Meet the Fall 2024 Team!
Annika Harding
President
I'm Annika, a third-year Environmental Studies major with a minor in Comparative Literature. I’m passionate about spending time outdoors, and environmental conservation is my way of giving back as someone who benefits from nature. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in public health or environmental policy. My favorite tree is the Angel Oak.
Henderson Vo
Treasurer
Hello! My name is Henderson Vo and I am a second-year Environmental Studies student at UCSB. I joined YCT firstly because I love to be around trees, but also because I feel passionate about environmental restoration, especially within the context of our built environment. Sustainable urban design is something that I am particularly interested in, so I'm very excited to be exploring that through the work being done here at YCT!
Kellen Pierce
Tree Care Coordinator,
Elings Growing Ground Coordinator
Hi! I'm a 4th year environmental studies major and YCT has been the perfect opportunity to benefit our community and work outside in nature! My favorite tree is Platanus racemosa, the Western Sycamore!
Olivia Bryant
Volunteer Coordinator
I'm a third-year Environmental Studies major and Art minor at UCSB, originally from the Bay Area. I love spending time outdoors, whether I'm surfing, playing volleyball, or making art. My favorite color is green, and I have a special fondness for Callery pear trees. I also have a dog who loves exploring with me. I'm passionate about the environment and excited to plant trees.
Michelle Tang
Intern
Hi! My name is Michelle Tang, and I am a third year Environmental Studies and Geography GIS double major. Being an Environmental Studies major and taking a variety of different classes that taught me knowledge about the environment, I wanted a more hands-on experience, so I joined YCT! I am passionate about enacting environmental change that not only benefits our environment but also our lives. I love to garden and grow my own fruit and vegetables, currently my dad and I grow a bunch of dragon fruit at home!
Kyra Rodriguez
Intern
Hi! My name is Kyra, I am a third year Environmental Studies B.A. major with an emphasis in law and policy. I grew up in both Los Angles, CA and Fairfax, VA. As a child, I was always outside which fostered the growth for my love for nature. I am interested in environmental justice and am eager to explore that in a future career!
Steven Le
Intern
Hello, my name is Steven Le and I am a passionate second year environmental studies (B.S.) major and an earth science minor! I first joined YCT last winter hoping to get my footing into thrilling environmental-related work experience, which has kept me coming back to this internship since then. Returning for my third quarter, I hope to continue work on urban forestry in Goleta and Santa Barbara from the foundational work that we have done the previous years.
Maggie O'Sullivan
Intern
My name is Maggie O'Sullivan, I'm from Bend, Oregon, and I am a first-year student majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Spanish! In my free time I love to explore the outdoors by skiing, hiking, climbing, and about anything that involves adventuring outside! I joined YCT because I am passionate about our environment and I am excited to help inspire my peers to become more involved in preservation efforts at UCSB!
Mariam Aristil
Intern
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Jess Rousselle
Intern
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Chelsea Prasad
Intern
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Mia Ryang
Vice President
Hello! My name is Mia and I'm a third year at UCSB. I am currently pursuing an Environmental Studies B.A. with a minor in Anthropology. I love to create art, listen to music, and be outdoors...or do all three at the same time! I am passionate about the future of our Earth and all the efforts being made to enact change. I think that one of the most important things to do is to bridge the disconnect between us and nature, especially within the youth.
Jessi Rumkin
Harder Growing Grounds Coordinator
Hello, my name is Jessi Rumkin (she/her). I am the Harder Growing Grounds Coordinator located on UCSB campus. I'm in my fourth year of pursuing a BS in Environmental Studies, emphasizing restoration using local knowledge and spatial studies. I love hiking, paddle boarding, and just getting outside as much as possible, which is part of why I love working in the nursery at YCT. Education and outreach are essential in creating environmental changes, so I'm eager to continue working with YCT and the rest of the team!
Sarah Toyne
Tree Walk Coordinator
Zander Peterson
Intern
Howdy! I'm Zander, a third-year environmental studies student from Atascadero, CA. I love trees! I think I'd enjoy being a tree, specifically a Coast Live Oak. They're rather quirky :D If I'm not sitting around stoically like an oak, you can find me frolicking in the mountains or pretending to be a mermaid off the IV coast. We have so much to learn from trees, they have centuries of wisdom and seniority on us.
Isa Garcia-Flores
Intern
Hi, my name is Isa and I'm a 3rd year environmental studies major with a double minor in spanish and applied psychology! I'm originally from the bay area & in my free time I like to go on runs, listen to podcasts, and hangout with friends. I'm super excited to be part of YCT and can't wait for the rest of the quarter!
Vivian Avila
Intern
Hi! My name is Vivian and I am a third-year Environmental Studies transfer student at UCSB. I was born and raised in Santa Barbara and Goleta. I decided to join YCT as a way to become more involved in my community and to learn about urban forestry! I love learning about the environment and being outdoors! Some things that I enjoy to do in my free time is to read, create art, and spend time with my friends. I also love to swim, hike, and explore tide pools whenever I get the chance to!
Kylie Malone
Intern
Hi! My name is Kylie and I am a fourth-year Ecology and Evolution student. I'm interested in ecosystem restoration, endangered species conservation, and working with plants and animals, and YCT allows me to explore my interests while making a visible impact on my community. I also enjoy looking for new music, playing games like Stardew Valley, making crafts/decorations, and learning how to cook/bake!
Josie Yon
Intern
My name is Josie Yon and I am a 4th year student at UCSB pursuing a degree in environmental studies (B.A.) with an emphasis in soil science. I love to surf, hike, run, climb, and learn about our wonderful Earth! I am new to YCT and am very grateful for this opportunity to make a positive, tangible impact on our surrounding ecosystem and community!
Sam Woods
Intern
Hi! My name is Sam Woods (she/her) and I am currently a 2nd year Environmental Studies B.S. student! The environment has played a big role in my life, as my parents have always cared deeply for nature and creatures of all kinds. I joined YTC to become more involved in my community and to uphold the environmental consciousness that my family has instilled in me.
Jessie Liang
Intern
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Evelyn Le
Intern
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Leila Dagan
Science Night Coordinator
Hi! My name is Leila and I am a second year Environmental Studies B.S. student. I am new to YCT, and I am so excited to be a part of a community dedicated to giving back to the trees. I grew up in the Santa Cruz mountains surrounded by the glorious redwoods. Staring up at these towering trees all my life has brought me so much peace, and has ultimately inspired me to pursue a career dedicated to protecting the environment. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a member of YCT this quarter.
Emily Lombardi
Social Media Coordinator
Hi! I’m Emily Lombardi and I’m a third year in Environmental Studies! While pursuing a B.S. means I get to take a lot of biology, physics and chem courses, this made me step back and realize that I felt fairly disconnected from the environmental studies community at UCSB. I wanted to join YCT as a way to become more active in the Environmental Studies community through meeting like-minded individuals and as an outlet from the STEM-heavy classes I’m taking!
Ken Knight
Technical Advisor
As Technical Advisor, I founded YCT at UCSB in 2014 to provide practical, tree-related science experiences to academic students at UCSB and local schools. YCT at UCSB is an opportunity for students to get their hands dirty, learn about how to work effectively with others, and hopefully pass along their knowledge to others. When I’m not volunteering as President of the nonprofit side of Your Children’s Trees (www.yourchildrenstrees.org), I work as a Registered Consulting Arborist (www.goletaarborists.com) providing expert advice on trees. In my 40 years living in Goleta, I’ve planted and cared for 5000+ public trees for future generations.
Amber Miranda
Intern
I’m a first year student at UCSB and I’m majoring in Environmental Studies. I love nature and would like to give back to it through this internship. I come from a small town called El Centro (southern California) that has 120° weather so only a portion of my time was spent outside. I’m excited to learn more about the environment and experience it hands-on.
Lindamarie Herrera
Intern
Hello! I am a first-year Environmental Studies (B.S.) major here at UCSB, passionate about sustainability. I joined YCT to connect with this vibrant community and to achieve hands-on restoration projects. I love working in a natural space where the community can come together to appreciate the knowledge and beauty it offers. Back in my hometown, I enjoyed volunteering as a camp counselor, guiding kids through a week of environmental learning. In my spare time, I love reading poetry, cooking, and soaking up the sun. I look forward to making a positive impact through YCT.
Aiden Maestas
Intern
Hi! My name is Aiden Maestas, and I am a first year Environmental Studies Major here at UCSB. This is my first year with YCT and I'm excited to start. I like listening to classic rock, watching horror movies, and playing guitar in my free time.
Sofia Lebensohn
Intern
Hi! I am a third-year Environmental Studies (B.S) major here at UCSB and started working at YCT at the beginning of the summer. I joined YCT because I care deeply about positively impacting our surrounding environment and contributing to our community. The trees we plant will be around a lot longer than us, and that is an amazing thought. I love working with kids and spreading my love for the environment to them. In my free time, I go to the beach and hike with my friends!
S. Tara Grover
Intern
What's good everyone! My name is S. Tara Grover, and I am a senior pursuing my final credits for my B.A. in Environmental Studies. My focus is on climate justice but with an emphasis on policy work. I joined YCT to learn more about how restoration and education processes function in a local community, help people feel more connected to nature in the places they live, and empower them to make a difference in their homes. Urban forestry policies intrigue me greatly, and I am excited to get hands-on experience with tree restoration in native areas, education for our community, and helping out our team this quarter!
Isla Anderson
Intern
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Sophie Dutsch-Zdanowicz
Position
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Leila Schorno
Intern
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