Are you interested in contributing to ENH? 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 ENH and kids 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 (ENH) Tracey is looking to sharing her love of the natural environment, and a good camp song with all children who come to ENH. [email]
Sheila Nickolopoulos, President, has worked in public, private, and nonprofit organizations, and is particularly interested in how the strategic and organizational methods of each sector can support and influence one another. She spent two years at BTW informing change, conducting evaluation and strategic planning for foundations and nonprofits. Whether working to improve opportunities for economic development, education, or sustainable communities, Sheila is committed to strengthening how nonprofits and foundations operate and serve their constituents. Her first experience with ENH was at the Loma Mar site in grammar school. Ever since, she has been totally committed to composting. Sheila holds a Masters from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley and a double B.A. in Urban Studies and Italian Studies from Brown University. Sheila was a Coro Community Fellow and has traveled through 29 countries in 6 continents.[email]
Lisa Duncan, Vice President 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]
Chad Jaben was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. Chad is an avid outdoorsman who explores the world through surfing, sailing, hiking, skiing, and rock climbing. Having worked with nonprofits spanning three continents, Chad brings a variety of experience and insight to the ENH team. With an educational background in the areas of board governance and risk management, Chad is committed to helping ENH maintain the highest degree of professional and ethical standards in each of its decisions. Chad holds a bachelor’s degree in Classics from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN (2006). Currently, Chad is pursuing a JD/MBA degree from the University of San Francisco. [email]
Kai Kung is a Finance Specialist at Intel Corporation with extensive experience in budgeting, P&L management, strategic planning, and business development. Kai received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan, where his interest in education was cultivated through a college thesis that explored competition-based reform in schools. With is financial skill set, Kai is looking forward to helping ENH make data-driven decisions and continue bringing outdoor education to Bay Area youth. [email]
Matthew Smith Matthew Smith is originally from New York City and has been living between California and the east coast since 1993. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology and Biology from Colby College in Maine (1985) and a Master’s in Teaching ESL and Spanish from the School for International Training in Vermont (2006). Matthew has recently joined College Summit, a national non-profit organization that builds the capacity of high schools to increase their college-going rate and foster the kind of culture that helps all students stay on track academically and graduate. He has taught science and language in public and private schools as well as field science environmental education at the Headlands Institute. He has also served in program management roles in California, including Career Coordinator at Marine Conservation Corps in San Rafael, Program Director at Astrocamp in Idyllwild, and Assistant Director of Upward Bound at College of the Redwoods in Eureka. He is grateful to be back working and living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Matthew lives in El Cerrito with his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Isabel. [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]