Botanist, Wildlife Biologist, Environmental Educator
Executive Director, The SummerTree Institute
Professional Recognition and Experience
(Thirty years’ experience)
- Recipient of Best Environmental Education Site award, U.S. Dept. of Interior for Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
- Green Award 2010 for environmental education contributions and programs
- Award of Excellence from Basin Wide Foundation for environmental contributions
- Certificate of Excellence from Alliance for Water Awareness and Conservation for exceptional contributions to promote water-wise landscaping
- Certificate of Recognition for land conservation from Friends of the Desert Mountains
- California Desert District Botanist, U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
- Preserve Manager, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, U.S. BLM
- Developed Junior Ranger Program and Docent Naturalist Training Program at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
- Independent Science Advisory Panel for Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
- Cofounder of The Wildlands Conservancy
- Cofounder of The Power of Plants
- Cofounder of DolphinWorks
- Curator of Botany at Riverside Municipal Museum
- Chief of Public Affairs-Acting, California Desert District, U.S. BLM
- Creator of “Discovering The Ancients” on-going high school field research program for Joshua Tree National Park
- Creator of “Saving The Ancients” on-going public environmental education program
- Team lead for riparian restoration of The SummerTree Preserve
- Presenter of annual training seminars in ethnobotany for Joshua Tree National Park staff
- Aerial photo interpretation specialist, U.S. Dept of Interior & NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab
Professional Affiliations
- California Native Plant Society
- Southern California Botanists
- Desert Horticultural Society
Environmental and Civic Involvements
- Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, Board of Directors
- Advisor, Native Plant Ordinances, Town of Yucca Valley
- Mojave Desert Land Trust, Founding Member – Mojave Desert Seed Bank