The Roots & Shoots California Team
The California Region of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots has offices in both Los Angeles and Berkeley, with four full and part-time staff members, volunteer interns, and volunteer coordinators. The California office is truly volunteer and youth driven, with 170 active groups and over 6,700 registered members, 9 youth leaders, and volunteer coordinators and interns in both L.A. and Berkeley. With strong programming in Title One schools and an emphasis on service learning, our effective program has been endorsed by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and service learning advocate Cathryn Berger Kay.
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Staff
Program Interns
Lead Volunteers
Friends of Roots & Shoots
R&S California Youth Leadership Council (CAYLC)
Staff
Erin Viera - LA Office - Regional Program Manager
Originally from Northern California, Erin completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at San Diego State University. In her previous position at A World Fit for Kids, she served as Project Development Coordinator, providing site activities, curriculum and overseeing nutrition education for students and families. Joining Roots & Shoots in the fall of 2008, Erin continues to work with schools and network with educators and youth organizations.
"Erin inspires others with her enthusiasm and knowledge. Whether it's making T-shirts into dog toys or sharing knowledge about sharks, Erin encourages all to provide service in a special way." Erin spends most of her leisure time outdoors, hiking and backpacking with her husband, Jon, and their dog, Lily.
Hope Martinez - LA Office - Regional Youth Leadership Coordinator
Early in Hope's life, she discovered and developed a strong belief in the power of the arts. Motivated by this artistic quest to cultivate her “voice” and purpose, Hope graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelors Degree in English and Theater. After graduation, she began teaching and helping children and young adults find their own voice; helping them in the fulfillment of simple or great dreams. Several years later, she moved to New York City where she received her “real life” education while working in the film and television industry. Originally born and raised in South Florida, Hope missed the sunshine and moved to Los Angeles, which is where she now hangs her hat.
Since her move to L.A., Hope has been fortunate enough to work as an actress. Her most rewarding work involves the training of law enforcement through live role playing. This training provides police officers and crisis negotiators the essential communication tools needed to effectively deal with victims of domestic violence, an area where so much can be accomplished with knowledge, awareness, and human connection. She is ecstatic to be a part of the Jane Goodall Institute and looks forward to working with the exceptional talent and skill of the California Youth Leadership Council (CAYLC) and promoting the positive vision of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Program in California.
Pier Davis - Berkeley Office - California Regional Program Coordinator
Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Pier had an appreciation for the environment from a young age. While earning her degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont, Pier was lucky enough to have the opportunity to study Community and Wildlife Management in Kenya in 2007. In Kenya, Pier recognized the massive ecological footprint humans are making on this planet, and developed a greater desire to protect the flora and fauna of our natural world.
After moving back to Michigan and holding various environmental and outdoorsy jobs, Pier's interest in organic farming grew and she decided to World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms ("WWOOF," used as a verb) in Northern California's wine country. While "WWOOFing" in Napa, Pier decided to relocate from the great mitten in the midwest to the Bay Area, eventually bringing her to Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots! Pier is extremely excited to be at Roots & Shoots in the Berkeley office, working with people who are effecting a positive change on the communities and ecosystems of the planet.
In her free time, Pier likes to read, garden, rock climb, travel, and crochet.
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Program Interns
Erika Borska - Berkeley Office - Youth Leadership Intern-
Originally from the Los Angeles area, Erika Borska moved to Berkeley to further her education. She is a senior at the University of California, Berkeley and double majoring in Philosophy and Social Welfare. Since Erika was young, she’s had a deep passion and respect for all living things. Implementing social and environmental justice into the world is something that is very important to her. In addition to being a crisis-line counselor, some of her other volunteer efforts include working as a literacy mentor for youth in low-income neighborhood schools in Berkeley and Oakland as well as working on a political campaign to help significantly reduce port pollution in Oakland.
Erika finds Jane Goodall’s hope for our world to be deeply inspiring and she truly believes in the mission that the Roots & Shoots program sets out to accomplish. Erika is extremely thrilled to be a part of Roots & Shoots and is looking forward to working with the extraordinary members of the California Youth Leadership Council.
In her free time, Erika enjoys reading, watching documentaries, cooking and doing yoga.
Emily Steward - Berkeley Office - Communications Intern
Emily Steward is from sunny Encinitas, California and grew up at the beach appreciating the natural world and its beauty. She is currently a fourth year at UC Berkeley, majoring in Conservation and Resource Studies, and loving the excitement and activism her school inspires. While there, she has been involved in youth environmental education and mentoring.
Furthering her wildlife conservation studies last spring in Ghana solidified her passion for wildlife and the environment. That experience gave Emily the motivation to inspire compassion in others. Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots is the perfect place for her to put that into action!
Outside of school, Emily loves being outdoors soaking up the sun, whether she is hiking, drinking coffee, or exploring flea markets she is always having a good time!
[Your Name Here] - Berkeley Office - Outreach Intern
Now hiring. Apply today!
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Lead Volunteers
Anna Valcarcel - Outreach Coordinator, Los Angeles Area
Anna grew up in Los Angeles. She fell in love with the environment and animals from an early age, and studied biology at the University of California at Berkeley. During her time at UCB Anna was lucky enough to have the opportunity to study birds in the tropics of Venezuela. After college she taught high school biology and then returned to pursue her master’s in biology focusing on behavior and conservation. She has since taught conservation biology, natural history, and ecology in the cloud forests and rainforests of Ecuador and worked as an educator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.
She enjoys spending time with her family including her rescued animals: three dogs, two cats, and a desert tortoise. Currently she is working on making her hometown more green and educating students in her community about plastics in the ocean. She likes to split her time between the United States and Peru and enjoys traveling, reading, surfing, and hiking. As a passionate vegetarian and activist she is excited to work with Roots & Shoots, which shares her love for not only the environment, but the humans and animals that inhabit it.
Olivia Clemens - Outreach Coordinator, Los Angeles Area
Olivia is originally from Berkeley, California. She now lives in Hollywood and enjoys hiking in the beautiful canyons, going to the farmer's market on Sunday mornings, cooking, learning, going to flea markets, antique stores, art museums, and watching films. She spends her free time with her boyfriend, Matt, and her dog, Krypto.
Olivia is thrilled to be working on bringing nutrition education to afterschool programs at low income neighborhood schools in Los Angeles. She is excited to introduce comprehensive sustainable agriculture and sustainable eating education to elementary school students in the hopes of addressing both health and environmental issues. As an avid vegan, Olivia believes that making responsible diet choices is one of the simplest and most profound changes people can make regarding ethics, environment, and health.
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