Staff Spotlight: PaHoua Lee
For Golden Gate Campus Director PaHoua Lee (she/they), there’s no place like the Marin Headlands. “Every time I’ve had an important life event,” PaHoua notes, “I have come here to the Headlands to celebrate.” From engagement photos to pregnancy announcements to family hikes, PaHoua has been drawn back to this special place over and over again. “This place always felt like home to me. I left [after working here as an educator for two years], but NatureBridge has always stayed with me in a lot of ways.” Ten years later, in July 2022, PaHoua returned to NatureBridge as Golden Gate's first woman of color Campus Director.
PaHoua first came to the Bay Area in 2009, when they began working as an intern for San Mateo Outdoor Education. Originally from Wisconsin, PaHoua knew she wanted to pursue dual passions of being an educator and working outdoors. Coming to California made sense, PaHoua explains, because “I knew in California [that] outdoor education was just a part of the education system.” When their time at the internship concluded, PaHoua set their sights on coming to work for NatureBridge at Golden Gate.
From 2010 to 2012, PaHoua worked as a field science educator and a Coastal Camp educator at NatureBridge (then known as The Headlands Institute). They were present during the organization’s official transition from The Headlands Institute to NatureBridge, and they fondly remember their co-workers, students and experiences from that period. One of PaHoua’s favorite memories is encountering bioluminescence during night hikes in the Headlands. “Being able to view bioluminescent plankton is breathtaking,” she recalls. “It looks like sparkling stars in the water.”
The NatureBridge community is so special. It is gratifying knowing that each day, we bring our best selves to work in order to create the best experience for our guests. I am also grateful for the relationships I have developed with coworkers, and these friendships have lasted over a decade now.PaHoua Lee, Golden Gate Campus Director
Thank you, PaHoua, for nurturing and stewarding a deep sense of place at Golden Gate and serving our community with compassion and commitment!
Stories
2024 Student of the Year: Kai Diaz
At NatureBridge, we celebrate the stewards of today and foster the development of the stewards of tomorrow, working to inspire environmental stewardship in all our participants. Our goal is to motivate our students to make waves and be changemakers in their communities and for our planet.
Each year, NatureBridge honors a student who has demonstrated leadership, growth and a commitment to protecting our natural world as a result of their participation in a NatureBridge program. This year’s honoree will be recognized and will speak at An Evening Outside with NatureBridge on Thursday, May 16 at our Golden Gate campus.
We are thrilled to announce our 2024 Student of the Year: Kai Diaz.
An Interview with Evening Outside Keynote Speaker Dr. Britt Wray
The minute we found out about the work of Dr. Britt Wray, we knew we wanted to learn more about her. A well-respected author and scientist, Dr. Wray possesses expertise in an area of research we talk about a lot at NatureBridge—specifically how we can be resilient, hopeful, and actionable amid a changing world, including the climate crisis. We’re thrilled that Dr. Wray will be joining us on May 16 for An Evening Outside with NatureBridge as our Featured Speaker. Ahead of the event, we had the chance to ask her a few questions relating to her work and her connection to the mission of NatureBridge.
Staff Spotlight: Appreciation for Miho Aida
Miho Aida (she/they) has held multiple roles at NatureBridge over the past twenty-four years, including Environmental Science Educator, Community Connection Coordinator, Field Staff Scientist, Marine Project Coordinator, Pacific Rim Environmental Education Specialist, Armstrong Scholars Educator, Diversity Coordinator, Equity and Inclusion Manager, and Director of Equity and Inclusion. Now, on the eve of Miho's departure, we asked them to reflect on their time at NatureBridge and share a bit about their upcoming adventures.