National Team

 

Together we maintain our partnerships, promote outreach to our local and global communities, develop curriculum, craft grant proposals, and provide support for our chapter teams and instructors.

 
 

Meet the team

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Meet the team 〰️

 
Kendall Post

Kendall Post

(she/her)

NATIONAL DIRECTOR, SPROUT UP

Nature name: Water Lily

Contact: Kendall@sproutup.org

  • Kendall is passionate about inspiring and igniting the next generation of environmental problem solvers and nature lovers. Her first formal introduction to being an environmental educator was through the Sprout Up chapter at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she volunteered as a classroom lead instructor and worked on the education team to refresh the chapter’s curriculum. Since graduating from UCSB in 2019 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Elementary Math and Science Education, Kendall has spent the last several years mentoring college students and developing environmental education programs for the non-profit organizations Acterra and Gravity Water. She loves exploring new trails and outdoor spaces around the Bay Area, finding secondhand treasures at thrift stores, and tending to her houseplant and succulent collection.

Katarina Pittis

Katarina Pittis

(they/she)

DIRECTOR OF CHAPTER OPERATIONS & COMMUNITY

Nature name: Starry Night

Contact: Katarina@sproutup.org

  • Katarina Pittis graduated in 2018 from New York University with a major in Film and Television. They first joined Sprout Up in 2016 as an instructor and taught in multiple classrooms. She is most passionate about making documentaries because she loves to combine her love for education and filmmaking. Often their films have an environmental theme that center around water issues. She loves hiking on her free time, and spending quality time with her cats.

Alejandra Robles

Alejandra Robles

(she/her)

CHAPTER OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Nature name: Maple

Contact: alejandrar@sproutup.org

  • Alejandra grew up in Sonoma County, California, surrounded by the coast, redwoods, and large open spaces that inspired her love of nature. Her interest in marine ecosystems led her to pursue a degree in Marine Biology at UC San Diego. Since graduating, she has gained experience in microbiology, marine conservation research, and climate action. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to environmental education and public engagement, whether connecting diverse audiences to marine research and conservation or serving as a volunteer docent at the California Academy of Sciences. She is passionate about creating accessible, inclusive opportunities for all people to learn and care for the environment. In her free time, she enjoys spending her time outdoors, practicing yoga, and casual bird watching.

Maple
 

2026 summer interns

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2026 summer interns 〰️

Sofia Martinez

Sofia Martinez

(she/her)

OPERATIONS INTERN

Nature name: Camaleon

  • Sofia is a sophomore studying Urban Studies with a minor in Environmental Justice and is serving as Education Liaison for her chapter this year! She's passionate about seeking social and environmental justice for marginalized communities like her own and hopes to pursue a career in public service. Additionally, her love for working with children and teaching them environmental topics stemmed from the summers she spent working at a nature center back home. For self-care, she enjoys hiking, going on campus runs, exploring new coffee/matcha shops, engaging in community service, and spending time with loved ones.

Camaleon

Adriana Graves Vargas

(she/her)

OPERATIONS INTERN

Nature name: Clover

  • Adriana Graves Vargas is a junior at Sac State studying communication and environmental studies. She enjoys working with kids and is especially interested in climate change policy and advocacy. In her free time, she loves hiking, camping, and drawing.

Clover

Jadyn Tunnell

(she/her)

CURRICULUM INTERN

Nature name: Íris

  • Hi Sprouts! My name is Jadyn Tunnell, and it's my second year instructing for Sprout Up and first year on board. Sprout Up has brought me so many memories, from taking students through their first seeds and sprouts lesson to helping them build their own community gardens, the joy is immeasurable. This year we're working with more classrooms and organizations than ever, and UCSD is piloting the first Spanish-speaking lessons! I can't wait to see what this year holds and how much knowledge we can acquire.

Íris

Quinny Lane-Thurlow

(she/her)

CURRICULUM INTERN

Nature name: Blossom

  • My name is Quinny, and I'm a sophomore education major. I am passionate about the environment, and love sprout up for inspiring kids to care for the environment. I love the outdoors and in my free time like to be outside and eat yummy food around the city!

Blossom
 

Our Current Chapter Teams

 

Sprout Up is a program of Environmental Volunteers and currently has 11 University chapters in California and New York. Led entirely by college student volunteers, the chapter team recruits, trains, schedules, and provides support for a team of around 20 college student instructors each semester. The chapter team is also responsible for fundraising, building community, organizing classroom materials, and maintaining relationships with our partner schools, principals, and teachers.

 
 
 
 

 

Instructor Teams

Our instructor teams, led by a lead instructor, consists of between 3 and 5 college student instructors. They teach once a week for 6-8 weeks every semester.

 
 
 
kids in class.png
 
 

Our instructor teams meet weekly with their Chapter Teams to prepare for their lesson, provide feedback on curriculum, receive teaching and classroom management support, and build community support. Our instructors make our lessons and our mission happen on the ground!