Featured Panelists!

Cam works as the Community Engagement & Outreach Coordinator for Saguaro National Park. He also sits on the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Advisory Board and the Metropolitan Education Commission promoting diversity of Race and Ability. Cam extends park awareness by creating culturally relevant and diverse programs that better reflect the region’s population. Cam’s mission is to bridge the gap between the park and the people by fostering inclusivity and diversity in the park's programming and visitors.

Doctor Meredith is an interdisciplinary scientist whose research focuses on the intersection of environmental microbiology and atmospheric chemistry. She is an Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Genomics in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE) and the BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona. She leads the Meredith Lab specializing in environmental and soil research.

Sergio has worked on local and regional conservation efforts along the U.S.-Mexico borderlands as a conservation scientist, wildlife researcher, and facilitator of binational conservation projects. He currently works for the Sierra Club as the Outdoor Program Coordinator. His goal is to advocate for diverse representation of people and stories in media, science, recreation, and more!

Cynthia is a research assistant at UArizona. She has her Master's Degree in applied bioscience. She has experience in conducting research on microbiology and biotechnology specifically on fungal and bacterial cultures. She is passionate about STEM outreach and science communication. Her goal is to encourage high school students to pursue a career in science.

Maya has her B.S. in Environmental Biology and a M.S. in Community Resources and Development. She is currently pursuing a M.A. from the University of Arizona in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. Maya works as an Academic Advisor and Student Support Specialist for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and she strives to create supportive spaces for students across the University, while maintaining a healthy work-school-life balance.

Bridget has worked in higher education advising, support services, and academic administration for over 20 years. Bridget took a short break from higher education and worked at the Udall Foundation in environmental conflict resolution, with a focus on projects in the Missouri River Basin and in Native American affairs. She returned to higher education to continue her passion for supporting students. She looks forward to collaborating with CALS faculty, staff, and students to create resources and opportunities that will support student success.

Jake Minnis has been working for Campus Recreation at the University of Arizona since 2017. Before working at UArizona, he worked as a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Wellness at Oklahoma State University where he received a B.S. in Health Education and Promotion and an M.S. in Applied Exercise Science. He holds current certifications with ACE as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, as well as a CSCS through the NSCA. Along with the rest of the Fitness and Wellness team Jake oversees the Group Fitness, Personal Training, and Wellness Programs along with the FitWell staff.

Doctor Miranda is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Arizona. She works on nitric oxide and their role in diseases like breast cancer, stroke, and chronic pain.  She studies the chemical and biological basis of redox signaling agents. She seeks to produce new treatments that harness molecules produced during the natural immune response in order to treat cancer and pain.

Mark is a PhD student studying American Indian Studies, with an emphasis in Natural Resource Management and Policy/Indigenous STEM Education, at UArizona. His goal is to develop culturally relevant and empowering STEM curriculum for higher education institutions, as well as enhance educational academic outreach opportunities for underrepresented, low income, and first-generation students through STEM programs.

Dr. Beuchler is an associate research professor at UArizona. Her research focuses on natural resource use under changing environmental conditions from intersectional and feminist political ecology perspectives. She conducts research in rural Arizona, the city of Tucson and adjoining urban areas, U.S.-Mexico border communities and numerous locations in Mexico.

Ai is a gardener and current Plot Leader with Las Milpitas community garden. They are trained as an organizational theorist working in Higher Education and have many interests, such as how accessibility to the outdoors and queerness intersect, plant food nutrition, and how cultivating meaningful relationships with plants allows us to better cultivate relationships with each other. Originally from the El Paso/Juárez area, they also bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from having lived, worked, and travelled in many other places around the world.