Staff Spotlight: Audrey Galo Championing Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity at NatureBridge
Meet Audrey Galo, NatureBridge’s new Equity and Inclusion Director. Audrey (she/her) lives in Vallejo, CA, and embodies a rich cultural heritage as a result of growing up in Chicago with Central American roots.
Audrey’s career journey has spanned various sectors including architecture, education, technology, and workforce development, but always with a consistent focus on social justice. Her personal experiences have fueled her passion for breaking down barriers in historically exclusive spaces. Audrey chose to join NatureBridge because of its commitment to providing invaluable outdoor experiences for young people and ensuring outdoor access for all. “How transformational is it for young people to spend dedicated time connecting to nature, their peers, and themselves?” Audrey reflects. She wishes she had known about an organization like NatureBridge during her own childhood, when her personal connections to nature were formed during visits to Guatemala and Chicago’s Lake Michigan.
Audrey sees NatureBridge as a catalyst for growth and exploration. “A NatureBridge experience might be the first time a young person is tapping into outdoor exploration or their first time immersed in a national park. This exposure to a new experience allows them to grow by stretching their imagination of what is possible for their future,” she says.
A NatureBridge experience might be the first time a young person is tapping into outdoor exploration or their first time immersed in a national park. This exposure to a new experience allows them to grow by stretching their imagination of what is possible for their future.Audrey Galo, Equity and Inclusion Director
In her role, Audrey aims to advance NatureBridge’s mission and firmly believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to connect with and learn about the environment. She is excited to collaborate with the NatureBridge community to advance the organization’s Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (EI&D) efforts. “I look forward to nurturing that foundation and helping to envision what’s next in our evolution,” Audrey shares. Her commitment and vision promise to drive NatureBridge towards a more inclusive and equitable future.
Please help us welcome Audrey to the NatureBridge community!
Stories
In Memory of Ty Cobb: A Visionary Leader of Resilience and Impact
Ty Cobb, former CEO of Yosemite National Institutes (now NatureBridge), passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in Reno at the age of 84. Known for his visionary leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire collaboration, Ty guided YNI through some of its most difficult moments while building a foundation for its future growth and success.
WildLink November 2024: Woodlake High School
This November, Woodlake High School students and chaperones arrived in Yosemite for their first year as a WildLink school, and we are so excited to have them on the team! That means that the brave students who signed up for this expedition had virtually no idea what to expect before signing up for the trip, because none of their peers had experienced it before them! The week, although quite frigid, was full of lovely views, learning about Wilderness, spending lots of time by the river, and enjoying the beauty of Yosemite Valley and Wilderness. Their educators Sarah and Amelia were excited to help this group feel a sense of belonging in this place. They were also lucky enough to be joined by Ranger Lissie on their first day in the Wilderness!
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.