The amazing staff at Exploring New Horizons at Pigeon Point always has extensive experience in the field of outdoor education. These naturalists are also musicians, puppeteers, storytellers, wildlife experts, and cooks. All are college graduates and certified in First Aid and CPR as well.

We are excited to have some dynamic staff working with our program this year: Jared/Rio, Sean/Larch, Hope/Raft and Heidi/Tigerlilly.

Heidi / Tigerlily – Program Director:Growing up, she spent a lot of time playing outdoors in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate NY, where she went camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating with her family every summer.She attended the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) and received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.While studying at UNCA, she worked as an outdoor guide for UNCA Outdoor Education and served as a chairperson for Active Students for a Healthy Environment.Tigerlily’s first experience outside of the US was on study abroad trip to Ghana,West Africa in 2001.There she immersed herself in the colorful Ghanian culture and taught science to elementary school children, worked on an organic farm, learned drum and dance, and studied science and cultural studies at the University ofGhana-Legon. Upon graduating from UNCA, Tigerlily moved to the wet and wild rainforest of Costa Rica to work on establishing a new permaculture garden site.

Tigerlily arrived in California via Redwood National and State Parks, where she worked for Wolf Creek Outdoor School as an environmental educator and as a natural resource interpreter through the State and National Park Systems.There she fell in love with the old growth redwood forest and Northern California coast.She worked as a Naturalist for San Joaquin Outdoor School and Vida Verde Nature Education in the Pescadero area before taking on the role as Program Director at the Pigeon Point Environmental Education Program.In her time off, Tigerlily likes to hike, bike, kayak, travel, and play outside. You can email Heidi at heidi@exploringnewhorizons.org

Hope/ Raft: Hope was born in the nations capital – Washington D.C. She attended a lovely little college in Southern Maryland where she studied Anthropology and Spanish literature. She has called California home since graduation in 2006. Since her arrival, she has worked as a naturalist. Hope lived and worked at Pigeon Point hostel for a year and is now thrilled to be part of the outdoor education program there. She also teaches nature awareness to home school students once a week through the Riekes center. In the summers she helps run a backpacking program for teenagers in Virginia, and leads teenage trips to Costa Rica. Hope is excited to get to go tidepooling once a week for her work. Sea slugs, or nudibranchs, are her passion.

Jared/Rio: Rio has a deep connection to the Central Pacific coastline, having grown up in the nearby Bay Area all his life. He spent his early years hiking and biking through the Santa Cruz Mountains enjoying the amazing flora and elusive fauna of the area. Solo adventures in the mountains and along the coast, whether on two wheels or two feet, taught him to love this special place. Time spent living in the tropics engrained in Rio a deep appreciation for the diverse ecology and cultures of the planet. Upon returning to California he sought out to reconnect with his home by teaching and learning about the natural history of the region. He loves interacting with young students. Their curiosity and lively nature fill him with inspiration. He enjoys exploring, pondering, gardens, colors, tea, friends and amazing views.

Sean/Larch: Bio Coming Soon.