Founder and Executive Director
Vilda

Mia Andler, author of The Sierra Forager and co-author of The Bay Area Forager, is the founder and Executive Director of Vilda, a non-profit that runs nature connection programs for children in Tahoe, Truckee and the San Francisco Bay Area. Mia, who has been foraging since she was a little girl and has studied the regenerative practices of earth-based cultures around the world, has made frequent media appearances highlighting her work.

Founding President
Safina Center

Carl Safina, whose lyrical non-fiction writing about the human relationship with the living world won him a MacArthur “genius” prize, has written ten books, two of which have been named New York Times Notable Books of the Year, including his 2020 book Becoming Wild; How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace. Carl lives on Long Island, New York, with his wife, Patricia, and their dogs and feathered friends.

Co-Founder and Chief Relationship Strategist
Bioneers

Nina Simons, co-founder of Bioneers and its Chief Relationship Strategist is also co-founder of Women Bridging Worlds and Connecting Women Leading Change. She co-edited the anthology book,Moonrise: The Power of Women Leading from the Heart, and most recently wroteNature, Culture & The Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership.An award-winning social entrepreneur, Nina teaches and speaks internationally, and previously served as President of Seeds of Change and Director of Strategic Marketing for Odwalla.