15700 Old Oak Ranch Road Sonora, CA 95370 | (209) 532–3691

Sierra Outdoor School

Part of the Clovis Unified School District

Naturalist Interns 2024 -2025

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Nico Sanchez (Springtail)

Nico is from Folsom, CA and just graduated from Santa Clara University, earning a degree in History, and a minor in Biology. He previously worked as an intern at Martial Cottle Park in San Jose, sparking his interest in the outdoor education field. He is excited to be returning this year as a second year intern. In his free time he enjoys watching films, hiking, and shopping at thrift stores.

Aislinn Matagulay (Blackberry)

Aislinn (she/her) was born and raised in Redding, CA, but spent the last few years based in Davis, where she obtained her undergraduate degree. She used to work for a sustainability consulting firm before deciding to break free from corporate life and pursue a career outdoors. In her free time, she can be found hiking, camping, and kayaking throughout California with her family and friends. Her outdoor experience has taken her everywhere from California to Colorado to Costa Rica, and she is so excited to spend the next year with SOS!

Annalise Goeke (Cherry)

Annalise is a bit St. Louis, Missouri and a bit New York City, having split most of her life between the two cities before making the move to Sonora. She majored in Political Science with a focus on Poverty Studies at New York University and worked for a period of time in university administration. Over the years, she’s worked in various education settings, from Girl Scout camps and public schools to private universities and private boxing academies. She feels strongly about getting students engaged in the natural world and helping them spark lifelong passions for the outdoors, just like many others did for her in her childhood. In her free time, you may find her making various forms of art, writing poetry, training for boxing, or hiking.

Aya Sugiura (Seastar)

Aya (she/her) was born and raised in the Bay Area (Oakland and Menlo Park) and spent the past five years in sunny Los Angeles, where she studied Urban and Environmental Policy and worked as an art teacher and costume shop tech. Nature is her greatest inspiration and she is grateful to explore the outdoors with the wonderful staff and students at S.O.S. Otherwise, you can find her basking in the sun, scrambling on rocks, playing pickleball, or getting lost in a good book.

Izzy Gain (Swamp Onion)

Izzy grew up in South Florida, where she splashed around the waters of the Gulf Stream any chance she could. She studied Health Education and Teaching at the University of Florida, and she discovered her love for connecting people with nature through her time volunteering at Paynes Prairie State Park. In college, she worked at UF’s Lake Wauburg, where she helped manage water-based recreation experiences and guided visitors on their challenge course and climbing wall. She also served as a Graduate Assistant with the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Thompson Earth Systems Institute, where she worked in outreach and education to connect Floridians with environmental matters. In her free time, you can find her making reuse art and sleeping under the stars any chance she gets.

Jess Grosh (Storm)

Jess is from the LA area and has also lived in CO. Her love of nature started in her backyard, picking up insects and reptiles. She earned an English degree at SDSU and an MA in Literature from CSUN. After working as an English professor for several years, she realized her passion for the outdoors could be more than a hobby and decided to pursue her love of nature as a career. When she’s not working she likes to play music (guitar and piano) or create art!

Jessie Bates

Jessie is from Little Rock, Arkansas. She graduated in May 2024 from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies and English. In college, she focused her studies around inequality in K12 education in the interest of a future as an elementary school teacher. Jessie is excited to combine her love for education and the outdoors as a naturalist intern at Sierra Outdoor School. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, hiking, and baking.

Nhan Nguyen (Ground Squirrel)

Nhan has spent the last 10 years of her life living in Los Angeles. During undergraduate, she had a wonderful internship at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado and fell in love with working in the outdoor setting. She loves feeling the winds, smelling the grasses, listening to the birds, and watching the squirrels interacting with each other. Because of that, she decided to pursue a master’s degree in Ecology to continue working in the outdoor setting. Her interest focuses on small mammals’ individual behaviors as well as population dynamics. In her free time, she loves to take short walks and watch the sunset. She also like to read manga, watch anime, and play computer games.

Shirley Chen (Raven)

Shirley is from Ohio and holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Her passion for environmental education blossomed during her time as a Sustainability Research Assistant, where she led workshops on plastic pollution and reuse art. She has also worked as an i-Tree Video Consultant with Davey Tree, where she co-created videos advocating for tree equity. Off the clock, Shirley enjoys going on outdoor adventures, has been active in eight different sports, and is currently learning to dance!

Skylar Schmitt (Sundew)

Born and raised in Northern New York, Skylar is a cat person, aspiring home chef, and lifelong learner. She attended Clarkson University earning a degree in Biology with a minor in Anthropology. Since then, she has been working in environmental education, most recently focusing on natural sciences and community education in the Adirondack Park. Skylar is passionate about learning, sharing knowledge, and the curiosity that the natural sciences ignite! Most often you can find her trying to identify new birds or outside reading a good book!

Become a Naturalist Intern

For more info on how to apply for the internship click here.