Michelle Nguyen (she/her) is committed to joy by decolonizing her mind, speaking her truth, and cultivating community. She embraces love and leads with vulnerability in order to create brave spaces. Through the Rising Leaders Fellowship, Michelle is excited to shift power dynamics, share stories, and develop projects alongside the Fellows!
Kyla(she/her/hers) is originally from the Philippines but has spent more than half of her life in Southern New Mexico. Kyla graduated from NMSU in 2021 and is excited to be working with her community, and to connect more people with the outdoors after learning more about public lands through her job with Friends of the… Continue Reading Nichaela Navarro
Ethan(he/him/his) comes from the Pacific Northwest, having grown up in Western Washington. He now resides on occupied Duwamish territory, also known as Seattle and works as a program manager for The Mountaineers. Part of his work includes managing the gear library program, which provides affordable outdoor equipment for individuals, families, and partner organizations. He also… Continue Reading Ethan Metzger
Margarita (she/her/ella) currently lives and honors the ancestral land of the past and current Tongva and Tataviam people. Her mother Maria de la Paz is originated from Otomi ancestral land Ticoman, Mexico City. She migrated at the age of six to Pacoima. She is a proud mother. As a child, her passion for social justice… Continue Reading Margarita Lopez-Pelayo
Michelle (she/her) grew up in Petaluma, California and works in agriculture and ecological land stewardship, specifically centered in Sonoma and Marin Counties, the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo. She currently works as the Agroecologist at Marin RCD and this fall will be starting her Master’s in Rangeland Management, specifically focusing on… Continue Reading Michelle Katuna
Born and raised in Zimbabwe and later Kentucky, Joy (she/her) found a passion for the outdoors when she moved to Utah in 2012. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Geography, she started working in wildlife management and is an avid hiker, snowboarder, hunter, and road and mountain biker. Often finding herself an “only” in… Continue Reading Rufaro Joy Sekesai Kays Kaseke
Rhea (she/her) is from upstate New York just south of the Adirondack State Park. She studied Interdisciplinary degree in Psychology and Environmental Studies from Naropa University in Boulder, CO. After graduating, Rhea served two years with AmeriCorps VISTA in Denver, CO and Fairbanks, AK. After leaving AK, she moved onto a sailboat and sailed the… Continue Reading Rhea Johnson
Araceli (she/her/they/them) is passionate about environmental justice and creating equitable access to nature. She is especially focused on creating access to nature, within her community in the San Fernando Valley. This led her to founding 818hikes, a zine focused on trails that are accessible by bus that later led to a Social Justice-focused hiking group.… Continue Reading Araceli Hernandez
Jhaney Hamlett (she/her) is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Delaware State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and Advertising. Jhaney is currently the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Delaware Nature Society. Jhaney has had a long passion for wanting to make spaces more diverse, give people… Continue Reading Jhaney Hamlett
Jose Esparza (he/him) was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco. For the majority of his life, he grew up on the Central Coast of California. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a BA in Geography/Environmental Studies in 2019 and was also a Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (DDCSP@UW) alumni. Since graduating, he’s been… Continue Reading Jose Esparza