five acres of traditional farmland. After establishing greenhouses in her current hometowns of Jackson Hole, WY and Westbrook, ME, Yehia is now bringing Vertical Harvest to Detroit, with a 60,000 sq. ft. facility in the Milwaukee Junction neighborhood. Slated to open in 2025, the 74-foot-tall Detroit farm will use 95% less water than traditional farms and produce around 2.2 million pounds of fresh vegetables and greens year-round. Seventy percent of the produce grown in Detroit will stay local and be distributed within 100 miles to schools, hospitals, restaurants, and local grocery markets. As Vertical Harvest continues to expand across the country, Yehia can trace the roots of her success to her lessons and experiences at ULS. Her love of the school’s community began with her enrollment in the third grade. “I built meaningful relationships at ULS, and the friendships I made are the strongest I’ll ever have,” she said. “People have always filled my soul, and ULS really taught me how to talk to people and get to know them.” One of the relationships forged during her early years has been especially significant – she met her husband, Michael Sullivan ’89, in the sixth grade. Yehia and Sullivan live in Jackson Hole, where they’ve raised their two children. “When he was 11, Michael met me and also took a trip to Wyoming. He likes to say he fell in love with both that year.” In addition to nurturing Yehia’s love of people and community, her time at ULS encouraged her to explore new things and find her passions. “High school, in particular, allowed me to take risks,” she said, “I played one season on the women’s ice hockey team, and I think I was on the ice for about seven seconds a game. I was involved in a lot of different activities, and in doing so, discovered a great deal about myself and what I needed to succeed.” Yehia also participated in student government as class vice president and in the music department as first-chair trumpet. She credits her music teacher, James Hohmeyer, for helping her discover the discipline she needed to be great.
“ULS taught me a skill set that I could really build on,” Yehia remembered. “It was more than academic skills and social skills; I learned the value of the process, and that was really foundational for me.” One of those foundational experiences for Yehia was in art class with Edward Jacomo. “Mr. Jacomo made me think about art in a critical way,” she said. “He was such an explorer in his own right, and he really built a community in the room. He taught us the tools and skills, but also a way of thinking that we could take other places.” For Yehia, those other places included the University of Michigan for undergraduate studies and Columbia University for an MA in architecture — and eventually to Vertical Harvest and Jackson Hole. “I fell in love with the Jackson Hole area and with the people. The community really reminds me a lot of ULS.” When Yehia and co-founder Caroline Croft-Estay started Vertical Harvest, they were committed to creating an inclusive community. Yehia has a brother with different abilities, and Croft-Estay had worked as an employment facilitator. Based on their experiences, they developed a customized, inclusive employment model that provides meaningful employment for individuals with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. As part of Vertical Harvest’s Grow Well program, employees of all abilities are given the opportunity to innovate and lead. Nona’s inclusivity, environmental efforts, architectural skill, and business acumen have led her to be named a CNN Champion of Change. Vertical Harvest has also been twice named a finalist for Fast Company’s Best Places to Work for Innovators. Yehia believes lessons learned at ULS served her well on that road to innovation. “ULS gave me a great foundation and contributed a great deal to who I am today.”
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