Francis Mendoza

Francis Mendoza (he/they/sila) is a naturalist, environmental educator, and JEDAI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) consultant with more than thirty years of experience serving marginalized communities at the intersection of race, gender, culture, and nature. He is the JEDAI Section Director for NAI (National Association for Interpretation) and a Certified Interpretive Guide and California Naturalist. As a former naturalist/park ranger for the East Bay Regional Park District and Literacy for Environmental Justice in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, he strives to serve beloved communities of color, help provide equitable access to nature and engage with Black, Indigenous and People of Color in a meaningful, authentic way. As the Manager of Community Development, he focuses on leadership development and engagement for the Children & Nature Network and connects the evidence-based research indicating that children flourish in nature on a physical, mental, social, and academic level.

Patsy Sellars

Patsy Sellars is the Managing Director of Field Offices within the Child and Family Services division at Casey Family Programs, the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care. In this position, she oversees the direct services operations of five of the nine Casey Family Programs field offices. Sellars has a quarter century of experience in child welfare work. Before joining Casey Family Programs, she directed the social work department of a private psychiatric facility.