Staff
Patricia Weber, P.E., Executive Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Patricia founded Emeryvlille Children & Nature in 2023, building upon over five years of dedicated efforts on the Emeryville Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. In partnership with ECN’s advisors, Partricia collaborates with ECCL, various Emeryville city departments, EUSD, EBRPD, local gardens, related non-profits, and local families to enhance nature access for youth in Emeryville. In addition to leading ECN, Patricia serves as a permissions editor and contract negotiator for anthological publishing endeavors, following 12 years in the engineering field, specializing in civil and environmental projects. Patricia also serves as ECN's assistant lumberjack, with her mini-chainsaw always at the ready.
Susan Donaldson, Director of Operations
Pronouns: She/Her
Susan leverages her extensive background in education, community advocacy, and sustainable management, to support Emeryville Children & Nature as the Director of Operations. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Education and an MBA focused in Sustainable Management, Susan brings over a decade of experience within the education sector. As a dedicated member of the Emery Unified School District Board and a leader for Emeryville 4-H, she champions equitable access to quality education and outdoor experiences while promoting environmental stewardship. Susan's collaborative approach and unwavering dedication to youth development make her an invaluable asset to the Emeryville Children & Nature initiative, where she endeavors to create inclusive spaces for children to connect with and appreciate the natural world.
Julia Zlateski, Program Facilitator
Pronouns: She/Her
Julia serves as the invaluable program facilitator at Emeryville Children & Nature, expertly managing the intricate web of tasks essential to our projects' success. With a background in environmental science and education, Julia's dedication shines through in her multifaceted role. From coordinating logistics for our Nature Pop-Ups to overseeing communication with partner organizations, Julia ensures that every aspect of our initiatives runs seamlessly. Her proactive approach, attention to detail, and willingness to tackle any challenge make her an indispensable asset to our team. Julia's respectful approach to interacting with children, allowing them to explore their own interests at their own pace, also makes her invaluable when implementing our projects directly with the children. Her commitment to our mission of connecting children with nature is evident in her tireless efforts, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to experience the wonders of the natural world under her capable guidance.
Chris Potter, Chief Lumberjack
Pronouns: He/Him
Chris provides Emeryville Children & Nature with the essential lumberjack duties required to repurpose tree parts into nature exploration supplies. He takes what starts as an ordinary tree trunk or branch, and works his chainsawing magic to produce tree cookies, muffins, and pizzas, as well as stable stumps and logs. When not lumberjacking, Chris is an adaptable web and motion picture producer with experience spanning various roles in film and web projects, adept at managing teams and navigating challenges. Passionate about creative endeavors, he's currently focused on his Setwerks.com and get-gigs.com projects while also enjoying overseeing educational initiatives and developing innovative content in his spare time.
Voluneteers
Audrey Miles
Pronouns: She/Her
Audrey is recently retired from over 30 years of teaching, with 20 of those years at the Emery Unified School District. Her experience as a dedicated Transitional Kindergarten teacher shows as a program volunteer. Her patience and ability to engage with young children enhances their experiences with nature.
Advisors
Zoe Chafe, Ph.D., MPH
Pronouns: She/Her
Zoe is a dynamic leader at the intersection of environmental science, public health, and community planning. With a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences, her current experiences serving on Emeryville's Planning Commission, and past experience on the Parks and Recreation Committee, Zoe brings a unique perspective to her role as an advisor for Emeryville Children & Nature. Her expertise in public health informs her understanding of the vital connection between environmental sustainability and community well-being. Zoe's background in public health and her commitment to fostering environmental stewardship align perfectly with the organization's vision of native urban greening as both an environmental and community health strategy. Zoe is dedicated to creating inclusive and accessible opportunities for children to connect with nature, thereby promoting physical and mental health while instilling a sense of environmental responsibility.
Andrea Brewer
Pronouns: Shey/They/She
Andrea is the Garden Coordinator at the Emeryville Center of Community Life and the Environmental Club Facilitator at Emery Unified School District, and a member of the Emeryville Parks and Recreation Committee. Her daily expeirence with the children of our community, combined with knowledge of city and school district operations, makes her an invaluable advisor to Emeryville Children & Nature.
Cathy Hickey
Pronouns: She/Her
Cathy Hickey brings years of invaluable park management experience to her role as advisor for Emeryville Children & Nature. As the Principal of Parklab Open Space Management, overseeing Mission Bay Parks and Hunters Point Shipyard Open Space, she's led a diverse team, ensuring 40 acres of parkland thrive. With expertise in community engagement and environmental stewardship, Cathy spearheaded park expansion as the Mission Bay Parks General Manager at MJM Management Group. Her strategic acumen and park managment experience, complemented by an MBA, positions her as a key asset, directly benefiting the organization's mission of fostering a deeper connection between children and nature, promoting environmental awareness, and ensuring sustainable practices for future generations.
Susan Karasoff
Pronouns: She/Her
Susan provides Emeryville Children & Nature with a wealth of Bay Area native plant expertise. She advises ENC on East Bay native plants for children that are non-toxic and non-pokey. Her “only the easiest plants survive” approach to gardening also benefits ECN as we aim to plant the hardiest natives requiring minimal maintenance. Susan grows a buffet of native edible, butterfly caterpillar, specialist bee, shade tolerant and colorful plants, adding to her expertise as she assists ECN in selecting plants that both provoke the curiosity of children, but also add to native habitats and promote biodiversity . Susan is a member of the California Native Plant Society Yerba Buena chapter, where she also gardens in San Francisco’s clay and chert soil in former northern oak woodland. She also has created a list of edible native plants for San Francisco school gardens.
Adam Nilsen, Ph.D.
Pronouns: He/Him
Adam brings an abundance of knowledge, wisdom, and experience to his role as an advisor for Emeryville Children & Nature. As a learning scientist and specialist in informal education, he encourages people to think in new ways about things, aiming them to bring real change to the world's grand challenges. Adam's expertise extends to museum exhibit design, fundraising, project management, community collaboration, empathy research, and strategy and vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to advising for ECN, Adam serves as a senior lecturer for Lurie College of Education at San Jose State University. He lives with his family in Emeryville, embodying his commitment to both his work and community.
Please contact us if you are interested in joining our team of advisors and staff.