OUR TEAM
L to R: Patrick, Jenny, Carolyn, Dani, Scott, Samaya, Olivia, Samantha, Xiomara
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Scott started his career at Unilever and later worked at Activision, Mediacentrix and a start-up or two. A self-proclaimed "intrepreneur," he has experience working in finance, brand management, and entertainment.
But it was his passion for children and education, as well as the environment, science and technology that led him to working with nonprofits. It was at the Los Angeles inner-city agency A Place Called Home where, for more than 10 years, Culbertson was dedicated to supporting and helping provide opportunities for youth living and growing up in one of the most challenging zip codes in Los Angeles.
"I am honored to serve this remarkable organization that changed the fate of an environmental gem. Today more than ever, the Ballona Wetlands, like so many other important ecological sites, faces many challenges and an uncertain future. I strongly believe we have an obligation to continue the important work that was started 40 years ago at Friends of Ballona Wetlands. With a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, an engaged and supportive board, steadfast partners, and the community’s support, I look forward to helping sustain this urban oasis."
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Carolyn oversees school field trips for pre-kindergarten through 8th grade along with Explore Ballona! Nature Camp.
When not in the field leading tours, she is working to create school tours to support state standards, including Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Having worked locally in the Santa Monica Mountains before joining the Friends of Ballona Wetlands team, Carolyn enjoys seeing how the mountains are tied to the wetlands and ocean through the watershed.
Carolyn is a Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) through the National Association for Interpretation, a Project WET and Project Learning Tree trainer and facilitator, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
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While studying cellular biology at Cal State University Long Beach, her love for numbers and spreadsheets drew her to bookkeeping and accounting. After nearly a decade in the private sector, she joined the Friends in 2017, intent on working with passionate people dedicated to creating more opportunities for the community to connect with nature.
In her free time, Dani enjoys hiking, camping, and rock climbing. She frequently volunteers for local causes and also raises and trains service dogs for the blind.
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Olivia's role is as multifaceted as the wetland ecosystem she helps preserve. Her work encompasses scientific research, restoration monitoring, and community education.
Olivia's journey with the Friends began in 2021 when she interned in our science and restoration programs. It was during this time that her passion for birds took flight. One special moment was spotting a juvenile Least Bittern camouflaged in the reeds after a week of surveys, that discovery deepened her appreciation for the intricate beauty of wetland life.
She has hands-on experience monitoring at-risk species on the Southern California coast, including the El Segundo Blue Butterfly, California Gnatcatcher, Western Snowy Plover, and Least Tern. Olivia believes community involvement is critical to the success of research and conservation efforts, and is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the Friends’ staff, interns, volunteers, and partners who share her dedication.
Her educational includes a BA in Geography/Environmental Studies and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) from UCLA. After a career in urban planning, she returned to graduate school, receiving an MS in Conservation and Restoration Science from UC Irvine.
Olivia is thrilled to learn from the land and its many advocates and caretakers, especially the Tongva, the original stewards.
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Xiomara has always loved the outdoors but her passion for nature blossomed while working at a conservation corps where she learned about conservation and the importance of protecting our natural spaces. She learned about native fauna and flora, became a UC Certified Naturalist, and used her skills to protect and conserve wildlife all around the San Bernardino Mountains.
She then took her skills and worked as an outdoor guide for schools where they took students all around California, doing recreational activities like hiking, kayaking and rock climbing. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of nature with students and creating fun and engaging educational material for them. At Ballona Wetlands, she strives to teach students about the importance of wetlands, and hopes to encourage them to become future stewards of the land.
In her free time she enjoys hiking, crocheting, and visiting national parks. She also volunteers at local clean ups and tree planting events in her community.
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As a child, Jenny heard a unique “tee-hee tee-hoo” call around her childhood home that sparked her curiosity for the environment and intensified her love for nature. Eventually, she found that the call she had been hearing was from the Black Phoebe. Ever since, identifying animals and plants became a hobby that shaped her eagerness to understand the world around her.
Jenny earned her B.S in geology at UCLA, where she was able to further understand the planet she so deeply loves. During her time there, she worked as a geology specialist for a non-profit organization dedicated to providing schools with laboratory equipment.
Growing up in South Central LA, Jenny did not have much access to nature. Her undergraduate courses, consisting of camping trips, were her first real exposure to the wilderness. Her studies inspired her to share the joy her new-found knowledge bestowed her with others, especially those from underserved backgrounds. At Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Jenny hopes to instill students with a passion for conservation and nurture a growth mindset.
In her free time, Jenny enjoys running, hiking, and collecting rocks.
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Samantha grew up running around as many of the parks, botanical gardens, and beaches her family could find in Los Angeles (pre-Google maps, I might add)! Along with her family’s gardening business, these outings helped her develop a deep love for plants and a safe space to be curious. These excursions also showed her that green spaces were not accessible to many inner-city communities, exposing a legacy of discriminatory policies that shaped the experiences or lack thereof many had with nature.
Driven to learn more about environmental issues and creating climate resilient communities Samantha decided to pursue a bachelor’s in Geography and Environmental Studies at UCLA. However, it was after graduating that she found her passion for native plants: learning how much they give not just to wildlife and provide protection from climate change as she was taught in school, but also to people in the form of food, medicine, and art. This and despite their intentional removal from the land they have persevered, but this isn't enough, Samantha wants to help them thrive.
This brought her to Friends of Ballona Wetlands where she could combine her love for native plants, education, and breaking barriers to access for marginalized communities. Thanks to her experience as an intern and California Climate Action Corps Fellow with Friends, Samantha returns as a budding restoration ecologist excited to continue learning and connecting with the greater community! In doing this work she centers traditional ecological knowledge, supporting local Indigenous communities’, like the Gabrieleno-Tongva, efforts to restore native habitats, and what started it all, using these skills to restore habitat beyond the wetlands in neglected urban communities to provide more safe and equitable access to connect with nature.
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Growing up in the South Bay area of Los Angeles and constantly going to the beach and local parks with her family, Samaya developed a strong connection to the natural world.
She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science with minors in Sustainable Environments and Ethnic Studies and Master's degree in Public Policy from the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO). While there she taught environmental education programs to local elementary school students, interned for a local elected official, and generally kept very busy! After graduation, Samaya has worked for Restore America's Estuaries, a nationwide nonprofit, and interned at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum through an internship with the Hispanic Access Foundation.
With the Friends, she intends to create positive connections to the outdoors for fellow Angelenos. Samaya wants to continue working toward a world that she would want to see, one where there is equitable access to nature, opportunity, and exciting experiences!
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Patrick grew up in Playa del Rey, CA, with the Ballona Wetlands right in his backyard, inspiring a life-long appreciation of and passion for wetlands and wildlife. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, a city where the natural and built environments blend and merge almost seamlessly.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, Patrick began his career working in the environmental non-profit world with Heal the Bay, where he was the Coastal Cleanup Day coordinator, successfully implementing over 50 clean-up sites throughout Los Angeles County for the annual Coastal Cleanup Day volunteer event.
Since joining Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Patrick has continued the Friend’s critical work to restore Ballona's coastal sand dunes while managing and growing the educational programs for high school, university, and the general public. From the tiny El Segundo Blue Butterflies to the majestic Great Blue Herons, the rich diversity of wildlife at Ballona never ceases to amaze Patrick.
California Climate Action Corps Fellows
L to R, Teresa, Ruben, Tessa, and John
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Growing up in Venice, Teresa’s mornings were often shaped by coastal fog, the calls of seagulls overhead, and morning walks along the boardwalk picking up trash. From a young age, Teresa has been drawn to both caring for the natural world and sharing what she learns with others. Her connection to the coast and surrounding landscapes helped shape her interest in conservation and environmental stewardship. Teresa earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz with a concentration in Conservation and Policy. Before beginning her environmental career, she worked for her families child care as a preschool teacher facilitating garden/outdoor learning experiences that encouraged children to explore, ask questions, and develop meaningful connections with the natural world.
Teresa first joined Friends of Ballona Wetlands as a Community Outreach and Digital Media Intern, supporting environmental research, educational outreach, social media content, and community engagement. That experience ultimately led her back to Ballona as a California Climate Action Corps Habitat Restoration Fellow, where she now supports hands-on restoration, native plant stewardship, volunteer engagement, environmental education, and community-centered climate action. While Teresa has traded caring for a classroom garden for caring for a larger living landscape, she brings the same sense of curiosity and responsibility to her role as a “plant caretaker.” Her experience as an educator continues to shape how she approaches environmental work—with patience and a belief that hands-on experiences can inspire people to form a deep respect and curiosity to care for the environment.
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Ruben Carvajal is a returning Restoration Fellow serving a second term with the Friends of Ballona Wetlands. He comes from an art background, having earned an AA in Fine Art and Animation at Santa Monica College. Ruben started his last term uncertain about his knowledge and abilities but with guidance from the Friends of Ballona Wetlands he's been able to build skills in the field. Now he helps lead volunteers and k-12 field trips with confidence, sharing the wonders of our local wetland to others.
This year he's looking forward to meeting all the wonderful volunteers who support with restoration projects and learning what motivates them to join us. He is a Los Angeles native and is motivated by the fact that the wetlands have survived development and still continue to exist. As a first-generation Latino, he hopes to foster a space where fellow BIPOC can thrive as environmental leaders.
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Tessa grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, spending her childhood exploring the marshes and waters of Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod with her family and through local Girl Scout programs. These early experiences sparked her fascination with coastal plants and wildlife and taught her the importance of protecting the environment around her.
Tessa graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.S. in Biology. During college, she researched the health of seagrass meadows and the rocky intertidal zone and interned as a Habitat Restoration Intern at Friends of Ballona Wetlands. Through this work, she developed a deep appreciation for California’s native plants, salt marshes, and coastal ecosystems.
Tessa is also passionate about making science accessible and engaging for young explorers. She has years of experience working with children through summer camps, tutoring programs, and her first term as a California Climate Action Corps Fellow, where she taught composting, gardening, and cooking at a local elementary school. She is excited to return to Friends of Ballona as a CCAC fellow to connect more students and volunteers to the wetlands.
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John Levis-Fitzgerald is a UCLA graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Geography and a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). His interest in conservation and habitat restoration led him to begin volunteering at the habitat restoration events with Friends of Ballona Wetlands in December 2025. Since then, he has continued his involvement with the wetlands, serving as an Environmental Education Intern this past spring and now as a California Climate Action Corps Fellow.
John is particularly interested in habitat restoration, invasive species management, and the use of GIS and mapping to support conservation efforts. During his time at UCLA, his academic work included a drone mapping project examining mudflat changes in northern San Diego, as well as research exploring how fire retardant can contribute to the growth of invasive species. These experiences strengthened his interest in using geographic tools to better understand and manage changing ecosystems.
Beyond his environmental work, John has volunteered as a Meals on Wheels driver since the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering meals and connecting with members of his community. As a CCAC Fellow at Friends of Ballona Wetlands, he is excited to continue connecting with the community in a new way while building on his restoration experience and applying his interests in GIS, invasive species management, and conservation.