Emily moved to the Bay Area from Nashville, where she attended Vanderbilt University and studied Earth and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in geology. She has worked in land conservation for six years and is passionate about environmental education and expanding access to public lands. As a Project and Operations Lead at Grassroots Ecology, she oversees restoration and education programs in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

Maya grew up in the Bay Area hiking, riding horses, and admiring our native flora and fauna. All that time spent philosophizing outdoors led her to pursue a B.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity, and a B.A. in Classics, from UC Davis. She has since been a scientific researcher and educator, studying speciation and morphological diversity. Maya brings her passion for nature and science education to Grassroots Ecology as a California Climate Action Corps Fellow.