President & CEO of Parks California
Director of Development
Supports organizational fundraising efforts and fosters relationships.
Vice President of Operations & Finance
Leads the establishment and implementation of the infrastructure.
Accounting Intern
Grants & Contracts Manager
Ensures the smooth processing, reporting, and spending against budgets.
Associate Program Manager
Manages the operational and grant making components of programs division.
Vice President of Programs
Leads strategic and operational efforts in all program areas.
Director of Development
Strengthens collaborative partnerships with foundations and corporations.
Associate Communications Manager
Manages all storytelling channels and platforms.
Executive & Business Administrator
Leads overall office administration, Executive and Board support.
Associate Program Manager
Organizes community engagement activities in the Santa Cruz District.
Sr. Manager of Human Resources
Leads the development and implementation of HR strategies and programs.
Associate Program Manager
Supports implementation of projects across Parks California’s program areas.
Director of Programs, Climate & Stewardship
Collaborates with CA State Parks’ Natural Resources division on conservation.
Director of Programs, Access & Belonging
Drives the organization’s community engagement and collaborations.
Arts in California Parks Program Manager
Shapes the strategy for the program, manages grants and fosters partnerships.
Community Engagement Coordinator
Dedicated to connecting with communities and advocating for a greener environment.
2023-2024 Climate Fellow (Big Basin GIS)
Supports the Natural Resource Division and Santa Cruz District with climate adaptation.
Finance Manager
Manages finance and accounting and supports building infrastructure.
Chair
Vice Chair
Treasurer
Secretary
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Founding Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Ex Officio — Proxy for Joe Stephenshaw, Director of California Department of Finance
Ex Officio
Ex Officio - Proxy for Joe Stephenshaw, Director of California Department of Finance
Founding Board Member
Founding Board Member
Host of Bay Area Backroads on KRON, OpenRoad: Exploring the West on national Public Television, and Mac and Mutley on KPIX and the Discovery Channel
Kindley Walsh Lawlor joined Parks California as its inaugural president and CEO in 2018. Through her leadership, Parks California designs and creates partnerships to support parks, implements best practices to scale sustainable and future-forward solutions, and fosters inclusive experiences to better engage the public, younger generations, and underserved communities.
Kindley has over 25 years of sustainability, social justice and equity leadership. She previously led human rights and ESG efforts at Gap Inc., a Fortune 200 global portfolio of apparel and lifestyle brands. In 2015 she was recognized as one of the Most Influential Women by the San Francisco Business Times, and as a leader in shaping the future of retail by the National Retail Federation. Kindley serves on the board of the Western National Parks Association (WNPA).
Heana previously served as an Interim Executive Director at Recovery Café San Jose and held several executive positions during her 16 years at Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), including Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer. She led the national expansion of the organization from one to 18 chapters, in addition to overall management of the organization’s operations and finances. Prior to joining Parks California, she spent more than 15 years in executive management positions at information technology companies.
Heana currently serves on the board of Adventure Scientists and is mentor to young executives.
Her favorite State Park is Calaveras Big Trees.
Durresha has always felt she’s had a strong connection with nature, which has led her to work in careers that continue to support parks. Prior to her role at Parks California, Durresha spent six years with the Budget Office at California State Parks, leading to a promotion as Assistant Budget Chief. She has always wished to make a lasting impact for both people and parks and has credited California State Parks with assisting in that goal.
As the Grants and Contracts Manager, Durresha plays a key role with the program, development, and finance teams- collaborating across Parks California, and facilitating the allocation of grant and contract budgets.
Her favorite State Park is Point Lobos.
Nina graduated from NY State University, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She is Quickbooks certified and is currently pursuing a CFC (Certified Financial Counselor). She has worked in accounting for several years in different industries from Fashion and TV Production, Artists and Photographers to SaaS, Startups, and Nonprofits.
A NY transplant to San Diego, she is originally from Ecuador, where early on she learned to appreciate the beauty and majesty of nature and realized any activity outdoors was her happy place. So when she is not working, playing with her dogs, volunteering or crafting wood, you will probably find her in a park.
As she retired from marathon running and triathlons guiding Achilles International athletes, she now enjoys the outdoors when she goes hiking, running on sand, practicing yoga or meditation on the beach, surfing, playing basketball or tap dancing in Balboa Park. She thinks parks are the perfect location for almost any activity in life.
Geoff Kish is the Vice President of Programs at Parks California and has worked to build the organization and its programs since its start in 2019. Geoff works closely with park leadership to envision the future of state parks, and develops partnerships across all sectors that work to create equitable, climate resilient spaces where all feel welcome.
Geoff has led partnerships to enhance park conservation across all levels of government, from national park management to the revitalization of community parks. He was most recently the Principal of Ridgeline Management Consulting, where he helped nonprofit organizations build capacity. Previously, he served in leadership roles at the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, the Center for Park Management at the National Parks Conservation Association, and at IBM Global Business Services.
Geoff earned an MBA from the University of Virginia and BA from the College of William and Mary.
Always ready to chart an outdoor adventure, Scott is a planner by nature. He has crafted innovative partnerships, led teams in fostering organizational growth, and built ongoing financial relationships in both private and nonprofit sectors. Driven by a commitment to bring people together in stewarding California’s parks, Scott assists Parks California by facilitating funding partnerships supporting our outdoor spaces.
Scott’s nonprofit expertise includes leading development at Net Impact and the Special Olympics of Northern California. He has consulted with various non-profits on strategy, development, and social entrepreneurship. In the private sector, Scott led business units at International Data Group and served as an executive at information technology firms.
Scott recently completed The Climate Reality Project’s Leadership Corps training and lends his talents through volunteer nonprofit consulting projects as part of the Stanford Business School’s Alumni Consulting Team. Scott’s favorite park is Butano State Park.
Elizabeth Kubey joined Parks California in March 2024 and brings joy and creativity to her role as Parks California’s Associate Communications Manager. She manages all of the organization’s storytelling channels and platforms. In her role, Elizabeth collaborates across the team and works externally with Parks California’s partners to communicate the vision and impact of our collaborative work.
Elizabeth has over seven years of experience in communications outreach, engagement, digital marketing, education, and event planning. She worked six years at the California Native Plant Society (CNPS), where she helped build relationships with audiences across California including developing arts and environmental programming. Elizabeth began her career as an Outdoor Science Instructor for Sierra Nevada Journeys, facilitating team building, interactive science lessons, and environmental art exercises.
Elizabeth graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in Society and Environment and a minor in Art Practice. She enjoys spending time outdoors with friends, biking, running, skating, tennis, making art, and singing in her local community pop choir.”
As the Executive & Business Administrator, Rebecca Miller works closely with all members of Parks California, including the President & CEO, and Board of Directors, to support administrative needs. Rebecca comes to Parks California with over 25 years of nonprofit operations and development experience. Her career path has resulted in a robust and varied skill set. In her prior roles she has been responsible for Executive and Board support, written and creative communications, marketing, fundraising, event planning, bookkeeping, database management and donor cultivation. She is especially adept at streamlining processes and implementing efficiencies.
In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys crafting and being in nature, namely spending time at the ocean and among the majestic California redwoods. Her favorite state park is McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.
In her current role as Associate Program Manager, Monica organizes and supports a variety of community engagement activities to ensure meaningful and inclusive participation in planning climate resilient parks in the Santa Cruz District including Big Basin Redwoods and Seacliff State Beach. Prior to joining the team, Monica served students and families in education by offering college readiness opportunities to underserved communities. She looks forward to bringing her experience with youth to make exciting opportunities that inspire and educate the community about our environment, conservation efforts, and safe-exploration while in the great outdoors.
Monica likes being a part of a creative process both in and out of the office. She enjoys watercolor painting, landscape photography, working on her next DIY project, and planning her next camping adventure by the water.
Her favorite parks are Pfeiffer Big Sur and Emerald Bay State Parks because she loves to swim.
Lauren has worked as a Human Resources professional for 18 years, holding positions in both the private and public sector. Reporting to the VP of Operations and Finance, Lauren oversees the development and implementation of all employee plans and policies in support of Parks California’s operational priorities and strategic plans. In her role, Lauren ensures effective implementation of systems, policies and processes for workforce planning, talent acquisition, talent management and development, employee engagement, legal compliance and recordkeeping, employee relations, and payroll.
Prior to joining Parks California, Lauren worked for the City of Rocklin’s HR team in Rocklin, CA, and previously was the Human Resources and Safety Officer at the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, a California environmental government agency working for clean air and a low-carbon future for the region. Before that, she spent 12 years as an HR Executive for a Bay Area-based community bank specializing in serving union members and their affiliates.
Lauren has earned her Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR), California Professional Human Resources (PHR-CA) and Society for Human Resource Management, Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credentials. For eight years, she was an HR Instructor of a 12-week certification preparation program for HR professionals who plan to take the SPHR exams. Before moving to the Sacramento area in 2009, she served as a board member on the Senior Commission for the City of San Mateo Parks and Recreation Department.
Lauren lives in Roseville, CA, with her family. She spends much of her time outdoors enjoying activities such as gardening, nature walks, outdoor museums and golf excursions.
Alfonso brings a deep understanding of the park protection landscape to the Parks California team, having worked in five National Parks around the country. He also works closely with the National Parks Conservation Association as a member of the Next Generation Advisory Council to ensure the protection, enhancement, and enjoyment of our National Parks. In 2016, he received two 30 under 30 awards, with the North American Association of Environmental Education and the Outdoor Industry Association, in recognition for his community work, particularly with Latino Outdoors.
Alfonso had also worked as a manager with The Nature Conservancy in Washington State, where he oversaw the state-wide volunteer program and led the effort to increase participation in the outdoors to underinvested communities.
Prior to joining Parks California, Alfonso spent a year solo traveling around the world, visiting 13 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. His highlights include trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and a solo safari at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
His favorite state park is Salt Point State Park.
As the Art in Parks Program Manager, Sarah is responsible for shaping the program’s strategy, managing grants, and fostering partnerships. She brings over a decade of experience championing arts and culture, including leading a grassroots arts nonprofit in the Coachella Valley, developing city-wide art programs, producing interactive installations at Coachella, and most recently served at LA Metro in the Metro Art department. In her new role, Sarah will focus on bringing art into local parks through careful planning and community engagement.
Sarah earned a Bachelors degree from UC Riverside in Film and Visual Culture. In her spare time, she loves to craft with friends and take her poodle on long walks, especially through her favorite Los Angeles Historic State Park.
Meredith has over fifteen years of experience in finance and accounting. Most recently, she worked as the Finance Manager at the Agricultural Research Foundation. Prior to that, she served as a Finance Coordinator at Oregon State University. She holds an MBA in nonprofit finance and accounting from UC Davis. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Meredith is a certified whitewater raft guide, has traveled to 20 countries, and volunteers to help people with disabilities and youth with fewer resources experience the outdoors.
Meredith’s favorite park is South Yuba River State Park.
Amanda Zhu joined Parks California as Grant Programs Coordinator in June 2024. Their role consists of administering and managing Parks California’s grant programs. During the 2023-2024 school year, they functioned as Parks California’s Programs and Grants intern, where they assisted the Programs team in grant program implementation and partnership research efforts. Previously, their experiences included conducting influence measurement research for the World Wildlife Fund, academically advising students of UCI’s Campuswide Honors Collegium, developing digital marketing campaigns at UCI’s School of Biological Sciences, and designing educational media for Intersectional Environmentalist. Their skillset integrates a versatile mix of research, marketing, project management, and strategy, with social justice and environmental advocacy.
Amanda is a recent graduate from the University of California, Irvine with a B.A. in business administration, obtaining their Environmental Changemakers Certificate, engaging in honors-level Sustainable Societies studies, and researching Western perceptions of edible insects and bug agriculture. In their free time, they like to volunteer at habitat restoration sites, identify species, play video games, and make art.
Deanna Martin Mackey is General Manager of KPBS in San Diego, and was previously president and executive director of the Public Television Major Market Group (PTMMG), a consortium of the 40 largest PBS member stations in the U.S. Mackey focuses her time on leadership/culture, revenue generation, audience development and digital on behalf of the group as well as national partnerships and system leadership activities. Previously, Mackey worked for 25 years at KPBS, San Diego, serving as COO in her final six years at the station, before returning in 2022 as GM. Mackey is credited with spearheading KPBS.org as a third content platform and creating KPBS’ converged newsroom.
In 2015, Mackey co-founded Public Media Women in Leadership, to provide mentorship/training for women in her industry and address issues of gender inequity in public media. Mackey serves as a Girl Scout troop leader for 17 high school girls and spent 10 years in board governance for Girl Scouts San Diego. In 2018 Mackey received the Hera Heroine Leadership Award from Hera Hub, workspace for women. In 2014 Mackey was named a YWCA Tribute to Women & Industry (TWIN) honoree for her work mentoring women at KPBS and via the Girl Scouts. She was named Outstanding Alumnus from SDSU’s Daily Aztec newspaper the same year and in 2010 was named one of five “Women who Move the City” by San Diego Magazine.
Prior to working at KPBS, Mackey was a writer and editor for several San Diego-based publications. She spent her early years in journalism as a radio news writer. Mackey earned her Bachelor of Arts from San Diego State University with a double major in journalism and political science. She lives in San Diego and is married to Christopher Ingalls. She and her husband have five children between them, one granddaughter, and one lovely Lab.
As a founding member of Parks California, Michael has a long history of mentoring and organizing teams around great ideas.
Since the late 1990s, Michael has designed and participated in programs and projects that broadened the leadership and constituency for natural resources protection. Alongside this, he brought into greater focus the need to ensure equity and engage with historically underserved communities.
Michael led the campaign that prevented a rollback of California’s landmark climate change legislation. In 2021, Michael retired as the President of the Resources Legacy Fund, an organization founded to help design and implement initiatives for philanthropic foundations and individuals.
Previously serving as Undersecretary for Resources for the State of California, General Counsel for the World Wildlife Fund, and as Deputy City Attorney in Los Angeles, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge in both the public and non-profit sectors.
As a member of California’s Yurok Tribe, Rosie understands the importance of connecting history and community. Rosie has dedicated her life to the preservation and revitalization of Yurok Culture and is a key partner to the California State Parks North Coast District. She understands parks are not only a place to recreate but are ancestral lands many people call home.
Rosie earned a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, with a concentration in Archaeology and Cultural Resource Management at the University of Oregon and a Master of Art in Museology from the University of Washington. She held multiple positions within the Cultural Resources Division before the Yurok Tribal Council appointed her to lead the department.
For her master’s thesis, she collected data and analyzed Yurok objects held captive in institutions around the world. Her efforts helped return home thousands of cultural items. Overseeing the Chah-pekw O’Ket’- oh Visitor Center, Rosie was integral to the recent renaming of Patrick’s Point State Park to Sue-Meg State Park.
Named “one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the world” by Bloomberg in 2022, Michael served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce at the International Trade Administration. He managed a global portfolio leading the U.S. government’s efforts to open new markets for U.S. goods and services. He played a critical role in rebalancing U.S. economic policy toward Mexico. He was the chief architect of the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue, which he proposed and helped launch as a member of President Obama’s delegation and visit to Mexico. The HLED was co-chaired by then-Vice President Joe Biden, who reinstituted it as a top bilateral priority upon becoming President.
Michael also served as President Obama’s representative on international economic issues to the U.S. Helsinki Commission.
Previously, he served as Special Counsel to the President in the Office of the White House Counsel, as well as Special Assistant to President Obama.
His favorite State Park is Big Basin Redwood State Park.
Amy Dominguez-Arms advises foundations and funder collaboratives in strategic planning, program design, field and nonprofit capacity building, and grantmaking – with experience across a range of issues. Amy also is the Executive Director of the Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation. Previously, Amy served as Vice President for Programs and Program Director at The James Irvine Foundation and earlier served as Vice President of Children Now, a nonprofit children’s research and advocacy organization.
Amy is the Board Chair of the Outdoor Foundation, which funds Thrive Outside communities across the U.S., leveraging the collective impact model to create equitable access to the outdoors. Amy recently completed her term as Board Vice Chair of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), a global wilderness school, which teaches wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. She recently joined the newly-formed National Leadership Council of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management.
Helen Hernandez is the CEO of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) and Executive Producer of the Imagen Awards. Under her leadership, the Imagen Awards have become one of the most prestigious Latino awards in the entertainment industry. She began her career in the entertainment industry as an executive at Tandem/TAT Communications which later became Embassy Communications and then Columbia Pictures Television, working under the leadership of television icon, Norman Lear. Prior to that, she was an organizer for the AFL-CIO, where she worked to improve conditions for laborers and inform them of their rights. In 2009, Helen assumed responsibility for NATJA, which represents travel media and destination marketing organizations.
She serves as a Los Angeles County Arts Commissioner, PBS SoCal Board of Directors, the Parks Channel Board of Advisors, and formerly on the Board of Trustees for the National Parks Conservation Association and national PBS.
Dawn has called San Luis Obispo home for 28 years, contributing to her community while working in energy, infrastructure and economic development. She is best known in her community for implementing California’s renewable energy policy to positively impact people’s lives. The development and construction of multiple utility-scale solar projects created long-term opportunities for both central coast residents and businesses.
In 2018, Dawn was appointed as the 3rd District Planning Commissioner to make land use decisions on water, agriculture, energy and transportation.
In 2020, Dawn was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the District 3 Supervisorial Seat. Her priorities include: The economic repurposing of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, along with safe decommissioning, housing and homelessness, and childcare availability.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Pepperdine University, and a Master of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Adam Verdin is a dedicated community leader, small business owner, professional pilot, and attorney from San Luis Obispo County. He grew up working in his family’s Mexican restaurant in Oceano, CA, a legacy that he and his sister proudly continue as multigenerational owners. The restaurant is just three blocks away from the Oceano Airport, where Adam’s passion for aviation took flight. He became a flight instructor at the age of 19 and went on to work as a charter and corporate pilot.
Along the way, Adam also earned his law degree and became a licensed attorney. Adam actively contributes to his community by serving on several boards, including the San Luis Obispo County Airport Land Use Commission, Jack’s Helping Hand, 5 Cities Homeless Coalition, and the South County Chambers of Commerce. His diverse expertise and passion for civic engagement have now led him to the Parks California Board of Directors, where he will continue to advocate for the well-being and development of his local and extended communities.
Lauren B. Dachs is president and founder of the Laural Foundation. Previously, Lauren was president of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, which successfully completed its planned spend down in December 2020.
Since its founding in 1957, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation dedicated its philanthropy to advancing the prosperity and well-being of California and its citizens, with a focus on K–8 STEM education and conserving California’s natural resources.
Lauren is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a board member of Sustainable Conservation and the Water Foundation, and on the Advisory Council for Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center. Lauren has also been an advisor or board member for many environment, education, and health organizations, including Stanford University, Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment, and The Nature Conservancy of California.
Erica Flores Baltodano has over 20 years of experience as an attorney, policy advocate, professor, and writer in the areas of civil rights, environmental justice, employment law, and non-profit management. A graduate of UCLA and UC Berkeley School of Law, Baltodano became Campus Dean at San Luis Obispo College of Law in 2023. She was appointed as a San Luis Obispo County Civil Service Commissioner in 2019 and currently serves as Vice President of the commission.
A skilled advocate and organizer, Baltodano began her career in Los Angeles reshaping the environmental justice movement on behalf of communities of color, low-income communities and youth organizations. Addressing the civil rights and health equity issues associated with access to public resources, including parks, beaches and other green spaces, she played an instrumental role in creating Rio de Los Angeles State Park, Los Angeles State Historic Park, and other urban parks. Baltodano’s efforts helped pave the way for groundbreaking legislative changes, including key amendments to the California Coastal Act.
In 2011, Baltodano relocated to the Central Coast, where she co-founded and served as the managing partner of a successful civil rights and employment law practice that has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of wronged workers. The firm received the 2017 Access to Justice Advocate award from San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation. In 2018, she began scaling down her practice to focus on teaching and public service. Baltodano is the immediate Past President of San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation and a founding Board Member of San Luis Coastal Education Foundation.
In 2021 Baltodano received the prestigious John L. Seitz Award from the SLO County Bar Association for her enduring commitment to community service. In 2018 she received the 2018 Outstanding Lawyer Award from the Women Lawyers Association of SLO County for her long-standing commitment to mentorship.
Baltodano lives in San Luis Obispo with her husband and their two children, and enjoys exploring her local park, Montaña de Oro State Park.
Dr. Hart brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in organization and leadership. She spent 15 years as a member of the California State Parks Commission, seven of which were as Chair, and was a member of the California Parks Forward Commission. She was the Director of Sonoma County Regional Parks from 2010 to 2017.
Dr. Hart received her Ph.D. from the UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources, where her focus was on the role of parks in addressing climate change. She is also an attorney licensed in the state of California.
Her favorite State Park is Sonoma Coast State Park.
Rick is the CEO of Keating & Co. and the author of how to control the narrative after the comma, a book set to publish in 2024. Rick and his firm are called upon by industry executives, Forbes 400 families, venture capitalists, private equity firms, nonprofits, and governments worldwide to address high-level messaging, branding, and communication. Keating & Co. is the recipient of numerous industry awards, including being a runner-up for Agency of the Year and recognition for excellence in legal communications.
Rick has also served as a senior advisor at McKinsey and has served on numerous boards, including the Board of Overseers of Seton Hall University’s John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Co-Chairman of Bowdoin College’s Parents Executive Committee, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, and New Eyes for The Needy. He is a member of the Advent Health National Advisory Council.
Rick graduated from Villanova University with dual degrees in English and Communications, and the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes & Mediation program. He is a sub 2:50 marathoner and avid cyclist.
Nina served as a professor in the Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism at San Francisco State University and faculty director of the university’s Institute for Civic & Community Engagement. Nina volunteered with Parks California as an advisory council member. Her unending work in addressing ways to break down social and access barriers impacted countless communities.
Nina was a Fulbright scholar whose expertise includes park access, outdoor recreation across cultures, women/girls outdoors, and youth development. She spent the majority of her career in the field including leading wilderness experiences with varied populations. Dr. Roberts’ research on DEI has been widely published and is highly regarded.
Over the years, Nina’s voice in educating leaders in the outdoor recreation, natural resource, and conservation space with new ideas has been invaluable in addressing the need to respond more effectively to changing demographics, cultural shifts and trends across the U.S.
Nina will be forever a friend to all of us. Parks California honors her legacy posthumously as a lifetime advisory board member. Her vision for parks will forever inspire us.
The Yurok Interpretation Project elevates Indigenous voices and worldviews in public lands and recreation areas of California State Parks’ North Coast Redwoods District. Historically, Native peoples have been driven from and misrepresented in the landscape, resources and dialogues in State Parks. This opportunity will develop positions where young Yurok Tribal Members can begin their careers in interpretation, education, and recreation fields.
This project will provide participants with relevant work experience, specialized training regarding cultural sensitivity, and expert guidance by State and Tribal interpreters in creating and implementing meaningful public programs. The completion of the project will have created successful ambassadors of cultural knowledge, stewardship and advocates of Yurok natural and cultural resources, and Yurok traditional landscapes. Both the Tribe and State Park will use the resources of this opportunity to assist in the high demand of cultural programming to be offered in the Parks.
The Santa Monica Mountains Fund (SAMO Fund)’s State Park Interpretation and Education Mentorship Program is a nine-month planning and development effort to create a program that will prepare youth and underserved young adults for careers at California State Parks and in public lands management.
SAMO Fund will design a program that provides job training skills, mentorship, work experience, and career development and prepares participants for park stewardship and operations careers with and in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
The program will build on SAMO Fund’s existing workforce development programs and its success as a career pathway employer, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS). The program will help to ensure that outdoor spaces are accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for all individuals.
The Pathways to CA State Parks and the Parkway (P3) Planning Project will focus on the development of a pilot program model that provides multiple experiences for future P3 program interns, with a significant focus on understanding career pathways in Parks and Recreation. The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust (Trust), in partnership with Millerton Lake State Recreation Area (MLSRA), will collaborate on program model development, engaging the local community to collect input on program design.
The Trust will utilize existing and develop new relationships with local colleges and universities to create a program recruitment pathway for P3 program interns and will gather input from current college-aged youth studying natural resource and recreation-related fields on their experiences and interests in terms of the P3 program design and methods for encouraging youth to pursue careers.
Due to structural racism and classism, people in prison are 79% BIPOC and nearly 100% are poor, representing diverse communities that often lack access to CA State Parks (CSP) and careers within them. Insight Garden Program (IGP)’s Career Pathways for People in Reentry (CPPR) Project will ensure that one of the most underserved, marginalized, disenfranchised, and diverse populations–people who were formerly incarcerated–have access to park career training.
CPPR will strengthen partnerships by gathering CSP Districts’ understanding of the need, opportunities, and barriers to career pathways for people in reentry and how CSP, IGP, and other community partners can build and strengthen these pathways.
Ecological Workforce Initiative (EWI) and the North Coast Redwoods District (NCRD) are creating an innovative partnership to train new workers and those transitioning from civil construction to create a pipeline into State Parks for laborers and equipment operators. EWI’s Ecological Worker Awareness and Compliance (EWAC) training teaches the ecological context and knowledge workers need to work effectively in sensitive habitats, including a background in ecological concepts and ecosystem components, an overview of environmental laws, federal and state resource agencies, and an appreciation for the workers’ role in resource protection.
NCRD and EWI will build a collaborative partnership with local tribes and community organizations to create a powerful plan for training and supporting workers to build and advance their careers with State Parks and other local environmental restoration employers engaged in stewardship projects within the parks.
Audubon Canyon Ranch’s (ACR) Access to Opportunity is a new conservation and stewardship apprentice program designed to serve the needs of historically underrepresented communities seeking careers in conservation and the outdoors. This program is a proactive effort to remove barriers and create conditions leading to jobs and careers in CA State Parks. During our planning process, we will learn from partners and communities about programming, curricula, and experience needs.
Our team includes ACR’s stewardship, science, and leadership staff, State Park partners in the Bay Area District, and our workforce development and community-led program partners. The planning project, and the apprentice program, are centered in our beautiful West Marin preserves on Tomales Bay and Bolinas Lagoon. The project seeks to collaboratively build resiliency in the conservation workforce to create a new generation of conservation leaders receiving thriving wages in jobs they love.
This project is dedicated to empowering the underserved young adults of the greater Sacramento area, fostering their readiness for fulfilling careers in parks management. This two-year outdoor education program provides 90 Sacramento Regional Conservation Corpsmembers (SRCC) with a 40 hour multi-week course led by experienced instructors from Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC) and conducted in parks along the American River from Lake Folsom to the confluence with the Sacramento River.
Leveraging the widely-recognized UC California Naturalist certification credential, we provide an introduction to California’s ecosystems and natural history, the management of natural and cultural resources, and environmental interpretation and education. By co-designing the core curriculum to emphasize career-oriented knowledge, skills, and experiences, we aspire to nurture a new generation of environmental leaders who are equipped to address the unique challenges facing our parks and natural areas. This project will highlight skills in park interpretation/planning and natural resource management.
Sierra Institute’s P-CREW youth corps program is designed to serve as a pathway to the profession for young adults, providing them with the technical and social skills needed to advance their educational and career pursuits. P-CREW empowers future leaders and resource stewards through the “E’s “of it all (Exposure, Exploration, Education, Experience, and Employment), a process that embraces comfort zone expansion through an intensive five-week program completing an array of stewardship projects. Participants receive training in Leave No Trace, tool use and maintenance, ecology, basic first aid, teamwork, and more.
Through this project, the partnership between California State Parks and Sierra Institute will engage P-CREW on an array of projects with direct ecosystem and community benefits. It will also allow both entities to leverage resources to identify, develop, and deploy solutions to overcome the multifaceted barriers to accessing careers within State Parks and other public land management entities.
Hispanic Access’ MANO Project and East Bay Regional Park District will create pathways for young Latinos to pursue careers in public lands by placing three talented young Latino professionals in substantive, paid six-month internships with the East Bay Regional Park District in 2025.
East Bay Regional Park District manages and operates three California State Parks: McLaughlin East Shore State Park, Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach, and Lake Del Valle State Recreation Area. Interns will spend most of their time devoted to on-the-ground work at, and/or program planning for, and/or data analysis for these three state parks. Hispanic Access Foundation, a national Latino-serving nonprofit organization, will carefully curate these internships — recruiting these professionals, providing them with career guidance, managing their insurance, housing stipends, wages and transportation funds, and facilitating membership in a broader national cohort and post-internship alumni network of MANO conservation interns.
Amah Mutsun Land Trust (AMLT) is an Indigenous-led nonprofit that combines Indigenous stewardship, conservation and restoration, and research and education to steward the lands and waters within the ancestral territories of Indigenous Mutsun and Awaswas peoples. AMLT was formed in 2014 by the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band (AMTB), a non-federally recognized Tribe with over 600 members who are the Indigenous descendants of the people who lived for over 14,000 years along California’s Central Coast and survived the Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista missions.
The AMLT Native Stewardship Corps is a work training and cultural relearning program designed specifically for high-school and college-aged Tribal members. This program provides meaningful work and livelihood and is designed to develop the next generation of Amah Mutsun leaders and stewards of Mother Earth, mixing professional and career development with cultural education and support. The Corps supports resource conservation projects, including a long-term fuel reduction and coastal prairie restoration within Año Nuevo State Park.
Angela Leung is Parks California’s Vice President of Communications & Development, where she leverages her extensive experience across marketing, communications, public affairs, development and stakeholder engagement. She most recently served as Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, where she led the team responsible for communications, marketing, support for fundraising, and commemorating major park advancements — such as the opening of the Presidio Tunnel Tops. In her role, Angela oversaw efforts to enhance the Parks Conservancy’s visibility and brand reputation, reaching a wide variety of audiences and driving donor support for the organization through strategic communications.
Angela also supports San Francisco City parks. Appointed by Supervisor Catherine Stefani in 2021, Angela represents District 2 on the Park, Recreation, Open Space Advisory Committee, where she serves as a liaison between San Francisco’s Parks & Recreation Commission and residents. Angela brings a breadth of nonprofit, global and corporate experience from previous roles at Cox Enterprises, Gap Inc., The Asia Foundation, Microsoft and Panna Strategies.