Andrea is an environmental educator with Youth Environmental Alliance. Andrea grew up in Miami surrounded by the beautiful and unique ecosystems of South Florida. Her amazement of and curiosity for the natural world pushed her to study biology. She graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College with a bachelor’s degree in biology and art history. In college, Andrea developed strong scientific research skills, completing a senior thesis on the lateral line sensory organ of fish.
Andrea continued in research after graduating, but always found herself drawn back to the outdoors. Her experience in research made her aware of the information gap between researchers and the general public, motivating her to move towards environmental education. She would like to help make research more accessible and applicable to broader audiences so everyone can be involved in the effort to protect and conserve our planet. Andrea believes hands-on, engaging education is vital to build community, to initiate change, and to feel connected to the world that surrounds us.
Andrea is Colombian-American and fluent in Spanish. She advocates for environmental education that is inclusive of and accessible to all people. Andrea is personally interested in community conservation, environmental justice, and the intersection of conservation and urban planning. In her free time, Andrea enjoys going on walks, seeing and hearing birds (with lots of help from Merling Bird ID), scuba diving, and watercolor painting. She loves to share the beauty and power of nature with others.