Rising Leaders Fellows

First generation Salvadorian who grew up on Tongva Land. I spend my time learning, biking, being in nature, and tending towards a more harmonious way of living with the ecosystem.

Ilse has recently moved to LA from the Palm Springs area and has quickly become dedicated to her new community. She is currently the Executive Assistant to the CEO of Woodcraft Rangers, a non-profit organization that serves the LA area with after school-based programs and camps. She is also the co-chair Affiliate to PANCAN, the… Continue Reading Ilse Valadez

Destini Hall (she/her/hers) is a Mixed Black Queer advocate for equitable workplaces, youth education access, as well as racial justice and representation in the outdoors. Destini’s love for the outdoors began during her youth, while growing up in Colorado where she was surrounded by Pine and Aspen trees. This love grew once she moved to… Continue Reading Destini Hall

Dayana Molina is a Community Organizer with the Trust for Public Land’s Los Angeles office. She is a community advocate working on access to parks and open spaces since she was 13. Her involvement in advocacy efforts for two state parks, Rio de Los Angeles State Park and Los Angeles Historic State Park, and the… Continue Reading Dayana Molina Patino

David developed his passion for the outdoors early. Growing up, he and his family would go camping in Sequoia National Park every summer. Fortunately, he was able to take his passion and turn it into a career. He graduated from Cal State, Northridge with a BS in Recreation and Tourism Management and moved to the… Continue Reading David Montero

Yasmine is an Egyptian-American from Alabama living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Yasmine works as an Engagement Officer for Trust for Public Land. She is interested in fostering space for movement and conversations around cultural relevancy and equity within outdoor and environmental spaces. Outside of work, you can find Yasmine writing about fatness, friendship, and… Continue Reading Yasmine Raouf

Vivianette Ortiz is a Latina adventurer, co-founder, and Executive Director of Latinos Aventureros en las Carolinas, an organization that encourages outdoor exploration and community-building. She hails from Patillas, Puerto Rico, a beautiful town nestled between mountains, and beaches. She is also a devoted mother of two kiddos, 1 dog, and over 80 plants. Her advocacy… Continue Reading Vivianette Ortiz

Trevor Taylor (he/they) was born and raised in Chicago, IL where the outdoors were small parks or local forest preserves. In 2019, Trevor joined Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) as a member building trails on mountains over 14,000 feet. Wanting to make conservation more inclusive, they worked with staff in 2021 to develop and lead the… Continue Reading Trevor Taylor

Sydney grew up in Virginia where her love for the nonhuman environment was first developed. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in International Social Justice and minor in Environmental Studies. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah as a graduate student in the University of Utah’s Environmental Humanities program. Sydney’s research… Continue Reading Sydney Murray

Sophie Haruna Klimcak (she/her) is a learning experience designer, community-builder, and Bay Area naturalist. As co-founder and program director at Wild Awake, Sophie draws upon her ecstatic wonder for the outdoors and her Japanese + Eastern European roots to design experiences that nurture a deep care for people and the planet. She believes when we… Continue Reading Sophie Haruna Klimcak