Leigh Ellexson
Leigh Ellexson Nocs Naturalists Introduce yourself and how you’ve been spending your time these days!? My name is Leigh Ellexson,...
Mikey Muirhead
Mikey Muirhead Nocs Naturalists Introduce yourself and what you’re up to these days! Hello my name is Mikey. :) I’m a mid 30’s millennial living in the heart of Utah, US. I work full time as a photographer for a men’s backpack...
Read NowDay Scott
Day Scott Nocs Naturalists Introduce yourself and what you’re up to… Hi, I’m Day. I’m a disabled wildlife biologist and student with a love for research, conservation, photography, and exploring wild places. During the school year, I’m buried deep in my studies...
Read NowL. Renee Blount
L. RENEE BLOUNT Nocs Naturalists In the cool morning air, I pan the surroundings looking for wild dogs alongside conservationists in Kruger National Park. Lifting the binoculars to my face, I recognize I am living out a dream. The dream of getting...
Read NowAngela Rodriguez
Angela Rodriguez Nocs Naturalists Introduce yourself and what you’re up to these days? My name is Angela Rodriguez but I go by Ang (@anggeventure) on socials. I’m a 28 year old Latina-American living on the Central Coast of California with my partner...
Read NowLaysea Hughes
Laysea Hughes When Travel Meets Sustainability + Creativity Tell us about yourself! I was born and raised in a small town on the east coast of Florida, and have lived a fluid ~ on the go sort of travel lifestyle for the...
Read NowMichael Lombardo, The McGolrick Bird Club
Michael Lombardo McGolrick Bird Club Introduce yourself and what’s floating your boat these days? I’m Michael, the recovering tech worker who started McGolrick Bird Club. Every Saturday, in a small, urban park, we teach on average 70 Brooklynites how to birdwatch. Boat...
Read NowWill Valentine
Will Valentine Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself. My name is Will. I am a life-long nature lover and limitlessly curious. I...
Benny Jacobs-Schwartz
Benny Jacobs-Schwartz Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself and what you’re up to lately Hey there! I'm Benny Jacobs-Schwartz, a naturalist educator, wildlife photographer, writer, and passionate birding guide from Los Angeles, California. I’m currently based in Los Angeles and Monteverde, Costa Rica surrounded...
Read NowChelsea Connor
Chelsea Connor Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself! What’s got you feeling excited lately? I’m Chelsea Connor, multi hyphenate biologist, artist, avid bird fan and one of the Black Birder’s Week cofounders! I’m from the Commonwealth of Dominica which has the best birds in...
Read NowAmelia Waliany
Amelia Waliany Nocs Naturalist Can you tell us a bit about your passions beyond “work” + Do you find that these passions blend, merge or complement your work? I recently learned that my name has a few different meanings: “work” in German...
Read NowIsaac Laredo
Isaac Laredo Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself My name is Isaac Laredo I live in Verdi Nevada I work locally and internationally as a mountain guide. I’m building a life with an incredible partner and beautiful golden retriever in the Sierra Nevada. We...
Read NowSyd / Vancouver Queer Birders Club
Syd Vancouver Queer Birders Club Introduce yourself and your epic community you’re involved with. I’m Syd, and I’m the founder of Vancouver Queer Birders- an organization that has quickly become such a joyous part of my life. Currently, my partner Ashley and...
Read NowTaran Buie
Taran Buie Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself. What are you up to these days? Where are you? Hello fellow explorers! My name is Taran Buie. I am a 32-year-old husband and father of two young boys. Originally from New York, I now call...
Read NowJordan Parham
Jordan Parham Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself Hello! My name is Jordan Parham. I was born and raised in New Jersey and have always had an interest in anything relating to wildlife, public speaking and exploration. I’ve been into nature since I was...
Read NowKatherine Hepburn
Katherine Hepburn Nocs Naturalist Introduce yourself Hi, My name is Katherine Hepburn (They/She). I also go by Katburn, Kat, and maybe one day Katbird. I live and teach in Boston, but I’m originally from Michigan. I have loved being outdoors since I...
Read NowTori Baird
Tori Baird Nocs Naturalist Intro My name is Tori Baird and I’ve been paddling for over 10 years. I have had the incredible privilege of completing a few self guided trips down remote rivers in northern areas of Canada including the East...
Read NowCaziah Franklin – Embracing Outdoor Adventure & Storytelling
Caziah Franklin Embracing Outdoor Adventure & Storytelling Intro My name is Caziah Rashad Franklin, and I am an adventurer, photojournalist, writer, producer, and storyteller whose work highlights the necessity of diversity and inclusivity in the outdoor and creative space, advocating for their...
Read NowOlivia VanDamme on Surfing, Community, and Connection
Olivia VanDamme On Surfing, Community and Connection Intro Olivia VanDamme comes from a family who has a natural connection to the sea, so as an educator, poet, surfer and naturalist her ties to nature run deep. We caught up with Olivia in...
Read NowSharon Dorsey — Seeing Wildlife in the Everyday
Sharon Dorsey Seeing Wildlife in the Everyday Intro We’re excited to add Sharon Dorsey to our team of talented Naturalists. Coming from the eastern lands of the US, Sharon is an upcoming thought-leader in the birding and science community and someone to...
Read NowRichie Winter — Climbing Towards Inclusivity
Say howdy to this daring adventurer. Richie lives life on the edge — really though. He’s a rock climber and photographer who likes to see the world from all different perspectives, which sometimes requires a lil bit of climbing. As a member...
Read NowSara Wolman: Conservation Through Creativity
Sara Wolman is an award-winning Graphic Artist, Conservationist, and Science Communicator. Her art reflects the relationship she has established with the environment and serves as a reminder of the inherent connection we all have with the natural world. She strives for her...
Read NowMonica Semergiu — Visual Storyteller by Nature
Tell me more about your relationship with public lands. What do they mean to you? First of all, I want to say that I believe we can’t really “own” land/the earth. The best we can be is stewards of this land, and...
Read NowRashid Clifton: The Best Times are Spent in Water
Hi! My name is Rashid Clifton. I was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, but I have been calling Encinitas, California home for the past two years. Tell me more about your relationship with public lands. What do they mean to...
Read NowNicole Poppell: Bringing Life to Color
She’s a Muralist, Installation Artist, and Founder of Mural Mates — introducing, Nicole Poppell! We admire Nicole’s knack for converting her natural influences into bold, playful works of art.Take a moment to see the world through the eyes of this curious creative…...
Read NowAmelia Winger-Bearskin: Water Protector
We’re spotlighting Amelia — Deer Clan member of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma. She stays busy as an Artist, Professor, and Founder of the UF AI Climate Justice Lab. Her primary focus: addressing the global water crisis. Can you tell us a...
Read NowKevin Condon: Making the Field Accessible
My name is Kevin Condon, and I am the director of The Bird School Project, which is an outdoor education program that operates in the Monterey Bay region of California. We provide schoolyard birding programs for roughly 10,000 students annually, mostly in...
Read NowKrystal Aguilar: Capturing the Epic
Tell me about your relationship with public lands. What do they mean to you? I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t grow up with access to public lands. I was born in NYC and lived in Queens for...
Read NowTrevor Port: Eco-Friendly by Design
Hello! My name is Trevor Port, and I’m the Founder/Designer behind Keep Earth Around, a multidisciplinary design studio that works to elevate Mother Nature’s voice through Earth-friendly visuals and messaging. I’m 30 years old, and am from San Diego and currently living...
Read NowChloé Blanchard — Surfing Through Life
Blessings! Chloé here — born and raised in the French part of Canada, about an hour north of Montréal, Québec. I grew up on the foothills of a ski mountain and luckily was born before the era of smartphones, which allowed us...
Read NowThe Guero Bird Club
We are Güero Bird Club. We go birding. Güero is a torta shop in Portland, OR. Our bird club formed when we realized that a cook and a bartender both loved to watch birds and that other cooks and other bartenders wanted...
Read NowJason Hall – Community in Birding
Hello. My name is Jason Hall and I’ve been an avid birder for just about 20 years. For many of those years, I considered myself the “exception to the rule” as one of the only Black or Brown birders around. It wasn’t...
Read NowLiz Clark: The Sailing Surfer
Hi, I’m Liz Clark– surfer, sailor, captain, author, nature & animal lover, and environmentalist. I grew up in Southern California and now live in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Can you tell us a bit about your passions beyond “work”? I’m lucky to say...
Read NowKyle Ramsey: Dad by Nature
What does being a dad mean to you? It’s the greatest reward I could have ever been given. I get so excited when I watch him learning as he listens to me talk about what I see on our hikes. Just the...
Read NowHonoring Black Birders Week
The next 7 days hold great significance for birdwatchers and people across the globe as Black Birders Week is observed. In this newsletter, we’re diving into the background and significance of Black Birders Week, highlighting a few Black Birders and Naturalists that...
Read NowAlex Troutman: Going With the Flow
What’s Up, Y’all? I’m Alex Troutman, aka N8ture_AL; I’m a Black Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Educator from Austell, GA. I love that my job is in a field that I am passionate about. My job allows me to travel and also gives...
Read NowTake a Ride With Taylor O’Sullivan
What is your relationship with nature like and how do you express it? The ocean is perhaps my greatest muse. I grew up in Southern California, so I’ve been ottering around in the ocean since I was a child. My reverence for...
Read NowJosiah Patrick: Reconnecting Humans With Nature
My name is Josiah Patrick. I am a nature photographer and budding naturalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. I am passionate about the conservation of the natural world. How has learning about the environment impacted your actions? It has made me more conscious...
Read NowTroy Bynum: Photography in the Field
Can you tell us a bit about your passions beyond “work”? From a young age, I’ve always had an interest in exploring nature. I remember visiting Wissahickon Valley Park in Philadelphia with my parents and exploring the trails along the creek and...
Read NowGet Artsy with Emily Piper
My name is Emily Piper, and I am an artist, educator, and lover of all things living. My passions for natural history, biology, and creatures fuel my work and the ways I navigate my life. Originally from the midwest, I grew up...
Read NowA Gander Through Daniel’s Lens
Daniel Schechner is a Photographer and Creative Producer based in Vermont. He specializes in photography, videography, social media management, and brand identity development. On top of this, Daniel founded Wishbone Collective — a welcoming and inspiring environment for artists to create and...
Read NowSkating With Sarah
Hey! My name is Sarah, I’m an immigrant from Brazil, and after moving to San Diego, I found my passion for art. Down here, I run a clothing brand with my life partner, as well as a skateboarding nonprofit. I live in...
Read NowDexter Patterson: Flyest Birder in the Woods
What can concerned athletes, scientists, artists, or creatives do in the face of global challenges? We all have a voice, and some of us have platforms to amplify those voices to a broader audience on our blogs and social media channels. The...
Read NowThis is Travis Coleman
He owns a manufacturing business, primarily working with high-tensile strength rotomolded polyethylene… you got that? If not, I don’t blame you! To sum it up, rotomolded polyethylene is a plastic that is easily recycled. The “high-tensile strength” part means it’s ultra-durable. In...
Read NowTierney Moses — Art, Nature, and a Bit of Mezcal
Can you tell us a bit about your passions beyond “work”? A life goal is to make my passions also my work but there are some things like surfing, music, hiking, and exploring the world that only sometimes turn into work. I...
Read NowJesse Sunwolf: Artist, Herbalist, Naturalist
Tell me more about your relationship with public lands.What do they mean to you? For me, public lands tell a lot of indigenous stories and having native blood; I share in those stories. Also, being an herbalist, the protection and stewardship of...
Read NowMary Tolosa: Staying Curious
My name is Mary Tolosa. I’m a curious designer, explorer, and lifelong student based in the Bay Area. Currently, I am a Color, Materials, & Finish Designer (CMF) for Specialized Bicycles, helping lead CMF design across our products in bikes, helmets, shoes,...
Read NowTy Williams: Art Navigated by Sea
Tell me more about your relationship with public lands. What do they mean to you? I grew up in and around the ocean and continue to spend the bulk of my days there. It saddens me in a lot of ways how...
Read NowBoom Nuanual: Capturing Nature’s Gifts
My name is Boom Nuanual (pronounced 'boom nua•nua'). I’m a visual and audio creative based in the Sunset District, San Francisco, CA. Tell me more about your relationship with public lands.What do they mean to you? Access to public lands serves as...
Read NowLauren Esposito: Arachnologist, Naturalist, Conservationist
Hi there! I am a hella queer arachnologist (spider, scorpions, the like) at the California Academy of Science here in the Nocs home of San Francisco. I love my job. I get to travel the world documenting what lives on our planet...
Read Now