In this tenth episode, host Emily Harwitz talks outreach and engagement—for nature and adventure—in a double-feature with Xiomara Batin, Outreach and Marketing Manager at GirlVentures, and Erika Granadino, Community Engagement Coordinator for the North Coast Redwoods District. How do you get people to come outside if they’ve never done it before? Hint: it starts with meeting people where they’re at. If you like talking to people, making connections, and telling stories, then today’s episode is for you! 

Xiomara Batin is the Outreach and Marketing Manager at GirlVentures, an outdoor educational non profit based in Oakland, California. Xiomara has worked in a variety of educational institutions and non profit organizations with authentic engagement and genuine allyship at the center. Supporting communities that have had limited access to outdoor spaces due to historical barriers, is an integral area of importance to Xiomara and she feels passionate about being involved in advocacy in a variety of capacities. Find GirlVentures on Instagram @girlventures

Erika was born in El Salvador and raised in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area with her mother and sister. She graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Management and Protection, with a focus on Natural Resource Planning.

For the past 4 years she has worked as an interpreter for California State Parks and the last year as the Community Engagement Coordinator for the North Coast Redwoods District, which has allowed her to exercise her passion and commitment to conservation and community engagement. Her favorite part about the work is getting to facilitate interpretive programs that connect people to parks, providing access, information, and inclusivity to their public lands. Promoting these places through interpretive programs gives hope that visitors will want to become stewards of these natural places, too. She feels lucky to be able to provide opportunities for people to connect with nature, helping them find meaning in what they are experiencing.

In her downtime she enjoys cooking, going out to eat at a good restaurant, or getting some exercise. However, nothing compares to a good scenic hike on a sunny day. Find her on Instagram @erkbea