Westin grew up in the small town of Weed, located in the utmost reaches of Northern California. He spent most of his young life outdoors, hiking with his mom and dog, swimming in countless lakes, dirt bike riding with his dad, and snowboarding on the beautiful Mt. Shasta. Westin made the move to San Luis…
Chris grew up in Ladera, a small and bucolic neighborhood nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, where he spent his childhood overturning logs to discover critters in his backyard. Unable to shake his fascination with the natural world, Chris graduated from the University of Michigan’s Program in the Environment, with a specialization…
Catherine grew up in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, outdoors all the time, climbing trees, skating and riding around her neighborhood, stopping to pet and talk to all the animals encountered. Loving animals and trees, as a little girl she thought the world’s best jobs had to be Tree Hugger or Dog Walker. A…
Born in the Midwest, Jen grew up moving from state to state, eventually settling in Northern California as a preteen. After a weekend visiting her older brother at Cal Poly, she fell in love with the area and its seemingly endless opportunities for outdoor adventures. She became inspired to also study at Cal Poly, with her…
Emily Rose is a lifelong Los Osos local and spent her childhood exploring the Los Osos oak woodlands, making nature forts, and kayaking across the back bay. She grew up in an English/Spanish-speaking household and is excited to share her Spanish skills with LATO. Emily Rose is a recent grad from UC Santa Cruz, where…
Francisco grew up in Hollister, CA, a small town on the central coast. He enjoys nature and anything to do with arts, music, and creativity. He is a big eater, so he enjoys visiting different restaurants and likes to cook for himself and his friends. His first real exposure to the outdoors and nature was…
A two week visit to the area after college at the University of Illinois was all that Heather needed to fall thoroughly in love with the Central Coast. Drawn to the vast hiking options, biodiversity of flora, and coastal splendor, she made the move across country. She spent the last decade in office management and…
Madison grew up mountain biking in the hills of Monterey. She made her way to San Luis Obispo to race for the Cal Poly Wheelmen and years later she still calls SLO home. Madison graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in Kinesiology, focused on Health Promotion Program Planning. She has always had a knack…
Scott grew up in the rural west Sonoma County town of Sebastopol, surrounded by vineyards and apple orchards. Scott pursued an Environmental Studies degree, with a focus and Sustainability and Social Justice at San Francisco State University. While the urban landscape was exciting, it was the rugged mountains of California’s Eastern Sierra that cemented his…
A Central Coast local, Mckenna’s passion for the natural world stems from her childhood in Morro Bay where she spent most of her time surfing, fishing, golfing, and exploring the beautiful lands of SLO County. Mckenna graduated on a golf scholarship from CSU Monterey Bay with a B.A. in Psychology in 2013. After college she…