A forester and fire ecologist by formal training, Maurica has worked in many aspects of what she’s starting to call “trauma-informed land stewardship,” from academia to grassroots organizing (SLOPBA!). Her life’s work is encapsulated by a mentor’s directive to “leave it better than you found it,” applied to doing right by the land and people in our disrupted climate. She is thrilled to be continuing this work as a CCSPA board member, as of 2025.
After growing up in the Northeast, Maurica landed in San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly in 1996, having absolutely no intention of staying local after graduation. Thankfully, Life had other plans. She parlayed an internship at CALFIRE into a full-time regional GIS+ consultancy and began lecturing at Cal Poly. While Maurica worked in many roles at Cal Poly and Swanton Pacific Ranch, she primarily taught forestry, fire, and GIS in the Natural Resources Department and was thrilled to serve as a faculty advisor to both the Society of American Foresters and the CP Logging Team (she is very proud of being the 1998 AWFC women’s axe throwing champion). Concurrent and following roles took her into state-wide workforce development for wildland fuel mitigation, bioregional project management, and raising up four pretty spectacular sons.
These days, you’ll find Maurica botanizing in our hills or pottering around her garden and/or art studio.
