Our Team
Executive Director & Watershed Watchers Program CoordinatorSirena is the Executive Director and Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.S. in Natural Resource Ecology & Management. Prior…
Sirena Lao
Executive Director & Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator
Sirena is the Executive Director and Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.S. in Natural Resource Ecology & Management. Prior to joining SFBWS, she has held various positions studying birds in the lab and in the field, as well as conducting environmental education and outreach programs with other nonprofit organizations. She brings this experience to Watershed Watchers programs at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso, hosting a variety of activities that bring people to the Refuge and encourage taking action to help protect our watersheds.
Program AdministratorMary is the Program Administrator. She came to us from Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in Albuquerque. As Founding Board Member of the Friends of Valle de Oro,…
Mary Deschene
Program Administrator
Mary is the Program Administrator. She came to us from Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in Albuquerque. As Founding Board Member of the Friends of Valle de Oro, she helped establish this first Urban Wildlife Refuge in the Southwest Region. She has a background in Natural Resource Planning and Business Administration and has lived, hiked in, and loved many beautiful places: Illinois, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon, and New Mexico.
Peninsula Programs Coordinator & Restoration EducatorAja is the Peninsula Programs Coordinator. She has 15 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations educating the public and interpreting the natural sciences in outdoor environments….
Aja Yee
Peninsula Programs Coordinator & Restoration Educator
Aja is the Peninsula Programs Coordinator. She has 15 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations educating the public and interpreting the natural sciences in outdoor environments. Her enthusiasm to foster a connection with communities and promote environmental stewardship is reflected in the programs she developed along the Peninsula.
Interpretive AssociateLeila is the Watershed Watchers Interpretive Associate. She graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Climate Change Strategies. While completing…
Leila Inocentes
Interpretive Associate
Leila is the Watershed Watchers Interpretive Associate. She graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Climate Change Strategies. While completing her undergrad, Leila held several internships within different departments of Santa Clara County Parks that ranged from event planning, social media marketing, and environmental education and outdoor recreation program planning. She combines this experience with her love of the outdoors to assist with programs and virtual outreach that help connect and educate people about the Refuge, their watersheds, and how to protect both.
Interpretive AssociateJoe is new to the Bay Area, having moved to San Jose from Miami, Florida in January 2025. He worked as both a field researcher in Everglades National Park…
Joe Montes de Oca
Interpretive Associate
Joe is new to the Bay Area, having moved to San Jose from Miami, Florida in January 2025. He worked as both a field researcher in Everglades National Park and a high school Italian and Portuguese teacher. His work in Everglades NP included plant monitoring in a restoration area called the Hole-in-the-Donut. He is eager to bring his passion for documenting biodiversity and conservation to California. You can find him exploring both wild and urban spaces, snapping photos of plants, birds, insects, and any other organisms he can find.
Wildlife Biology AssociateDestiny is the Wildlife Biology Associate working at the Warm Springs unit of the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge. She is a graduate from Cal State East…
Destiny Mendoza
Wildlife Biology Associate
Destiny is the Wildlife Biology Associate working at the Warm Springs unit of the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge. She is a graduate from Cal State East Bay with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Her love for nature was sparked by going on camping trips in the Sierra Nevada mountains with her family growing up as she admired and appreciated the beautiful scenery. After working at the Pollination Ecology Lab in her undergrad, her passion for conserving wildlife deepened and her mind was set on pursuing a career in conservation. She is excited to learn more about the unique vernal pool species along with different wildlife monitoring techniques in her time at Warm Springs.
Opportunities
Thanks for your interest in working with us! We do not have any open positions at this time. Check back for updates!
