Leonel joined CARCD in July 2025. As a native Californian, he has a deep-rooted passion for the state’s natural landscapes and is committed to conserving them for future generations. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Ecosystem Management and Forestry and has since worked across California as an environmental steward, from leading volunteers in the Sierra, to planting native trees along the coast and engaging in many efforts in between. Having personally experienced wildfire evacuations, Leonel is especially passionate about supporting RCDs in their missions promoting forest health and resilience. In his spare time he can be found on trails, spending far too much time taking photos of flowers.