Bo Glover Executive Director
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 101 | more about Bo
Trail building, habitat restoration and leading educational tours as a volunteer marked the early days of Bo’s career at the ENC after moving to California in 1991. Bo is currently the Executive Director of the ENC and has held that position since 1995. When he is not hiking or camping with his family, Bo affiliates himself with a number of worthwhile community organizations. Bo is Past-President of the Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA) and California Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL). He was also a member of the Orange County CREEC Network Advisory Committee, the Chairman of the City of Newport Beach Castaways Park Advisory Committee from 1999 – 2003, a member of the Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation Grants Allocations Committee from 1996-2012, and served on the Environmental Board of the City of Huntington Beach from 2009 to 2012. Bo, a LEED Accredited Professional, serves on the Board of Directors of Orange Coast River Park Inc. and is a member of the Market Leader Advisory Board of the OC USGBC. Bo was also recently the recipient of the Lakers Community Champion award, presented by the Lakers and LG Solar on the Court at halftime, to recognize him for his work at the ENC. He received the 2018 Leadership Award from the Association of Nature Center Administrators in September 2018. Always remember… Unless.
Lori Whalen Assistant Director
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 103 | more about Lori
Lori has worked in the non-profit field for nearly two decades. She joined the ENC staff in 2003. Lori oversees the ENC’s communications, education programs, volunteer programs and horticulture, and assists with funds development. Previously she has worked for The Nature Conservancy, the City of Huntington Beach, and the Orange County Department of Education. Lori has a BS from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an MA in Communications from California State University, Fullerton. She is a member of the Marketing Committee for the Association of Nature Center Administrators, and the Garden Tour Committee of the California Native Plant Society. In her free time, she likes to hike, bike, camp, read, travel, experience live music, practice yoga, garden with native plants and hang out with her dog Sully. She was the recipient of the prestigious Nathaniel Lamm Scholarship Award for excellence in Environmental Education on 2002, and the California Senate “Women Making a Difference” award in 2012.
Vanessa “Nessie” Sener ENC Nature Preschool Director
email me | 949-629-1044 ext. 201
Vanessa, an Orange County native, attributes her enduring love for the natural world to the formative years she spent exploring the beauty of her hometown, San Clemente. With a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College, Vanessa brings over two decades of expertise as an inclusive Early Years Educator to the Nature Preschool. Embarking on her ENC journey before the Nature Preschool’s opening, Vanessa was ENC member and transitioned to Camp Naturalist, progressing within the organization, she ascended to key positions as Curriculum Coordinator and Lead Nature Teacher in the Bear Classroom. Throughout her career, Vanessa has cultivated lasting connections with children, fostering a strong sense of self through play-based, child-led philosophies. Her approach encompasses providing unconditional acceptance, creating inspirational learning experiences, promoting independence, and encouraging reflective engagement. Vanessa has established a strong foundation for collaboration and leadership, demonstrating her dedication as a mentor in early years education. She is a member of NAEYC and serves on the board of the Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children (OCAEYC), an NAEYC affiliate. During the 2022 Orange County Association for the Education for Young Children conference, ENC Nature Preschool Director Vanessa Sener was awarded Outstanding ECE Professional of 2022!
Mindy Schwartz Education Director
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 102
Mindy comes to us with a B.S. in Environmental Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and an M.S. in Conservation Ecology & Sustainable Development from the University of Georgia. While at UGA, she also earned a certificate in nonprofit management. During an internship at the Environmental Education Center at Lord Stirling Park, Mindy was exposed to writing and executing her own environmental education lessons using the outdoors as a classroom – and she fell in love with it. For over 15 years she has kept busy as an environmental educator and naturalist at a variety of zoos, nature centers, and outdoor schools. Most recently, Mindy was employed by the California Science Center as an Education Program Specialist and at Trash for Teaching as the Director of Creative Programming. She brings her skills of leadership, professional development, and creative problem solving to the ENC. Her passion is building collaborations with other organizations, allowing both partners to go beyond what they would do alone. In her spare time Mindy enjoys traveling, photography, team trivia, and swing dancing.
Alison Screen Facility Manager
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 107
Alison is a Southern California native who has always loved nature and the outdoors. She grew up hiking and camping with her family, and also summited San Gorgonio (“Old Greyback”) Mountain with her Girl Scout Troup when she was 13 years old. Alison has a B.A. in English from California State University, Long Beach. In addition to nature, Alison loves animals and gained hands on experience working for an animal shelter and a veterinary office. Her other passions include music, sci-fi and playing pool.
Emily Vicioso Horticulture Manager
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 107
Emily is a passionate horticulturalist and educator with a background in biology. She earned a bachelor’s in biology from San Francisco State University and then attended Mt. SAC’s prestigious horticulture program while working at Lowe’s as Live Nursery Specialist. She then moved on to work as an Arboretum Gardener for the LA Arboretum and as Herbarium Collections and Data Coordinator at New York Botanical Garden, finally landing at the Environmental Nature Center! Emily is currently working on her M.S. in Agriculture, Plant Science option at California Polytechnic University Pomona and teaching horticulture to students at Fullerton College. In her free time, Emily loves to read, write, do yoga, and hike!
Skyler Forche Education Coordinator
Skyler began his college education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo as a Microbiology major. He soon learned that his passions were in the outdoors and changed his major to Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and began studying at Colorado State University. Nonprofits Skyler has volunteered with include the Spectacled Bear Society, Trees Water People, and the Environmental Learning Center in Colorado. Skyler began as an Early Childhood Education Intern at the ENC before becoming a part-time Naturalist. Hobbies of his include hiking, camping, and swimming in the ocean.
Ali Aguarino Facility Maintenance Manager
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 109
Ali has been working in science and outdoor education for almost 20 years. As the Facility Maintenance Manager, he is responsible for the protection and enhancement of the Environmental Nature Center’s grounds including the implementation of improvements and maintenance activities. He also teaches educational programs. Prior to working at the ENC, Ali was the Grounds Keeper and Naturalist for the Orange County Department of Education, where he also taught outdoor science education. He also worked on the Island of Saipan as a Middle School Teacher. Ali received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in the Philippines, where he was born and raised. His hobbies include hiking, photography, bike riding, and gardening.
Kass DeBoer Early Childhood Education Specialist
Kass studied Child Development at Crafton Hills College, where she took every child development class they offered. Following college, she began teaching at a Montessori based preschool. After teaching indoors for a few years, she got the opportunity to teach outdoors and became a naturalist at a non-profit nature preserve. It was here where Kass found her true passion: teaching children about the wonder and joys of nature. Viewing the outdoors through a child’s lens Kass learned how to create fun and engaging programming. To escape snowy winter conditions, Kass moved from the mountains to Orange County where she taught as a naturalist at a Reggio-Emilia Preschool. When not working, Kass enjoys sewing, ceramics, roller skating, and working in her garden.
Briana Picquelle Volunteer Coordinator
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 105
Bri grew up in Southern California accompanying her parents to outrigger canoe races on the beach, where her love for nature blossomed and sparked curiosity. She went to Orange Coast College to earn her A.S in communication studies and continued her education at Chico State University. There, she earned a B.S. in Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management. She also worked as an outdoor trip instructor for college students through a program called Adventure Outings, and cherished her time spent in rivers and amongst the Redwoods in Northern California. Bri loves spending her free time cooking, hiking, taking photos, roller skating, vintage store shopping and dancing! You may come to know her as “Butterfly Bri” during ENC nature camp.
Eric Essen Enrichment Specialist
email me | 949-645-8489 ext. 119
Eric is a graduate of Vanguard University with a BA in Psychology. After college, Eric worked as an English and reading comprehension tutor before serving his community as Recreation Leader, overseeing the R.O.C.K.S program at various elementary schools in Costa Mesa. Eric has been on various mountain biking trips with his family throughout the Pacific Northwest and other areas, camping in the wilderness and riding between destinations. He is an Eagle Scout of Troop 339, whose fellow Scouts have conducted a number of Eagle Scout Projects here at the ENC. In his free time, Eric enjoys bike riding, cooking, and playing games.
Blue Leopo Community Engagement Coordinator
Wendy Green Lead Naturalist
Wendy is originally from Connecticut. Her grandfather taught her love of the outdoors. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science from UNH and a M.S. in Wildlife Biology from UConn. Professionally she worked as an endangered species biologist for the USFWS specializing in coastal shorebird recovery for over a decade. For the past 10 years she’s called California home as a stay-at-home mom of two boys. She’s excited to get back to work and share her love of nature with everyone at the ENC.
Janelle Loustaunau Horticulture Technician
Janelle helps protect and conserve our native plant communities at the Environmental Nature Center, ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, and the ENC Nature Preschool! She began her journey with us after a year of volunteering every week at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. Currently majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Environmental Psychology, her innate curiosity behind our connection to, and impact on nature as a whole makes her a wonderful fit for this position. Janelle’s passion for the environment sparked at a young age by receiving a Natured-Based Education at a developmental preschool. Her early immersion in our natural world ignited a desire and dedication to caring for all things living- especially plants! Janelle’s tenacity and commitment to educating herself and others about the environment and our impact grows every day! When she’s not studying, you can find her reading, gardening, camping, and exploring the backroads of California with her dog.
Courtney Rickard Horticulture Technician
Courtney was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where her passion for the natural world began at a very young age. Throughout her education, Courtney gained experience in horticulture by working in a greenhouse, plant nursery, and numerous parks, falling in love with all things photosynthetic in the process. Proceeding her third year in college, she acquired a position with Orange County Coastkeeper as a marine restoration intern. This experience opened Courtney’s eyes up to the wonders of the non-profit world, as well as the meaningful connections to be made on the west coast. She graduated in 2023 from Aurora University with a B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Environmental Studies before moving to California to pursue a career in the environmental sciences. Courtney is ecstatic to be a part of the horticulture team here and learn more about the exquisite plant life in Southern California.
Kathy Weidel Naturalist
After many years working in the corporate world and raising her daughter, Kathy found the ENC and realized she was home. Teaching children and experiencing the ENC on a frequent basis has given her great satisfaction.
Julie Williams Naturalist
Julie is a nature-inspired artist and birding enthusiast who comes to the ENC after working as a Naturalist for Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary for four years. She has also served both the ENC and Tucker as a volunteer. Her devotion to sharing her passion for wildlife and habitat conservation shapes her involvement in teaching children and exploring nature with people of all ages. Her favorite pursuits include creating, birding, traveling to nature preserves, camping and documenting her trips in photographs. She also loves folk music, her tiny garden, a well-written book and morning coffee with her backyard birds. She has taught nature painting classes and has shown her mixed media pieces and sculpture at local art events for many years. She holds a BA degree in Art from Scripps College.
Chris Holland Naturalist
Chris began his Naturalist career as a volunteer at the ENC long ago! We loved him so much that we hired him! When Chris is not teaching he is a Residential Sales & Leasing agent at Evergreen Realty and Associates, Inc. He likes the San Diego Chargers and listens to Country Music.
Melanie Leong Naturalist
Melanie graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in 2018. They found their love for teaching as an undergraduate teaching assistant for introductory biology labs where they learned how to use inquiry-based methods to get students excited about the material. Throughout their college experience, Melanie was involved with many teaching opportunities from leading peer mentor groups for first-year and international students to coaching youth lacrosse. Their senior year, they led 4th grade students on field trips to teach them about ecosystem interactions and facilitated the completion of environmental science experiments with local high school students. After graduating and returning to southern California, they worked as an after-school science educator for Bionerds. When Melanie is not working at the ENC, they tutor middle and high school students online. In their free time, they like rock climbing, hiking, birding, reading, making art, and watching TV shows.
Graeme Hooker Naturalist
Graeme graduated with a BA in Psychology at California State University Long Beach. During this time he took child development classes along with his required psychology courses. He has always had a feeling of connection with nature and pursued environmental/horticultural classes in the hopes of teaching others about how nature can help an individual mentally and physically. Graeme was born and raised in SoCal and loves living by the beach. When Graeme is not working he is most likely trying to stay active by swimming in the ocean, hiking, or playing sports.
Evan Harford Naturalist
Evan was born and raised in the mountains of San Bernardino. As a youth he learned to love and care for nature as he volunteered for local wildlife refuges and Summer/Winter camps. He continued his love for environmental education and moved to Oregon and worked for the Portland Parks and Rec system. Evan loves nothing more than to spend his free time with friends and loved ones in nature. His favorite hobbies include fishing, backpacking, and camping. You can always depend on him for fun nature facts! His personal mission is to encourage, inspire, and cultivate an inclusive and fun experience for anyone wishing to learn about the wonders of our natural world.
Ryan English Naturalist
Ryan graduated from California State University Long Beach with a BS in Biology. At the time, she was working for a homeschool company where she taught marine biology to students on the beaches of Laguna. She loved it so much that she ended up managing the program for a short time, designing interactive lesson plans and overseeing classes held in other cities and states. Wanting to travel, in the summer of 2023 Ryan was accepted into a wildlife biology internship in Costa Rica, where she spent three months studying the foraging behaviors of mantled howler monkeys. After coming home she realized how much she missed teaching, which brought her to the ENC. When she’s not working, Ryan enjoys dancing, tidepooling, birding, and volunteering at a local wildlife hospital.
Desiree Romero Naturalist
Desiree grew up believing the trees could communicate and that being outside, surrounded by Nature, the outside world, was a safe place. After too many years at a desk in the legal field, Desiree went “out of office” permanently! Following her love for trees and the outside world, she sought out training and schooling for Ecotherapy, as well as Nature and Forest Therapy, becoming a certified Nature Therapy Guide. Desiree is a California native and furthered her schooling to become a Certified California Naturalist. Her training has also included becoming a Project Learning Tree Educator, to further share her passion for the outside world with the younger generation.
Sara Chin Naturalist
Sara graduated with a BA in Biology and Minor in women and gender studies from Stony Brook University, where she also was a member of SBU Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Team. Since graduation, Sara has explored various career paths, including roles as an ocean lifeguard, EMT, and behavior technician. However, her passion for community service and nature has led her to join our team at ENC. When she’s not working, Sara can often be found swimming, surfing, or scouring swap meets and flea markets for vintage treasures.
José Contreras Naturalist
José is a Northern California native and was raised outdoors in the Central Coast. He spent many summers exploring in the mountains of the Sierras, with many travels to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. His love for the outdoors drove him to Montana to work with the Buffalo Field Campaign non-profit organization where he conducted field observations and research on buffalo herds within the Yellowstone Ecosystem and on the tribal lands. He is a passionate and dedicated outdoor educator and technical specialist with a knack for innovation and keen situational awareness in outdoor education, research, and natural habitat protection. He earned his Certificate in Park Management from West Valley College, and his outdoor highlight is having climbed Yosemite’s Half Dome at night! On his spare time, you can find him kayaking and exploring new trails.
Trevor Tovar-Smith Naturalist
Trevor is an avid nature enthusiast with an M.S. in Geosciences and over a decade of experience in science education. His teaching experience ranges from kindergarten to college, where he has instructed courses in Earth Science, Environmental Science, and Physical Science. He has a passion for exploring the great outdoors, whether he’s hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, or searching for native wildflowers. Since the age of 5, Trevor has been camping all over the Midwest with his family, spending a great deal of time especially in the Eastern Sierras. He is deeply interested in insects, plants, and birds, and enjoys growing his own food, beekeeping, and restoring local native habitats. Trevor also loves spending time with his wife and their two dogs. Known for his inquisitive nature, Trevor is dedicated to fostering a love of science and nature in others.
Maya Kalle Naturalist
Maya is a bright and bubbly nature lover who adores learning about the environment. Before starting at the ENC, Maya spent many years as the STEM station lead for the Lake Forest Day Camp, which sparked her interest in environmental education. Later when participating in a field research program in the Alaskan backcountry, Maya gained incredible experience learning about coastal ecologies, and how science and art can intersect to create a productive learning environment. Maya is excited to share her abundance of knowledge with her students, making them just as curious and passionate about the natural world as she is. Currently a student at Saddleback College, Maya hopes to transfer and earn a degree in environmental science. In her free time, you can catch her enjoying nature documentaries, hiking with friends, participating in habitat restoration, or reading.
Sean Zulueta Naturalist
Sean is a Southern Californian native and fell in love with biology during his time at Santiago Canyon College. He initially pursued a degree in nursing but fell in love with biology when his professor handed him a mysterious creature on a class field trip and told him to classify it. Driven by the curiosity and uniqueness of the biological field he transferred to California State University, Fullerton where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. His social and professional network brought him to work in a variety of ecosystems spanning from the high desert of the Mojave National Preserve to the mysterious depths of the deep sea off the coast of California and everything in between. Sean primarily researched deep-sea fish but that didn’t prevent him from working with rats, sharks, mistletoe, scorpions, snakes, big horned sheep, desert sunflowers, redwood trees, sea turtles, and many other organisms. Prior to joining the ENC staff, Sean taught in the tidepools, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, high desert, and redwood forests with all age groups. Being a part of the ENC staff allows Sean to take complex subjects he learned in college and simplify those concepts to show how diverse and significant the natural world is in hopes of fostering curiosity and critical thinking. Outside of being a Naturalist you can find Sean playing board and video games, lifting weights at the gym, and testing his pop-culture knowledge at trivia nights.
Laura Millard Naturalist
Laura is thrilled for the opportunity to inspire kids with the same wonder about nature that made her try to live in her backyard as a kid. Her curiosity about the natural world took her to UC San Diego where she earned her Masters in Biology and Bachelors in Biochemistry. While completing her thesis there in plant biochemistry she also worked as a teaching assistant, where she became involved in research on the cognitive science of learning. In school she was passionate about her coursework in biogeochemistry, fossil studies, the chemistry of pollution, and evolutionary ecology. Laura is now a college instructor of Biology during the school year and is ecstatic to be spending her summers sharing nature with children. When she’s not working Laura loves backpacking, oil painting, growing chili peppers, and telling dogs they’re such good boys.
Lauren Dimler Naturalist
This summer, Lauren Dimler joined the ENC team as a summer camp Naturalist. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, but relocated to Monterey to pursue her B.S. in Environmental Studies from Cal State University Monterey Bay. Lauren spent her summers in high school and early college working at a summer camp in Malibu Canyon serving 8-16 year olds living in the Los Angeles area. When she moved to Monterey, she held positions at the local art museum as an art educator. After a professor of Lauren’s told his class about working at a kayak shop, she took a leap of faith and landed a job working as a kayak guide. Lauren led school and tour groups through Elkhorn Slough, a protected estuarine habitat that is known for their southern sea otter populations. She fell in love, and additionally pursued a position at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve as a scientific aide with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lauren started teaching in a classroom environment in 2018, but still continued working at the kayak shop on weekends and summers. She relocated back to Southern California last summer, and has been teaching 3rd grade throughout the school year. In her free time, you’ll find her identifying plant species while hiking with her toddler and husband, walking her dog Basil, and binge-watching House Hunters.
Britta Moore Naturalist
Britta is an enthusiastic naturalist and educator that grew up beachcombing, tide-pooling, hiking, and camping in California. With a strong love for animals and learning about the intricacies of the natural world, Britta earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology at California State University of Long Beach. After graduating, she sought ways to share her love of learning with others through teaching in summer camps and public schools; and obtained her teaching credential. She continued teaching science (along with some geography and yoga) in K-12 private and public schools for the next nine years. Later she earned her Masters in Teaching Biological Sciences with a focus in Conservation Leadership and taught at a Forest School. In her spare time, you can find Britta exploring trails with her husband, their preschooler, and their dogs.
Michael Gomez Naturalist
Michael studied neurobiology and biological sciences at the University of California, Irvine. He worked at the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory assisting with the UCI Brain Camp and Brain Explorer Academy, where students from middle and high school learned about the nature of the brain. He’s worked with children at various capacities such as soccer coach, dance instructor, and science tutor. He also serves adults through life coaching that focuses on neuroplasticity, brain health and emotional intelligence. Michael is curious, and he enjoys all kinds of adventurous activities. Some of his hobbies include dancing, reading, calligraphy and boxing. He loves animals and is passionate about children’s education.
Ashley Nick Naturalist
Board of Directors
Chris Bosley, President
John Parenti, V.P. Finance / Treasurer
Bob Kelly, V.P. Education and Site
Shana Buxser, V.P. Fund Development
Arthur Jeppe, V.P. Board Governance
Christopher Blank, Secretary
Laura Blumenstein
Rick John
Matt Tuten
Craig Smith
Rick Wandrocke
Supra Verma
Robert House, Director Emeritus