Amy grew up running wild through the creeks and forests of Northern California. A 1988 encounter with schoolchildren in Southern California who had never seen the ocean opened her eyes to the deficit of nature that many urban children experience and her life’s passion was found. Amy has worked for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) for over 28 years and is a Deputy Executive Officer. She serves as a pro bono Executive Director of Community Nature Connection, as she did when it was previously named the Mountains Education Program (MEP). Amy has a B.A. in Liberal Studies, a Masters in Organizational Management and a PhD in Leadership and Change and, as adjunct professor at Antioch University - Los Angeles, she was part of the academic team that developed the Masters in Urban Sustainability Degree. She recently served as the President of the National Association of Interpretation and is a Certified Interpretive Guide, Manager, and Trainer. She has trained tour guides and park/natural area managers in outdoor education and heritage interpretation in nine countries. Her very favorite thing is when she is sharing an outdoor activity with a young person and they tell her, “I saw this once on TV.”