Are you interested in contributing to Exploring New Horizons? Consider joining the Board of Directors and give you insight, dedication and expertise so that Exploring New Horizons can continue to provide dynamic environmental education programs to the youth of Northern California. See how you can get involved and make a difference to Exploring New Horizons and youth today.

Tracey Weiss, Executive Director, was born in San Jose, CA and grew up exploring everything she could. Her backyard, family vacations, and travels abroad allowed her to start exploring the natural environment from a young age. From a young age, her love for the environment was found under the redwoods, in a creek and around a campfire.

Tracey’s passion with the environment started at a young age with the Girl Scouts. She is an active camper, and grew up within the organization. After graduating high school, Tracey helped girls continue to ‘grow strong’ working as the program director with girls throughout Northern California, and International Groups while living in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Tracey has had many experiences providing outdoor education opportunities for youth. She has been an instructional aid through Eco-Explorer, taking high school students on environmental tours of Belize, and has worked as a lab technician sharing her knowledge in aquatic botany and animal physiology. She worked as the Camp Director at Skylark Ranch Girl Scout Camp and most recently Tracey has worked with Camp SEA Lab creating a new national model for marine science education.

Tracey is a certified archery instructor, ropes course facilitator, and wilderness first aid technician. She is an active member with the Northern California American Camp Association and serves as the Education Chair with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

As the newest member of Exploring New Horizons, Tracey is looking to sharing her love of the natural environment, and a good camp song with all children who come to Exploring New Horizons. [email]

Rachel E. Shapiro, President,has worked as an attorney, primarily in her own practice, for the last ten years. Rachel’s commitment to environmental stewardship and education was formed as an undergraduate environmental studies student at the University of Vermont. Rachel has experience designing and teaching environmental education programs. As an attorney, Rachel has advised companies on various human resources, compliance and management issues. With these skills, Rachel hopes to assist ENH in solid growth and management of the organization so that outdoor environmental education continues to be an option for Bay Area children. [email]

Lisa Crossett,Vice President is director of corporate marketing and communications at Environmental Science Associates, a 260-person environmental consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco. She is also the sustainability officer for the firm, responsible for its sustainability plan, report, and leading the firm’s initiative to “walk the talk”. Her son attended Exploring New Horizons at Loma Mar in the 1990s. With more than 25 years of experience helping firms market environmental and sustainable concepts and services, she is committed to promoting environmental education, ensuring that outdoor learning is a choice for Bay Area youth. [email]

Jessi Leary, Secretary is a former student, counselor, and staff of Exploring New Horizons Outdoor School. During her 5 years of employment with ENH, Jessi (otherwise known as Spark) filled a variety of positions including Naturalist, Gardener and Program Coordinator, and worked with thousands of students from around the Bay Area. She is currently a classroom teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District and continues to pursue her passion for supporting children and the outdoors. As a board member, Jessi is committed to helping connect the Outdoor School staff to the Board of Directors, and the continued focus of bringing the diverse students of the Bay Area out into nature. [email]

Members-at-Large

Lisa Duncan has worked as a marketing professional in the A/E/E/C industry (architectural, environmental, engineering, and construction firms) for over 17 years, most recently as a Marketing Consultant for her own firm, Duncan Marketing Group. As a consultant, Lisa works with environmental consulting and engineering clients, providing expertise in strategic business planning, strategic marketing, development of marketing operations guidelines, and talent acquisition, development, and retention. Lisa provides a link between Exploring New Horizons and the professional services industry with a goal of developing relationships with these firms to further build on the educational and fundraising goals of ENH. [email]

Joanne Greenebaum is a retired fifth grade teacher from Valley View Elementary School in Pleasanton, California. Joanne taught for 34 years and brought her classes to Exploring New Horizons since ENH’s first year of providing outdoor education programs in 1981. [email]

Annabelle Gibson Reber brings to Exploring New Horizons a diverse background in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Education. Her love for the outdoors and the unique group process that ensues began in middle school while attending an outdoor education program similar to that of ENH and continued in high school when she served as a counselor for the same program. She went on to teach outdoor education in college at Colgate University. Currently, as a Landscape Architect, she combines her passion for the outdoors with sustainable design, ecology, art, and history. Annabelle hopes find ways to bring sustainable design to the workings of Exploring New Horizons as well as determining how Exploring New Horizons can utilize social media for fundraising and for spreading the word about the invaluable experiences students gain at Exploring New Horizons. [email]

Bridgette “B” Posson love for the outdoors began at an early age. As a fifth grader in Pleasanton, Bridget got to go to ENH as a student. In a cabin with her best friends, Bridget was inspired by her awesome experience at ENH and went on to become a counselor and naturalists in the future. Bridget holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, a Master of Arts in Education and a California Teaching Credential in Biology/Life Science. For four years, Bridget shared her love of the forest, creek and coastal habitats with thousands of 5th and 6th grade students as a naturalist at ENH. Her passion for environmental education brought her to a non-profit in Santa Cruz called the Coastal Watershed Council in the Fall of 2010. As the Education Coordinator, Bridget educates and inspire students, teachers and local community members to preserve and protect their watersheds through classroom and community events. An avid outdoors woman, Bridget enjoys hiking, running, fishing and gardening.. [email]

Francis “Buzz” Valente is a retired fifth grade teacher at Vintage Hills Elementary School in Pleasanton, California. Buzz has been teaching for 33 years and has brought his classes to ENH for 17 of those years. He holds an Administrative Credential and served as Vice Principal for Vintage Hills from 1989 – 92. Buzz was also a Mentor Teacher for the Pleasanton Unified School District, and recipient of the Excellence in Education Award. He has also long been active in the real estate business. Buzz is a past ENH President. [email]