Staff

Sarah brings 15 years of experience developing and managing science-based education programs, as well as ecological research and conservation projects around the globe. She has worked in a wide variety of contexts and ecosystems, from urban forests in Boston, MA, to agricultural communities in eastern Colorado and rural villages in east Africa. In 2009, while conducting fieldwork for her PhD in Ecology in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, she founded a non-profit there dedicated to protecting elephants and improving human livelihoods. Sarah believes passionately in the importance of connecting people with nature for the benefit of both, and she is especially focused on ensuring people from traditionally under-resourced communities share in those opportunities. Sarah is a Colorado native and loves hiking and backpacking with her rescue pitbull, Winston.

Simon Breen (he/him/his) has worked to provide transformative, equitable access to outdoor education and recreation in San Diego County since 2014.  He's an advocate of thinking globally and acting locally, and fostering environmental stewardship via experiences that build a lifelong connection to nature.  As EDI's Education Director, he oversees the organization’s endeavors to engage students, families, and communities in the outdoors.  Simon's academic background has spanned natural resource management, wildlife conservation, environmental education, and anthropology.  He holds dual masters’ degrees from Cornell and Oxford Brookes University, and a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State.  He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua, where he promoted environmental education, agricultural extension, and community outreach.  In 2021, he received the Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s “Educator of the Year” award.  When he's not bringing people to nature with EDI, he enjoys adventuring outdoors in his free time with his wife and their shaggy rapscallion of a dog, Maui.

Ida has over 17 years of experience as a marine and wildlife biologist. She has worked in not-for-profit, government, academia, and consulting roles in various countries. She has led conservation research expeditions worldwide, training citizen scientists in field research and wildlife conservation, and managed wildlife conservation projects in a variety of ecosystems and across a large range of species. Ida holds a B.S. with honors in Marine Biology and Zoology from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science from Murdoch University, Australia. She is passionate about nature conservation and a strong believer that through citizen science and community involvement, we can foster environmental stewards and help protect threatened species and our local ecosystems here in San Diego County. She is also an avid mountaineer and is a published author of a novel and children’s book, and she has produced and directed two documentary films featured at various film festivals.

Ashley (she/her) is a San Diego native with a background in Horticulture and Business Administration. She earned 3 Associates Degrees and 4 certificates from Cuyamaca College. Her passion for the outdoors roots back to childhood as she was often found in the garden with her mom. She is equipped with years of experience from plant nurseries and distribution, floral design, office administration, and volunteer work for multiple organizations around San Diego. Ashley loves problem-solving and working with her hands, and will put any piece of furniture together for you. When she's not crafting, she's exploring the outdoors with her husband and high school sweetheart, Steven. She is thrilled to be part of the EDI family, and contribute her love of organization, commitment to the environment, and excitement for nature to our community!

Ashley is a science illustrator and naturalist from San Jose, California. She earned her Bachelor of Science in ecology and evolutionary biology from University of California, Santa Cruz and her graduate certificate in science illustration from California State University, Monterey Bay. Projects from her artistic career include illustrations for published research, an insect field guide, a children’s book, and many botanical and zoological portraits. She draws most of her inspiration from the various habitats she has visited and species she has encountered throughout California. Ashley is a docent at the San Diego Natural History Museum where she enjoys teaching about the local species of San Diego - alive and extinct. She is thrilled to be a field instructor for EDI and to inspire students to find wonder in the natural world around them.

Lyla is an enthusiast about all things plants. She graduated in 2022 from the University of California Santa Cruz with a bachelors degree in Plant Science. Lyla has worked as a horticulturalist at the UCSC arboretum, as an organic flower farmer, and as an outdoor educator, giving her a diverse ecological background. She grew up in Davis, CA, surrounded by agriculture and loves learning about advancements in sustainable farming practices. Lyla also loves botany and can be found hiking and keying out plants with her friends and family. 

Grace is a long-time lover of the earth, and has been hugging and climbing trees as long as she can remember! Hailing from North Carolina, she came to California in 2017 to earn a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. After graduating in 2021, she moved to San Diego shortly after to pursue a career of caring for people and nature. Grace has worked in nature and with kids for as long as she can remember, holding positions such as camp counselor, gardening apprentice, elementary school fundraising leader, and more. Her favorite job was in college, where she rode a specialized tricycle around campus to sort the recycling and compost in each waste bin to help her school meet their zero-waste goal. She is passionate about empowering children as well as adults and is so excited to be able to do so at EDI! 

Dana is a Psychology Major at Southwestern College, where she plans to earn her Bachelor of Psychology in 2025 once transferring to SDSU. She is fluent in Arabic and has worked with children for 3 years, with a focus on teaching and assisting those with behavioral, mental, and developmental disorders at public schools, private schools, and behavioral therapy clinics. Dana’s passion for teaching is as strong as her admiration for nature. In her free time, she is gardening and participates in outdoor activities such as hiking, outdoor bouldering, and mountain biking. She is delighted to be a part of the team and to help create positive and meaningful learning experiences for students.

Carolina is a Nursery and Landscape Technology Major at Cuyamaca College where she will graduate with 3 associate degrees in the spring of 2024. She has worked as a habitat restoration field technician, lab technician for instructors at Cuyamaca College, and manager of the Cuyamaca College Nursery in the Ornamental Horticulture department. Carolina has a passion for preserving and protecting our native habitats, horticulture, and working with children. She is fluent in Spanish, volunteers for other non-profit organizations and plans to help restore some of our public schools gardens this fall.

Jorge (he/him/his) considers himself a true advocate and steward of nature. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Biology at Cal Poly SLO. The significance of wildlife in environmental stewardship has always been a driving force behind his pursuits. One transformative experience that deepened his commitment to wildlife conservation was working abroad at a wildlife rescue center in Costa Rica during the summer of 2022. Working hands-on with sloths, anteaters, and monkeys, he witnessed firsthand the delicate balance between humans and wildlife and the importance of protecting these creatures and their habitats. In San Luis Obispo, he dedicated his time waist-deep in local rivers being an advocate of beaver protection and their wetlands habitat. He hopes to encourage his local community in San Diego to become stewards for the ecosystem services beavers provide for our environment. He is fueled by the belief that every individual can make a difference, and is eager to continue his journey in environmental stewardship to create a lasting impact on our world.

Erin (she/her) developed a lifelong love for wildlife while growing up in the Pacific Northwest. She has always found joy exploring the natural world and doing her part to protect its biodiversity. She got her start working with the environment in her high school’s Students Saving Salmon club, where she fell in love with both field work and environmental stewardship. During her undergraduate years at Cal Poly SLO, Erin jumped into several ecological research projects, helping with small mammal population and diet research, fish behavioral research, and a novel study on plant evolution. She graduates from Cal Poly in the winter of 2023 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences, concentrating in ecology, evolution, biodiversity, and conservation. Erin is passionate about science-based environmental stewardship and believes that learning to love and understand the natural world is the key to preserving it.

With her lifelong love for all things in nature, Stacey has trained and worked in the Naturalist field since 2012. Starting with training as a Canyoneer Field Guide for the San Diego Natural History Museum, she went on to be Vice President and President for four years, and is still an active guide for the group. Naturalist and Interpretive training continued with California Chaparral Institute and the National Park Service. With so much training under her belt, Stacey started working as an Outdoor Instructor for many different San Diego Non-Profit organizations in 2015, which she continues to do to this day. Still wanting to teach love and respect for science and nature, Stacey also cares for all the live animals in the San Diego Natural History Museum.

As a Field Instructor at Earth Discovery Institute, Lexy is dedicated to fostering a deep appreciation for San Diego's native biodiversity through engaging outdoor education programs. Guiding elementary and middle school students on captivating expeditions at the Crestridge Ecological Reserve site. She empowers young minds to explore, experiment, and advocate for a healthier watershed. With a background in environmental science, community engagement, and data analysis, Lexy is passionate about nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards and instilling the value of hands-on learning in science and conservation.