Program Staff

Alaina enjoys engaging with the community through various forms of art. You may find her at a local pop-up market selling her merch, or at a community event spray painting live. She is passionate about learning & sharing information regarding sustainable living practices, rainwater harvesting, and revitalization of indigenous languages & culture. After 5pm you can find her: Exploring the desert with her kids, playing guitar, or hanging out at a local hip hop show. Alaina’s sustainability tip: Make sure your recyclables are clean before depositing them. Alaina’s favorite tree: Cottonwood

Angel is a naturalist, conservationist, and educator based out of Chuk-son or Tucson, Arizona. Sonoran Desert born and raised, Angel feels privileged to be rooted in such an ecologically and culturally diverse part of the world. His work centers land-based education, intersectional environmental justice, and community action and empowerment. Sense of place, the natural world, reconciliation ecology, and storytelling are the concepts that guide his work in the Baja Arizona borderlands and beyond. Angel has worked managing environmental programs, designing curriculum, and overseeing grants for organizations such as the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Ironwood Tree Experience, the National Park Service, The Wilderness Society, the Arizona Trail Association, the Arizona Association for Environmental Educators, and the Cienega Watershed Partnership. When he’s not working, Angel enjoys exploring canyons, climbing, taking photos, and sharing meals with loved ones.

Jaime is an environmentalist, long-time vegan activist, nature enthusiast, and a sustainability advocate. Her work is inspired by social and environmental issues at the intersection of the natural world, humans, and non-humans. Growing up in a working-class household, Jaime's father, a Mexican immigrant, taught conservation as a way of life. Jaime began implementing many cultural traditions of their ancestors, immersing herself in practices of food gardens, fermentation and preservation, waste reduction, and environmental stewardship. Jaime strives to further her father's footsteps and share her knowledge of conservation with the community at large, diving fully into what it means to engage in purposeful action, in addition to building awareness on how to protect and reconnect to the world around us. In her free time, you’ll most likely catch Jaime Rock climbing, hiking with her dog, fermenting vegetables and nut cheeses, reading books in a hammock, and creating home-cooked vegan cuisine.

Originally from the Rocky Boy Reservation, in Montana, Kendall Murie is an emergent design professional within the field of landscape architecture as well as an experienced environmental professional. An early life of travel with family up and down the western states has ingrained an appreciation for the desert, mountains, and the great basin and plains regions, so much so, that pursuing opportunities that include an aspect of working with the natural landscape is important for him. Working alongside TCB, Kendall fulfills that pursuit while assisting neighborhoods in integrating environmental corridors to help further realize the intrinsic value of living within local environmental communities. Kendall dedicates much of his free time to climbing and planning trips to explore iconic climbing destinations across the region. Sustainability values: Indigenous stewardship supports biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, further affirming land back causes. Kendall’s favorite plant is Dodecatheon, the Shooting Star plant, found in wet shaded areas.

Lana is from Reno, Nevada, but moved here in 2020 to attend college. Lana is currently studying mechanical engineering, and she hopes to study nuclear engineering in the future. She loves working with Trees for Tucson, as she enjoys engaging with the Tucson community as well as learning all about local trees and planting techniques. Some of Lana’s favorite things include hiking, her dog Blu, and baking.

Logan has a background in landscape architecture as well as 6 years of experience as a landscape contractor here in Tucson. She has become a certified water harvesting practitioner and has spent many years installing green infrastructure around the Tucson basin. Logan enjoys spending time observing nature and hanging out with her 3 cats and 11 year old kid.

Natasha has been calling the Sonoran Desert and the Tucson community home over the past 8 years. When Natasha is not coordinating the Neighborhood Planting Program, she volunteers her time to community programs, takes on creative projects and takes care of her two kitties. She loves turtles, trinkets, and being with friends.

Nichole was raised in Butte, Montana - a copper mining superfund site - which sparked an early and profound passion for environmental justice and community work. She believes deeply in the healing power of reconnecting human and natural communities in mutually beneficial, restorative and empowering ways - which motivates and guides her work in community-driven green infrastructure. Nichole landed her dream job at TCB and is JUST SO excited and honored to be working together with Tuscon’s diverse residents - humans, plants and critters alike - to help support folks in envisioning and building a greener, safer, shadier, more connected community. Nichole’s life loves include hands-on projects, poetry, plants, pussycats, painting, personal psychology and playin’ around on her roller skates. Nichole’s sustainability mantra: Caring for the environment begins with self love, compassion, and courageously showing up - just as we are. Nichole’s favorite desert plant - Limberbush (of course)

Becca loves being outside with trees and volunteers and teaching about the unique biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert. Her training as an arborist and education in landscape architecture prepare her for planting and growing trees in our desert environment. . Afterall, she spent two years in the Gambia growing trees with a grade school in a similarly challenging climate! After 5pm you can find her: Walking or running with her dog Comet Becca’s sustainability tip: Compost your food scraps or feed them to your chickens Becca’s favorite tree: Baobob

Rosa is a born and raised Tucsonan who grew up far Southwest and has always loved the Sonoran Desert and all that it has to offer. She enjoys being out in nature and learning about the environment, especially when it’s done with family and friends. Rosa is an online student at Chandler Gilbert CC working towards an associate degree in Mortuary science but has been recently inspired by TCB to integrate botany into her education plan. She is passionate about making connections and being involved within the many different communities of Tucson, socially and environmentally. · After 5pm you can find Rosa cuddling with her dog, watching the newest movies with friends, or spending time with my parents and 3 siblings. · Some of Rosa’s favorite things to do are paint, doodle, listen to music, and travel. · Sustainability tip: Try starting your own vegetable garden. · Rosa’s favorite desert plant is the Ocotillo.

Sofia finds it rewarding to be part of an organization that focuses on building community and helping to solve some of our environmental issues. Sofia has a degree in Cultural Anthropology and Fine Art. And with her past experience as an organic farmer and running a travel expedition company, balance the book becomes second nature. For her being part of this organization is not a job, it is a commitment to building a better future. After 5 pm you can find her: Planning her next adventure travel Sofia’s sustainability tip: Curb your material consumption Sofia’s favorite tree: One that she can sit underneath with a good book or one that provide food