Sophia fell in love with Central Coast while completing her bachelor of science degree in environmental management and protection from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She currently works for NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as the coordinator of the Coastal Discovery Center which is a small nature center located on W.R. Hearst Memorial Beach. In this role, she also works closely with the SLO Coast District of State Parks to deliver hands-on marine science education to students from schools throughout California.
Her passion for interpreting natural resources began at a young age as she would spend her high school summers exploring Yosemite’s wilderness for weeks at a time (even conquering an 140 mile backpacking route at age 17). She also worked in a non-profit for two years in between her schooling where she would lead kids and adults on multi-day backpacking trips in the National Park. As an environmental educator, Sophia has witnessed the value that spending time in nature can have on the next generation of environmental stewards, and hopes that during her time on CCSPA’s board, she can bring more awareness to their mission of connecting youth with their local parks.
If Sophia is not working with her crew of volunteers at the visitor center or leading a field trip, you can find her clicking into her skis in winter, snapping pictures of wildflowers in the spring, backpacking in the Sierra Nevada in the summer, and enjoying warm days reading on the beach in fall.
