Program Director/ tara@thecrew.org

Tara graduated from CSU Channel Islands with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management. She is passionate about environmental restoration and education. She has experience working directly to develop programs for teens and young adults at the Boys and Girls Club and later as a Residential Advisor at CSU Channel Islands. Tara has been leading the Green Valley Project programs in Ojai for 4 years and was promoted to Program Director in 2022. She is very excited to be a part of the Green Valley Project and enjoys developing the future leaders of the Ventura County!
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Program Assistant / melissa@thecrew.org

Melissa will hold a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Resource Management with a minor in Spanish from CSU Channel Islands. She set in motion her stewardship of public lands when she began volunteering with various conservation organizations aimed to rehabilitate habitats, clean degraded trails, foster nature connections, and aid in environmental justice matters. More recently, she has worked as an outdoor educator, mentoring children using their innate enthusiasm for the natural world as a context to engage them in the learning process. She is excited to be a part of the Green Valley Project, assisting with programs and projects while witnessing the next generation of leaders rehabilitate the Ojai Valley.

Program Assistant / alessandra@thecrew.org

Alessandra graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation. She has a background in community outreach, civic engagement, and environmental justice. In her free time she enjoys swimming, going to the beach, and watching T.V. shows. Alessandra is passionate about environmental advocacy, ecological restoration, and environmental education. She is excited about inspiring and creating our future environmental leaders through the Green Valley Project programs.

Program Assistant / ava@thecrew.org

Hello! My name is Ava Elliott and I am a Program Assistant for the Green Valley Project! I help out with advertising at the farmers market, on social media, and I am so excited to be running the Communications Internship in the Fall. I started out working at the C.R.E.W for over a year, and that is where I found out about the Green Valley Project. I found myself always helping out with things outside of the field, and was so excited to finally join the GVP Communications Internship and Youth Council back in 2022! Since then I have been helping with the GVP whenever I can, and was offered the position of Program Assistant back in April. I am currently a first year student at SBCC studying ecology, and can’t wait to further my education and experience with environmental science and outreach!

Executive Director / derek@thecrew.org

Derek joined the C.R.E.W. team in 2021 after 11 years at Ventura Land Trust, 5 years at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and five prior years of environmental consulting and field biology work. Along with volunteering for various non-profit environmental groups, Derek earned a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from CSU-Fullerton and a B.A. in Music Composition (with significant environmental coursework) from UCSB. At OVLC, he managed a variety of wetland restoration projects in the upper Ventura River watershed and at the Ventura Land Trust’s he assisted in efforts to preserve and improve wildlife habitat and outdoor recreational opportunities throughout Ventura. Along with spending time with his wife and kids, Derek enjoys music, wildlife and hiking.

Enviromentor / kat@thecrew.org

Kat is a graduate of CSUCI with a degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management. She joins The C.R.E.W. with a background in Landscape Architecture/Restoration and Avian Biology, working on projects such as the LA River Revitalization, Baldwin Hills Restoration, Inland Empire Landscape Beautification, LA Rain Gardens, and Youth Development Program “Generation Water.” More recently she has been a biologist with the Shorebird Recovery Program at Ventura Audubon working with threatened and endangered shorebirds and has a passion for habitat restoration and conservation. Kat joins The C.R.E.W. excited to help expand a diverse and prosperous program where young adults gain career experience in the fast-growing green collar job industry. When she isn't working, Kat can be found with her husband and daughter Wren exploring and trying new restaurants.

Enviromentor / cbosson@thcrew.org

Caryn is a long-time nonprofit leader and former Executive Director of The C.R.E.W. (2018-2019). In 1997, Caryn founded the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation, which she led for a decade. For another decade, Caryn was a staff leader at TreePeople, a Los Angeles-based community forestry organization. Currently a consultant and Senior Facilitator with the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, Caryn has a MS in Organizational Leadership from Manhattan College and a BA in Literature from UCSB’s College of Creative Studies.