OUR TEAM
L to R: Scott, Samantha, Ammy, Patrick, Carolyn, Alexis, Dani, and Neysa,
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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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Growing up on the Central Coast of California, Alexis has been inspired by the ocean and the natural world around her from a young age. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from California State University Northridge, where she played NCAA Division 1 water polo. During her undergraduate degree, she realized her passion for protecting the marine environment, later pursuing a Master of Science degree in Marine Biology at Prifysgol Bangor University in Wales, United Kingdom.
She has 4 years of nonprofit experience working as an Educational Programs Instructor to an Interim Executive Director. She has seen firsthand the importance of providing access and opportunities for youth to connect with nature. She knows that equitable education is the first step to creating a community of environmental stewards for the future.
As the Manager of Communications and Community Engagement, Alexis hopes to increase awareness of the importance of restoring Ballona Wetlands and offer more opportunities for the public to create meaningful connections to nature in Los Angeles.
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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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Neysa has always had a passion for the environment. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. At college, Neysa discovered her fondness for birds and wetlands, and their importance in local urban ecosystems. Seeking to share this passion with others and to expand on it through biological research, Neysa came to work with Friends of Ballona Wetlands (FBW). This non-profit achieves the perfect balance between protecting wetlands, educating the public, and promoting wildlife appreciation and understanding.
After working with FBW for a year, Neysa found herself wanting to learn more about wildlife and natural resources. This knowledge and experience could be used to strengthen educational and environmental programs at FBW. To accomplish this, Neysa completed a Master of Natural Resources Degree from Oregon State University, with an emphasis in Wildlife Management. Through this program, and the partnership with local Environmental Scientist, Dr. Edith Read, Neysa has done research in the Ballona Freshwater Marsh studying maintenance impacts on nesting wetland birds. Dr. Read and Neysa are seeking a deeper understanding of how to manage for nesting bird habitat and health, while meeting the human needs of the manmade wetland system.
As the Manager of Scientific Programs for Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Neysa hopes to promote endangered and sensitive species habitat protection and restoration, while educating the public about the importance of nature, especially in the urban sprawl of Los Angeles.
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While studying cellular biology and physiology 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 creating more opportunities for the community to connect with nature, she is currently helping to expand the volunteer, internship, and docent programs.
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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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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Ammy’s passion for helping the environment began in high school when her class took a field trip to a little piece of nature in the middle of the city called Ballona Wetlands. Since her junior year of high school, Ammy has been involved with the Friends of Ballona Wetlands through volunteer events, summer camps, field trips, and more recently creating curriculum and curriculum assessments for the Explore Ballona! Education Program as an Environmental Education Coordinator.
Ammy earned her B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Science from Loyola Marymount University. She continued her studies there and earned her Master’s in Educational Studies. She is a certified UC California Naturalist , and a certified Environmental Educator through the Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education. Ammy has also earned her Preliminary Teaching Credential and is in the process of becoming a fully credentialed teacher.
In her free time, Ammy loves to camp, craft, and draw. She has created educational comics for the organization and continues to use her love for drawing to make fun illustrations for our programming. Through her role with the Friends, she hopes to foster meaningful experiences and relationships in nature for all learners.
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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.