Board Spotlight

A deeply engaged, entrepreneurial, inclusive and collaborative board is necessary for NatureBridge’s long-term success. We seek multiple individuals eager to collaborate with us to elevate NatureBridge to reach new heights and shape the next phase of our journey toward greater impact.

Anne Baxter’s connection to NatureBridge spans over 30 years, though her connection to nature extends well beyond that. Anne came to California from the east coast and fell in love with the majestic Sierra Nevada, where she could be found backpacking, birding and fly fishing. That love for the mountains led her to take her 5th and 6th grade students to Yosemite each year. Those trips to Yosemite often created a connection with the natural world for these students that would last a lifetime.

As a physician in Washington, DC, Laura knows all about the importance of the physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors. That’s why she has been on the board for our Mid-Atlantic Region (MARE) campus located in Prince William Forest for the last six years.

Dr. Stephen H. Lockhart goes by another name to many of those within NatureBridge: The Steve Lockhart. Once you speak with Steve or read his curriculum vitae, you quickly understand he is worthy of that prefix. A Rhodes Scholar, he began college at the age of 15 and graduated at 18, going on to earn a master’s in economics from Oxford and a PhD and MD from Cornell. Steve is one of the most accomplished anesthesiologists in his field and his conservation efforts have earned him numerous distinctions, including being named a Champion of Change by the Obama Administration. He serves and has served on numerous boards, including REI and Molina Healthcare, and recently started Sutter Health Institute for Advancing Health Equity.

Andy Baxter, prince among men and one of the last true gentlemen, passed away in February 2022. Andy committed himself passionately to several organizations he held close to his heart—lucky for our mission and the students we serve, one of those organizations was NatureBridge. 

Now a highly valued and respected Board Emeritus, Linda Brownstein helped NatureBridge weather some of the organization’s most difficult crises through the years. She turned significant vision into reality and created the space for new policy ideation and strategic planning. “It changed how I live my daily life — supporting other environmental causes, recycling, composting, organic farming…some of the most impactful things I've done have really been from NatureBridge.”

On Earth Day in 1972 — just two years after the invention of the environmental holiday — Kimberly McMorrow visited Yosemite for the first time. She and her eighth grade classmates were taking part in a fledgling nonprofit’s five-day outdoor education program, and like so many others in the decades to come, it would change her life. Kimberly shares what’s changed since 1972, the perils of saddle shoes and how she’s giving her own kids (and complete strangers) what she never had a chance to experience as a child.

Luckily for NatureBridge, our mission — to connect young people to the wonder and science of the natural world, igniting self-discovery and inspiring stewardship of our planet — was already close to board chair Ian Yolles' heart. Before overseeing marketing and brand building for companies like Patagonia and Nike, Ian began his career as a wilderness instructor for Outward Bound in Canada, eventually becoming Executive Director of the outdoor education nonprofit. He had intimate knowledge of the transformative power of nature, and he could see that NatureBridge was expertly tapping into that power to further environmental science and inspire awe.

Rachel Davis is a rare story—she has seen and experienced NatureBridge from almost every possible angle. From an enthusiastic student taking part in a NatureBridge program in Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1993 to a teacher leading her students into the national parks to participate in the same NatureBridge programs that once inspired her. Today, her journey expands even further as the newest member of NatureBridge’s Yosemite Board.