Ada Alexandra Acosta is a GrizzlyCorps Fellow serving UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) supporting Spanish-speaking farmers through culturally responsive food safety outreach, education, and technical assistance. She brings an academic background in Anthropology, where she focused on how social relations are shaped by labor, environment, and community, deepening her understanding of the connections between people and land.
Alexandra grew up in San Diego as a Mexican-American, navigating life in a border city where crossing between communities and cultures was part of everyday life. Her mother, a chef, maintained close relationships with small local farmers and immigrant workers, exposing Alexandra early on to the human stories embedded in agricultural labor, migration, and borderland landscapes. These experiences shaped her awareness of social and environmental inequities and continue to inform her artistic and writing practice, which explores themes of land, memory, labor, and collective care. 

Natalie is from North County San Diego, where her love for the natural world took root at an early age. Her passion for wild places has taken her around the world; since graduating from Pepperdine University with a degree in English and sustainability, she has lived and worked in places like New Zealand and Glacier National Park. She is especially passionate about environmental storytelling and hopes to connect people through hopeful climate action. 

Natalie is excited to serve her home state with Marin County Fire Department’s FIRE Foundry program, which strives to increase access to careers in Fire service for underrepresented individuals. In her free time, you can find her off the grid—surfing, backpacking, trail running, nature journaling, and anything else that gets her outside. 

Mathilda is serving her first GrizzlyCorps term as the Water, Soils, and Rangeland Fellow with Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District in Siskiyou County. She has a deep passion for increasing resilient land and water stewardship among rural ranchers, producers, and communities. She is inspired by her three seasons as a wrangler on a horse and cattle ranch in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico, and her work as a mule packer in the Sierra Nevada, resupplying backcountry trail crews across the Inyo National Forest. She graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a degree in Economics. In her free time, Mathilda enjoys hiking, horseback riding, skiing, watercolor painting, and any activity that she can do outside!

Originally from Westford, Massachusetts, Heather is excited to be serving her second term as a GrizzlyCorps fellow with the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in Environmental Science, she moved to northern California for her first term with hopes to find her place in creating both ecological and social change. Through immersing herself in her new community and reveling in the biodiversity of California, Heather has found passion and purpose in fostering connection between people and place through art, science, and wonder. This year, she is looking forward to building community, hosting workshops, and getting her hands dirty out in the field and on the fire line. 

Erik (he/him) is a GrizzlyCorps Fellow from San Luis Obispo, California. He recently graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a degree in Environmental Management and Protection. This season, Erik will be serving a second term at the Point Reyes Field Station, where he’s eager to apply his passion for the natural world—especially the diverse flora and fauna—while expanding his knowledge and hands-on skills.

Sophie is so excited to be working with The Nature Conservancy in the Klamath Basin this year! Growing up in Pleasant Hill, California, Sophie's interest in ecology first sparked at an early age, with a fascination for insects and wildlife. She then went on to graduate from UC Berkeley with a degree in Conservation and Resource Studies with a specialization in Ecology and Environmental Resilience. Sophie has since developed a passion for aquatic systems and the ecological webs that exist within them. Her work with TNC will revolve around protecting and reinvigorating the populations of Chinook and Coho salmon within the Klamath Basin by focusing on watershed health and sustainable agriculture. She will have opportunity to assist in hydrological data collection and contribute to the implementation of sustainable ranching techniques in the Shasta and Scott Valley Watersheds. Outside of work, Sophie enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, and swimming in any natural body of water!

Katie is a communications and visual design professional passionate about fostering collaboration between environmental organizations and the intersectional communities they serve. Throughout her career, she has developed impactful identity systems and visual communications that enhance access to information and promote social and environmental equity. Katie's dedication to intersectional environmentalism and sustainable land use management led her to a GrizzlyCorps fellowship.

She currently resides and works in San Francisco, CA, on the ancestral and unceded land of the Ramaytush Ohlone people of the San Francisco Peninsula.

Phoebe (she/her) is serving at Shasta Valley RCD as a Forestry & Fuels Fellow. She holds a B.S. in Plant Sciences with an emphasis in Environmental Management and Restoration from the University of California, Davis. During her time as an undergraduate, she was involved in many internships, ranging from working on the White Pine Genome Project to assisting CalFire’s Board of Forestry. She looks forward to applying the knowledge gained from her undergraduate studies to promote healthy forest ecosystems, conservation, and reducing wildfire risks. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, and baking.

Maria Esser (she/her) is serving as a GrizzlyCorps Fellow with the Mendocino County Fire Safe Council (MCFSC). In her fellowship, she focuses on developing wildfire resilience resources tailored to residents in denser rural housing communities and supports the Council’s wildfire education program for middle school students throughout Mendocino County. Originally from the temperate forests of Pittsville, Wisconsin, Maria earned her degree in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in May 2025. As an undergraduate, she contributed to research examining how forest soil pH and organic matter content influence damping-off disease.
In her free time, Maria enjoys reading, exploring new hiking trails, and caring for her plants. During her year of service, she hopes to deepen her understanding of California’s evolving relationship with wildfire adaptation and community resilience.

Born and raised in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, Marc Froimovich earned his B.A. in Geography/Environmental Studies and Psychology. He’s passionate about food systems, climate justice, and the ways people connect with their environments. As part of UCLA’s Sustainability Action Research program, he worked on the Integrated Pest Management team to promote biodiversity and reduce pesticide use on campus. Now, as a Fire and Forestry Fellow with The Nature Conservancy’s Klamath Stewardship Project, he hopes to strengthen community resilience and learn how regenerative land management can restore forest and watershed health. Outside of work, you’ll probably find him making maps, creating art, or playing chess.

Evelyn will be working at the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center as a Community Education Fellow. Her work at HREC will focus on the continuous improvement and delivery of K-12 and adult environmental education programs, as well as expanding the reach and accessibility of vocational training in regenerative grazing and sustainable animal husbandry. She grew up in the Sierra Nevada mountains and graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Conservation and Resource Studies, and a B.A. in Music. At Cal, she took an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to understanding natural resources–studying fire, rangeland, agro-, wildlife, freshwater, and political ecologies. She is passionate about food sovereignty initiatives, promoting equitable access to environmental education, and building community resilience. She is excited to get to know the Mendocino County community and landscape, and can’t wait to meet the new lambs at HREC this winter!

Eva (they/she) is excited to serve the East Bay Regional Parks District for the 2025-26 Grizzly Corps Service Term. Originally from Los Angeles, Eva studied Sustainable Environmental Design with focuses in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, and Landscape Design at UC Berkeley. For the past decade, they have engaged with local ecology through local parks, habitat restoration and landscaping. As the Habitat Restoration and Community Engagement Fellow, Eva looks forward to connecting local communities with local ecology, building resilient restoration frameworks, and studying diverse habitats in the East Bay. They are passionate about community-based climate solutions, biomimicry, and native plants.

Jade is working with Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) in Davis. She was born and raised in the Central Coast and recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Agroecology. Through her upbringing in a very agriculture prominent region, she grew passionate about improving and localizing agri-food systems. As a fellow, Jade will assist CAFF's Ecological Farming Team in developing resources, help with their Ecological Pest Management and Latinx Farmer Engagement Projects among others. She looks forward to continue learning how Agroecological practices can be of use to famers and help them meet their needs throughout the GrizzlyCorps service term. In her free time Jade enjoys thrifting, reading, visiting the farmers market, cooking & baking, collecting plants and traveling.

Hennessy Jones (she/her) is a GrizzlyCorps fellow at the Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC), where she works with HREC staff and the Quercus Collaborative on oak woodland regeneration and community education. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, she grew up near the ocean and mountains, inspiring her to study at Rausser College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley, where she earned degrees in Society & Environment and Media Studies. During her time at Berkeley, she contributed to research projects mapping landscape change in the East Bay and creating policy infographics for the UC Berkeley Cannabis Research Center. Hennessy enjoys rock climbing, film photography, and spending time in the ocean, and she is excited to contribute to oak restoration while furthering her understanding of California ecosystems.

Katie (she/her) recently graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Plant Sciences and minors in Sustainable Agriculture and Sociology. She is passionate about amplifying farmers’ voices and increasing sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural practices. Katie is excited to be serving with the UC Cooperative Extension of Santa Clara County, supporting growers with the implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture and Integrated Pest Management projects. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, seeing live music, making collages, and exploring local farmers markets.

Being from San Jose, Christian excited to serve the San Jose community for a second year with Blue Oak Ranch Reserve. Christian graduated from the University of Redlands with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Spatial Studies. His biggest passions in the environmental field are frogs and grasses. Christian enjoys playing soccer and listening to music in his free time.

Sally is spending her first year as a GrizzlyCorps Fellow with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County. She graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in Conservation & Resource Studies and Geography. Sally's studies focused on agroecology, food systems, and the relationship between people, place and the more-than human world. For her senior thesis she worked with herbalists to understand how relationships with plants have supported them through experiences of migration, illustrating how plants are ultimately actors in creating therapeutic landscapes. This year she is excited to apply her interdisciplinary background and support the RCD with everything from urban pollinator habitats to community gardens to helping small farmers implement agroecological practices. Originally from the Bay Area, Sally has spent summers working on a small farm in Pescadero and is looking forward to expanding her understanding of the Central Coast and California's food system by working in such an agricultural hotspot. 

Sydney Pastore is the new GrizzlyCorp Fellow at Guys Gulch Ecological Reserve. Having grown up in San Diego, and earned their Bachelor’s at UC Santa Barbara, Sydney has continued the journey North. After developing her skills in prescribed fire at Feather River College and working at a small regenerative farm in Quincy, CA, she is excited to step into this role at Guys Gulch focusing on forestry and pollinator habitat. When not outside for work, they are often outside for fun – hiking, running, or skiing. When it’s too cold to be outside, she retreats indoors for a good book, board game, or cozy show. They are grateful for all the Earth provides and strive to do work the Earth is grateful for, in return. 

Jack (he/him) is serving his first Grizzly Corps term with White Buffalo Land Trust in Santa Barbara. He recently graduated from UCSB with a B.S. in environmental science and a concentration in psychology. Jack is passionate about the intersection of regenerative agriculture and enterprise. He is interested in the ways in which farmers can transition to sustainable methods in ways that best support their interests. He is also fascinated by mycology, the study of fungi, and will be supporting a medicinal/culinary mushroom farming project launching this year at White Buffalo. In his free time, Jack enjoys surfing, playing music, fishing, and cooking. 

Lauren (she/her) is a returning second-year fellow with the Small Farms Team at the UC Cooperative Extension office in San Martin (Santa Clara County). She graduated from UC Berkeley studying Conservation and Resource Studies, a self-directed degree where she took interdisciplinary coursework drawing from food system studies, environmental science, political ecology, social justice, and more. This term, Lauren is supporting compliance and education efforts related to the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP)––a state-wide program regulating water quality. As part of this, she is leading a surveying effort to understand what challenges Central Coast farmers face with ILRP compliance. She will be using the survey results to inform recommendations to local policymakers. Lauren’s other fellowship activities include supporting farmers with ILRP reporting, education, and translation in Chinese. In her free time, Lauren enjoys hiking, exploring stories of found family, and spending way too much time psychoanalyzing fictional characters with friends. 

Faith (she/her) is a GrizzlyCorps Fellow serving with the Sonoma Ecology Center. Originally from the South Bay (of Los Angeles), she recently graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Environmental Science. After completing a summer internship researching Tahoe’s forest health, Faith is excited to be working in Sonoma to increase the accessibility of local native plants and create a more climate resilient community. She is passionate about urban ecology, ethnobotany, and environmental education, and is looking forward to building native biodiversity and community in Sonoma. 

Renata is the 2025-2026 Grizzly Corps fellow based out of the Humboldt County RCD and working under the North Coast RCD Durable Collaborative, a coalition of 12 RCDs working together on regional forest resilience priorities. Renata moved to Northern California in August of 2025 after serving as a Team Leader in AmeriCorps’ Forest Corps inaugural program partnership with the United States Forest Service, where she worked as a wildland firefighter on Wildfire Risk Mitigation, reforestation and fuel reduction in the Western United States. Renata has a B.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, a M.S. in International Business, and has worked as a certified mediator and park naturalist in her Virginia hometown. Renata is passionate about geomorphology, food justice, soil microbial biomass, and film analysis! Renata loves exploring with others and learning from those around her. You may see her backpacking, climbing, or biking in the area. Spot her around? Go ahead and say hi! 

Natalia (she/her) is a second year GrizzlyCorps Fellow serving another term with Hastings Natural History Reservation (Carmel Valley, CA). Natalia grew up in Santa Barbara and graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She is excited for another year assisting with research, developing her naturalist skills, and learning maintenance. In her free time, Natalia enjoys exploring new places through snorkeling, hiking, and camping. She loves adding to her skillset and exploring new places, and is beyond elated to be in such a supportive and rich learning environment at Hastings!

Lauren von Aspen is a GrizzlyCorps Fellow currently serving at the UCCE Santa Clara within their Composting Education Program. She is originally from Southern California but recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Ecosystem Management & Forestry. She is passionate about community-based sustainability and is currently working to expand the outreach and impact of the Composting Education Program. When they’re not working or spending time with friends, Lauren enjoys live music, backpacking, and general adventuring. She is excited to work with Bay Area community members and to enjoy fresh produce from Martial Cottle Park. 

Ryan is serving his GrizzlyCorps term at Sustainable Conservation's San Francisco office, with their Water for the Future team. He recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Geography, concentrating in water resource management and GIS. Ryan believes in promoting collaboration between state agencies, local communities, water districts and other interested parties to build the resilience of California's water portfolio in the face of climate change. At Sustainable Conservation, he is excited to be working on groundwater sustainability projects and multibenefit land repurposing efforts to balance the supply and demand of water in California's agricultural regions, and to protect community and environmental needs in the process. 

In his free time, Ryan enjoys going to the beach, camping, and exploring his new home of San Francisco by bike. He also likes to read and do some minor woodworking, and is always down to talk about fermentation projects.

Hayley is a GrizzlyCorps Fellow with Sustainable Conservation's Accelerating Restoration Team. Hayley was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and is excited to support environmental restoration efforts within California. In 2022, Hayley graduated from Barnard College with a B.A in Environment and Sustainability. Since graduating, Hayley has worked at a variety of environmental nonprofits with a focus on waste management, resource delivery, and community outreach. Hayley has previously completed an AmeriCorps Program called Scientists in the Parks, where she served in Joshua Tree National Park creating engaging programming about the climate crisis. She is passionate about centering community and environmental justice at heart of climate solutions to increase capacity and build resilience. In her free time, Hayley loves getting into the ocean, stopping by the bookstore, and spending time with community in nature.