In honor of Women’s History Month, GSP is highlighting some of the women across our partnership who are shaping the future of Seattle’s urban forest. From restoration work, to connecting folks to their local environment, these women bring expertise and dedication to every action they do, empowering communities and the next generation of women in the field.
GSP invites you to join us in this celebration, and to meet the women who make up our partnership!
Gabi Esparza (she/her), Community and Volunteer Senior Manager at EarthCorps
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, or professional)?
I grew up in the Cedar River, Lake Washington watershed and never spent a significant amount of time outside as a kid. I was undecided going into undergrad, but then I took an environmental sociology course, and decided I would pursue a Bachelor of Science in environmental science. When I studied in Australia for a year, I connected the value of community with restoring the environment. Since then, I’ve focused on community healing because when people are happy, the environment will be happy. I’ve worked at a variety of environmental nonprofits, and I’m pleased to be the Community & Volunteer Senior Manager at EarthCorps now.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
I manage all of the volunteer events that EarthCorps hosts for the Green Seattle Partnership. Each year, I supervise and train 2-6 volunteer specialists in running those and other events. Developing our volunteer program and the specialists’ leadership skills is a continuous effort and a significant accomplishment. I love seeing familiar faces return to events and watching the wonder in people’s eyes when they learn something new. We foster hundreds of volunteer connections each year, and the stories are the most meaningful to me.
What is your hope for the future of Seattle’s green spaces?
My hope is that Seattle’s green spaces are vibrant, accessible to all, and foster strong communities. This could include providing easy pathways, entrances, and play areas (for people of all ages) that encourage interaction with nature and a sense of belonging. I’m inspired by the integration of art and nature, such as creating designs or fairy houses from natural materials like leaves, branches, or pinecones. Spaces that allow individuals to engage with their environment in unique ways and enjoy a safe space are so important for health. I hope to see ecosystems that continue to heal and connect us. After all, who doesn’t love hugging a tree?
Cameryn Tam (she/they), Environmental Stewardship Specialist at Tilth Alliance
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, professional)?
I’m originally from Houston Texas and pursued my undergraduate studies in Environmental Science and Sustainability at Oregon State University. During undergrad, I worked for the USDA horticultural unit where the lab was composed of inspiring women. The work environment further inspired my love of agriculture and science. During my studies, I found my love for sustainable communities. After graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic I started at Washington Conservation Corps. During my time at WCC I started volunteering with Tilth Alliance as a Soil and Water Steward. I developed a connection with the land and people in my community. A position opened at Tilth Alliance, and I was excited at the opportunity to work with others to educate, enhance and support the environment and community.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
I work at Tilth Alliance, a proud community partner of the Green Seattle Partnership. My role at Tilth is to help educate the community and youth about our natural environment through restoration and other hands-on activities. I am super proud of the community events I get to lead and collaborate on! Our Restoration Celebration is a Green Seattle Day event where we celebrate planting season kicking off and community. I collaborate with our Community Kitchens program to host a free meal, have nature-based crafts through our Youth & Families team, tabling from local organizations, scavenger hunts with prizes, and plantings facilitated by our youth employment program, the Rainier Beach Youth Stewards. We also host Bat and Beaver Nights throughout the year to educate the community on the wildlife at Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands.
What is your hope for the future of Seattle’s green spaces?
As our climate continues to change, I hope to see more green spaces developed with communities to provide nature-based stormwater management solutions. Severe flooding is not something I am a stranger to. My family and friends have faced been displaced and impacted due to flooding. There were not many green spaces in the areas I grew up in, affecting the benefits of canopy cover and stormwater management. It is crucial that this work be focused in communities that are underserved and overburdened as the risk of flooding will only continue to increase.
Lisa McGinty (she/her), GSP Forest Steward, Friends of Lincoln Park
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, or professional)?
I finished the GSP master forest steward training program in 2010 which included a 100 hours of instruction in native and introduced plant identification, ethnobotany, soil sciences, community engagement and urban forest restoration best practices. This is my 10th year as a GSP forest steward in Seattle. I’ve also volunteered in habitat restoration in Oakland, CA (3yrs) and led volunteers planting trees as a Citizen Forester with The Greening of Detroit (2yrs).
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
I am a GSP Forest Steward and I’m proud to have organized and led hundreds of community restoration events in Lincoln Park. I strive to provide safe and inclusive opportunities for all to connect with nature as we work towards restoring the forested and natural areas in Seattle. I actively work to make volunteering accessible and enjoyable to everyone who participates with the goal that participants will go on to volunteer at other green spaces and spread the word that caring for the land and helping in the community is a great way to give back. I’m also privileged to be one of 139+ active stewards who are collectively responsible for leading restoration events resulting in over 20,000 volunteer hours in 2024.
Where do you find inspiration?
I often find inspiration from all of the amazing GSP Partner organizations who are working to support communities who are historically underrepresented and continue to face discrimination. I also enjoy visiting and working at some of the many active restoration sites around the city. I’ll always be a student of nature.
Swan Phongwarinr (she/her), Mountain to sound Greenway Trust Volunteer Coordinator
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, professional)?
Some things about me: I grew up on the East Coast and did all my formal education there. I love warm weather and the sun (living in Seattle has magnified that love). I have a background in Biological Sciences, studied at the University of South Carolina, have been working in western Washington for the last 4 years, and now coordinate the Volunteer Program at the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust leading restoration projects and events.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
For GSP, I participate in the Public Engagement Committee and BIPOC affinity group. Something I feel proud to have accomplished within GSP is the connection I’ve been able to grow and foster with a group called Aspiring Youth. For 10 weeks each summer, they bring out groups of teens to explore their connections to the natural world and learn about restoration efforts within Seattle. Many of the teens have diagnosed ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, or similar traits, so getting outside, being off technology, and seeing them interact with new places/find interest in the outdoors has been extremely rewarding.
Where do you find inspiration? Who is one woman, contemporary or historical, that inspires you?
A big inspiration for me is Toni Morrison. I find her writing to be thought provoking, familiar yet new, and over-all very powerful. Other than her, I find inspiration in all my closest friends and loved ones. Seeing people so close to me live their lives in passionate and meaningful ways is one of the best ways I can spend mine.
Gerry (Geraldine) Chambers (she/her), GSP Forest Steward
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, professional)?
I am a retired Physical Therapist. I got my Master’s in Physical Therapy from Duke University in 1979 and moved to Seattle with a job with the US Public Health Service. That area of the Public Health Service was disbanded, but by that time I had fallen in love with Seattle.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
I have been a Forest Steward for about 8 or 10 years (I’m not really sure), and we have been working in our greenbelt for 15 years. I am proudest of the progress we have made in restoring our forest and also building a wonderful and supportive community of volunteers, 2 of whom have just become newly minted Forest Stewards.
Where do you find inspiration?
My greenbelt is only 5 blocks from my house, and I love to walk through there (thank you to Green Youth for the terrific trail!) and see what’s growing. And I always have fun at my work parties. I am also very proud of the excellent and complementary working relationship I have with my fellow Forest Steward, Chris Hoffer.
Miranda Perez (she/her), Program Manager at ECOSS
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, professional)?
I was born and raised in the LA area and received a bachelors in physics from Denison University. My entire working career has revolved around community engagement, decarbonization, ecological restoration, and environmental justice. My current role at ECOSS supports both clean energy and environmental stewardship programming, two impact areas I see as being directly connected in creating healthy and thriving communities.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
I am a program manager that supports expanded GSP partner programming through holistic stewardship efforts uniquely tailored to various participating communities. With the support of my colleague Kevin Duong, we have worked with GSP to expand ECOSS’s managed restoration sites to include a section of Longfellow Creek. This site is directly connected to the Vietnamese Cultural Center who have been seeking access to the site for environmental programming, and we are proud of our ability to respond to their needs and collaboratively steward the area.
Where do you find inspiration?
I am very privileged to have time and capacity to invest in hobbies and interests. I find myself spending a lot of time doing capoeira at my school, Seattle Capoeira Center, and finding new and creative ways to move my body. The gift of capoeira has unlocked a lot of creativity, decolonizing practices, and community for me in both my working and personal life.
Danielle Devier (she/her), Senior Urban Ecology Analyst at Seattle Parks and Recreation
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, professional)?
I grew up in the mountains outside Park City, Utah, I’ve always had a passion for people, nature, and drawing. While I graduated with a pre-med biology degree from the University of Utah, internships in field-ecology made me realize I preferred working outdoors on environmental challenges. I began my career as a research scientist at Columbia University’s Biosphere 2, then earned a Master’s in Ecology from UC Davis, studying soil carbon sequestration. Wanting to focus on climate solutions, community engagement, and creativity, I ultimately pursued a master’s in landscape architecture, which is what brought me to Seattle. Today I work as a licensed landscape architect and ecologist, contributing to projects like the Coastal Blue Carbon Opportunity Assessment for the Snohomish Estuary and the Upper Snoqualmie Resilient River Corridor Master Plan. I love my work, the people I collaborate with, and the impact we create.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
As GSP’s Senior Urban Ecology Analyst, I blend science, strategy, and design to help shape healthier urban ecosystems. I provide ecological review for capital projects, collaborate with experts on river and shoreline restoration, and use data to drive smart decision-making. Right now, I’m leading several key initiatives, including an internal strategic plan update and a Lake Washington Shoreline Restoration feasibility study focused on revitalizing shallow-water habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon. My work sits at the intersection of ecology, resilience, and urban design—bringing people and nature together for a more sustainable future.
What is your hope for the future of Seattle’s green spaces?
My hope for Seattle’s future is one where green and blue spaces are more connected, vibrant, healthy and accessible than ever. Whether wading in cool waters, spotting salmon in restored streams, or simply gathering with friends in lush, welcoming landscapes, we’re working together to create a city where resilience and play go hand in hand, and where nature’s presence brings daily moments of wonder and joy.
Emilene Castillo (she/her), Environmental Program Manager at PIE
Can you tell us a little about your background (educational, personal, professional)?
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from San Francisco State University. During my time there, I became deeply involved in environmental advocacy and educational awareness through the Environmental Resource Center and ECO Students.
After graduating in 2019, I interned with the National Park Service at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, where I worked to connect school groups from marginalized communities with their local National Parks. This experience led me to a role as an Interpretive Park Ranger, where I staffed the visitor center and provided guided tours to visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
In 2021, I moved to Seattle and shifted my focus to ecological restoration, leading volunteer events across the Puget Sound region for various Green Cities in King and Snohomish counties. I also spent time working to support Green Seattle Partnerships Forest Steward program and the planning of 2nd Annual Seattle Forest Week.
What is your role in Green Seattle Partnership and what is an accomplishment within GSP you’re proud of?
As the Environmental Program Manager at Partner in Employment, I oversee a green jobs training program designed for immigrant and refugee youth and young adults. Through this program, we provide hands-on restoration experience, professional development, and environmental education, helping participants build careers in the green/environmental field.
One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is expanding access to restoration work for communities historically underrepresented in the environmental field. I am proud that we are able to provide stipends and other support services to reduce barriers from participating in this program. We are now seeing more and more organizations being able to provide stipends and I am proud that this is becoming more of a norm.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find my inspiration from the people I work with and the various people part of the Green City Partnerships network. Both youth and adults have brought their curiosity and excitement to Seattle’s green spaces. Seeing them develop their skills, increase their confidence and connect to nature reminds me of my beginnings in the environmental field. When seeing the positive changes happening at a restoration site, I am reminded of how important this work is and how we can achieve our goals of a healthier and more resilient environment, together.
A huge thank you to these incredible women and their contributions to keeping Seattle’s forests healthy and accessible for all!
The women featured in this story have so many different hometowns, professional and academic backgrounds, and sources of inspiration. However, they’ve all come together in Green Seattle Partnership, united by their passion for nature, stewardship, and cultivating community. We recognize women’s voices are not always heard and wanted to elevate a few of them in today’s story. No matter the contribution, your work is invaluable to GSP.
Did you find these stories inspiring? Let us know below what resonated with you!