Meet the Volunteers
Thank you to the following hard-working and dedicated volunteers who support ECOSLO all year long!
Mary Ciesinski
(she/hers/her)
Creeks to Coast CleanupI served as ECOSLO's Executive Director for 9 years and I have absolutely loved being part of the work ECOSLO does throughout SLO County. I have especially been grateful for the people I have met, many who have become great personal friends. I'm looking forward to continuing to be part of ECOSLO's largest volunteer event - Creeks to Coast Cleanup!
Don Maruska
(he/him/his)
Urban Tree PlantingsThroughout the 30 years that we’ve lived in SLO County, I’ve valued and enjoyed ECOSLO. It’s a great voice for the environment and has evolved to serve changing needs. I appreciate the very professional way in which ECOSLO organizes its activities so volunteers can do good and feel good about the experience.
Chris Hamma
(he/him/his)
SLO Stewards Docent, Cleanups, Creeks to Coast Cleanup, Parks Projects, Urban Tree Planting, Tree Keeper, Urban Tree Committee MemberI have been involved with ECOSLO in not every way possible, but it sometimes feels like it! It's a privilege to be able to share the importance of our beautiful natural SLO County environment with interested residents and visitors!
Craig Graugnard
(he/him/his)
Advocacy Committee Member, Cleanup Committee MemberAfter recently moving to SLO, I was looking for a place to volunteer on a regular basis. ECOSLO was a great choice as I can give back to the community through cleanups and environmental advocacy. I have enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the environmental issues that are important to the community and act on them.
Tyler Ray
(he/him/his)
Cleanups, Urban Tree PlantingECOSLO has done great work with our local communities and I enjoy helping them complete their missions by volunteering when possible. Over the past 10 months I’ve attended activities including beach clean-ups and tree plantings, which all have inspired me to take accountability daily. I will continue to help in an effort to inspire future generations to take care of this beautiful planet so everyone can enjoy the fruits we sow.
Janine Butler
(she/her/hers)
Cleanups, Creeks to Coast Cleanup, SLO County Parks Projects, Urban Tree Planting, Committee MemberThere have been many different opportunities at ECOSLO. I do enjoy the Creeks to Coast clean up day as I have spent the last few years at Lopez. I really enjoyed helping to coordinate the Afternoon at the Ranch fundraiser. From getting bands, organizing food vendors and working with the winery, it was fun and very rewarding! It is a great feeling when someone stops you and thanks you for your help in the community.
Vita Miller
(she/her/hers)
Creeks to Coast Cleanup, Urban Tree Committee MemberI have taken part for years in Coastal Cleanups and am now on the Tree Committee. I feel that through our efforts we are engaging communities to do good work, which is always positive and has good results!
Savannah Wood
(she/her/hers)
Cleanups, Urban Tree PlantingsI love volunteering with ECOSLO because it is a great opportunity to make a tangible, positive change in my community. I want to help preserve and enhance our natural environment for generations to come, and volunteering with ECOSLO has been an amazing outlet to do so. I recently graduated from Cal Poly, and volunteering with ECOSLO has also allowed me to engage with more members of the local San Luis Obispo community. Meeting new people who also have the goal of environmental stewardship and connecting to nature has been a priceless experience!
Geramaldi Geramaldi
(he/him/his)
Urban Tree PlantingsI enjoy volunteering as a way to help and better the community. Volunteering with ECOSLO has gotten me involved in programs that not only benefited the community, but future generations as well. The simplest actions can result in the greatest impacts.
Dale Stoker
(he/him/his)
SLO Stewards Docent, Cleanups, Creeks to Coast Cleanup, Parks Projects, Urban Tree Planting I started volunteering with ECOSLO after I attended a few SLO Stewards hikes. I enjoyed learning something new from the docent and being in community with other hikers, so I eventually signed up to become a docent. For the last few years I've been assigned the sites from Cambria to San Simeon to support the site captains. Year after year there are familiar faces at each site, and I can see the impact of our community coming together to remove trash and recyclables off our beaches and roadways.
Kendall Warther
(she/her/hers)
Advocacy Committee MemberI joined ECOSLO's Advocacy Committee last year. I have enjoyed getting to know the other members of the Advocacy Committee! I hope to make more of a difference once more traction is gained surrounding the nomination of the Chumash Sanctuary for National Marine Sanctuary.
Colin Jones
(he/him/his)
Cleanups, Urban Tree PlantingI love volunteering with ECOSLO because they’re such a big part of SLO City’s goal of planting 10,000 street trees by 2035. As a former Caltrans manager for our Clean California, I also really appreciate the regular beach clean-ups that ECOSLO organizes. Our central coast community has so many wonderful organizations and ECOSLO is certainly at the top of that list. I encourage everyone to help their community by volunteering with or donating to groups like ECOSLO.
Ed & Kim Gravell
(he/him/his - she/her/hers)
Cleanups We have been working with ECOSLO for over a year mostly on Beach Cleanups, specifically Pirates Cove. Our favorite part of volunteer cleanup is seeing the amount of trash at the end of the collection knowing that the effort removed it from the habitat and kept it out of the ocean. At the same time we are always amazed at what we find - car parts, grills, golf balls, solar yard lights, road signs just to name a few. We love seeing the difference a cleanup makes! Absolutely! We definitely see the impact of ECOSLO's efforts with cleanup. And that experience led us to Adopt-a-Road for cleanup near our home. We intend to set an example for more of our neighbors to do the same. As the indigenous people have told us and continue to tell us: in order to survive we must be good stewards of our land. That is what we intend to do!
Jessica Baiza
(she/her/hers)
Cleanups, Creeks to Coast Cleanup, Urban Tree Planting, Tree Keeper or Neighborhood Coordinator, Committee MemberSince volunteering with EcoSlo I've had the pleasure of getting to know my community better by planting trees, checking on trees and cleaning up our environment together. Being on the Tree Committee has also been a delight to see the behind the scenes organizing all these wonderful events. My favorite moments are when tree planting. I really get to know my community through great conversations about their lives, perspectives, passions and lessons.
Will Powers
(he/him/his)
Urban Tree PlantingI've been involved with the City Tree Committee for 15 years, advocating for trees. I signed up to water city trees after seeing an ECOSLO notice on a tree by my house and have been happily involved ever since. I feel privileged to be involved in the watering program.
Marcia Alter
(she/hers/her)
Fundraising Committee MemberIn 1997, after reading an ad in New Times, I attended the ECOSLO New Years Eve Celebration "for like minded people." I had a blast and immediately connected with so many people and, I hadn't even moved here yet! Since then I've been a supporter and periodic committee member. My "favorite moment" happens every time I see someone I know thru ECOSLO. We're in the same tribe working toward the same goals. That alone adds to feeling of well-being. I'm a small link in a chain and, yes, over time and with on-going commitment, that chain makes the difference.
Ryan Heath
(he/him/his)
Cleanups, Creeks to Coast CleanupAs an owner of a Certified B Corp , 1% for the Planet business member and Slocal since 1990, ECOSLO exudes everything I wish for this county. Recently I have been especially inspired by the passion, compassion and diligence of the younger employees and volunteers. All rockstars!
We’d like to thank the following volunteers who have donated their photography for ECOSLO’s use on this website:
Dylan Epstein
Oliva Sakai
Bill Bradlee
Anna Talken
Hannah Parker
Emma Rillero
Hannah Romano
Heath Hooper