Staff

Jean-Paul “JP” Renaud (he/him)

Executive Director

Email JP Blog: Announcing Canopy’s New Executive Director – JP Renaud!

Jean-Paul “JP” Renaud (he/him) was appointed as Canopy’s Executive Director by the Board of Directors in August 2023. JP has more than 15 years of public and nonprofit leadership experience at the local and international level, mainly in the communications sector. Previously, he served as Chief Communications Officer for TreePeople in Los Angeles, where he led a team that told the stories of trees and communities in order to build support for southern California’s largest environmental nonprofit.

Prior to TreePeople, JP served in the United States Peace Corps as an Organizational Capacity Building Specialist in Ukraine. JP also served for five years as Executive Director of Communications for the UCLA College of Letters and Science, the largest academic unit in California. During some of his time at UCLA, he also served as Executive Speechwriter to the UCLA Chancellor and Executive Vice Chancellor.

Born in Cuba, JP and his family emigrated to Paris, France before settling in Miami, FL. He graduated from the University of Miami with a double major in journalism and political science and later received his Master’s in Public Administration from FIU. After graduating from college, he worked as a journalist for more than 5 years, including at the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun Sentinel and the Los Angeles Times.

Xavier Barreda (he/him)

Trees of Life Community Forester

Xavier Barreda (he/him) joined Canopy as the Trees of Life Community Forester in February 2026. Through the Trees of Life Program, Xavier is working with faith congregations in East Palo Alto to plant trees with the community on congregation and congregation member properties.

After receiving a B.S. in Environmental Horticulture from Virginia Tech, he joined the Peace Corps as a Sustainable Agriculture Systems Volunteer, promoting sustainable agriculture practices in a rural indigenous community in Panama. After 2 years of service, he went on to work at the Science Museum of Virginia as a horticulturist, caring for its greenspaces in the heart of Richmond.

Outside of Canopy, he enjoys playing soccer, hiking, foraging for mushrooms, and watching movies.

Uday Bhuma (he/him)

Community Forester

ISA Certified Arborist® #WE- 283871 A | TRAQ Certified

Uday Bhuma (he/him) joined Canopy in February 2026 as the Community Forester for Santa Clara County. He is an ISA-Certified Arborist with a Ph.D. in Urban Forestry & Natural Resources from Southern University A&M College.

Uday began working with trees in orchards and nurseries where he learned how proper care, soil management, and long-term planning help trees thrive. Later, his work in urban forestry and utility vegetation management taught him how trees support communities by providing shade, improving air quality, and reducing heat in cities. As the Community Forester for Santa Clara County, Uday organizes tree planting and stewardship activities to expand the urban forests in Palo Alto and Mountain View.

Outside of Canopy, Uday enjoys spending time outdoors and playing with his son.

Carmen Bregoli (she/her)

Youth Leadership Program Manager

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Carmen Bregoli (she/her/ella) joined Canopy in October 2025 as the Youth Leadership Program Manager. Prior to Canopy, Carmen worked for San Mateo County Parks as a Bilingual Community Engagement Intern. She received her BA in Sustainability from San Diego State University and MBA with a concentration in Corporate Sustainability from Colorado State University.

After completing her MBA, Carmen knew she wanted to come back to the Bay Area to have an impact on the community she grew up in. Now, she is having an impact on the lives of our Teen Urban Foresters by helping them develop skills they can apply in their future and nurturing their interest in sustainability and the environment around them.

Outside of Canopy, Carmen enjoys playing sports, hiking, climbing, practicing yoga, and going on local adventures.

Natalie Brubaker (she/her)

Director of Strategic Initiatives

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Natalie (she/her) enjoys creating opportunities for people to explore their local ecosystem and learn from others in the community. Natalie’s love of trees developed in the Piedmont region of the southern states where she grew up in Atlanta, known as “The City in the Forest.” Before transitioning into the role of Director of Strategic Initiatives, she worked as Canopy’s Education Director and, later, Canopy’s Director of Special Projects.

After completing her BS degree in Environmental Studies at Emory University, Natalie served as Director of Afterschool Programs at The Advent School in Boston. Her interest in place-based education led her to pursue her master’s degree in Ecological Teaching and Learning at Lesley University. Prior to joining Canopy in the fall of 2016, Natalie was the Farm & Landscape Educator at Gore Place, a historic site in Waltham, MA.

Shadira Chester (she/her)

RAY Tree & Climate Fellow

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Shadira Chester (she/her) joined Canopy in August 2024 as the RAY Tree & Climate Fellow. She received her B.A. in Economics: International Politics and Policy from Berea College where she was the Communications Manager for the Campus Writing Center. As the RAY Tree & Climate Fellow, Shadira will focus on tree planting and tree care and help with volunteer recruitment and climate education. She’s excited to design and distribute educational materials that communicate the benefits of trees to our community.

Outside of Canopy, Shadira enjoys reading and sewing and hopes to get into pattern making and garment design!

Akila Cuddalore (she/her)

California Climate Action Fellow

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Akila Cuddalore (she/her/hers) joined Canopy in September 2025 as a California Climate Action Fellow. As a Climate Action Fellow, Akila primarily works on volunteer engagement and outreach while providing support to Canopy’s Community Forestry and Community Education programs.

Growing up and studying in the Bay Area, Akila majored in Environmental Science and minored in Creative Writing. She’s worked in a variety of positions and sectors including outdoor social work, wildlife rehabilitation, outdoor environmental education, environmental activism, and trail construction and maintenance. Outside of Canopy, she enjoys writing, practicing yoga, swimming, and observing wildlife.

Tania Cooley (she/her)

Bilingual Environmental Educator

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Tania Cooley joined Canopy in March 2024 as the Environmental Educator. She received a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California Santa Cruz where she conducted field and lab work on plant ecology and worked as a gardener for a garden classroom. Before Canopy, Tania worked as a Naturalist for Exploring New Horizons Sempervirens Outdoor School and as a TK-5th Garden Instructor for Life Lab Science Program at an elementary school in Watsonville, CA. 

As the Bilingual Environmental Educator for San Mateo County, she is committed to providing fun and accessible tree-focused education to students in our branching out communities. In 2025, she received her Environmental Educator Certification through the Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education’s 11-month certification program.

In her spare time, she likes to paint, embroider, craft and go on hikes and watch reality TV.

Michael DeBroeck (he/him)

Community Forester

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Michael DeBroeck first joined Canopy as the Young Tree Care Survey Intern in 2016 and returned as the Tree Care Coordinator in November 2024. After receiving his B.A. in Environmental Science from Santa Clara University, Michael worked at the educational farm & garden at Sacred Heart School teaching youth about food sustainability. He also worked for Davey Resource Group as a utility forester & estimating arborist contracted to PG&E to do wildfire safety work.

When Michael isn’t caring for Canopy-planted trees, he likes to play Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs (tabletop role-playing games)!

Kaela Federico (she/they)

California Climate Action Fellow

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Kaela Federico (she/they) joined Canopy in September 2025 as a California Climate Action Fellow. Prior to Canopy, Kaela received a degree in Biology at San Jose State University and worked as a professional coffee roaster for 3 years. 

As a Climate Action Fellow, Kaela is excited to increase the accessibility of Canopy’s programs to North Fair Oaks residents and assist with our education programs and volunteer plantings. Outside of Canopy, she enjoys collecting and pinning insects, going to cafes and finding new experimental coffees, sewing/embroidery, and reading nonfiction and speculative fiction.

Maika Horjus (she/her)

Director of Impact

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Maika (she/her) first joined Canopy in fall of 2013. A native of the verdant Pacific Northwest, she brings a love of connecting people with nature and with one another. After first coordinating volunteers and events, then spearheading communications and individual giving, Maika now stewards Canopy’s data, impact metrics, and tracking systems. She works to ensure Canopy’s dedicated staff have effective digital tools to support their efforts and to grow Canopy’s community and impact.

Maika holds a BS in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied community development and conservation biology. She enjoys hiking, writing, singing, and being goofy with her husband and two children.

Desiree Humphers (she/her)

Community Education Coordinator

Blog: Meet Desiree Humphers, Canopy's New Adult Education Coordinator

Desiree Humphers joined Canopy as the Adult Education Coordinator in March 2024. She earned an A.A. in Behavioral Sciences from De Anza Community College and a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Climate Change Strategies from San Jose State University. Desiree is also a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association for Interpretation. Before Canopy, Desiree interned for Grassroots Ecology, the Climate Action Corp, and worked as a Park Interpreter for Santa Clara County Parks. As the Adult Education Coordinator, she is excited to develop new educational programs to connect more people with their local environment. 

Aubrey Knier (she/her)

Community Forestry Manager

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ISA Certified Arborist® #WE-369849A

Aubrey Knier (she/her) joined the Canopy team in November 2022 as Tree Care Coordinator, supporting Canopy’s fieldwork through tree planting, tracking, and reporting, as well as performing regular tree care activities throughout all of Canopy’s communities. In 2024, she took on the Community Forestry Manager role and now leads Canopy’s Community Forestry Program planting and caring for trees in all five Canopy partner communities.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Aubrey received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an honors thesis in paleobotany. Afterward, she earned a master’s in environmental management from Duke University, where she concentrated on ecosystem science and conservation and completed a thesis on forest responses to elevated CO2. Aubrey has also worked on human-wildlife conflicts with Defenders of Wildlife and had the honor of conducting field research in the tropical plant ecosystems of the Galápagos Islands and Gabon.

Outside of the office Aubrey can be found exploring her San Francisco neighborhood, hiking, crafting, knitting, reading, playing Magic the Gathering with friends, and loving on her cats.

Joey Lopez (he/him)

California Climate Action Fellow

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Joey Lopez (he/him) joined Canopy in September 2025 as a California Climate Action Fellow. Prior to Canopy, Joey was a writing tutor and received his B.A. in Legal Studies and B.S. in Society and Environment from UC Berkeley. As a California Climate Action Fellow, Joey is working to engage more community volunteers in Canopy’s programs and assist with Canopy tree plantings, tree care days, and community education. 

Outside of Canopy, Joey enjoys running, hiking, cooking vegan food, and flying to Canada to visit his partner.

Beth May (she/her)

Deputy Director

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Beth May (she/her) is Canopy’s Deputy Director. She joined Canopy in October 2022 as Senior Director of Philanthropy and has since expanded her role to help guide the organization’s programs and manage organizational growth. Before joining Canopy, Beth worked on community fundraising and education advocacy efforts in her hometown of Palo Alto.

A graduate of Princeton University, Beth began her career in affordable housing advocacy in Chicago as a Princeton Public Interest Program fellow. She later transitioned to relationship management at Northern Trust in Chicago and San Francisco.

Beth invests her free time volunteering with nonprofit organizations in the local community, often alongside her two teenage daughters. She lives in Palo Alto with her family and their golden retriever, Grace. She enjoys hiking and running, listening to her husband play music, and spending time in the redwood forests—while always keeping an eye out for aspen, her favorite trees.

Arlene Nuñez García (she/they/them)

Community Forester

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Arlene Nuñez García (she/they/them) joined Canopy in summer 2021 to lead the Branching Out program in East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, and Belle Haven. Prior to Canopy, Arlene attended San Jose State University where she received a B.S. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Restoration. She grew up in Orange County but moved to Santa Clara and has been involved with environmental nonprofits all around the south bay since. Arlene’s experience helping with bio blitzes, creek cleanups, teaching watershed health and garden education to elementary students, and helping work on native landscape conversions solidified her passion for cultivating environmentally sustainable practices within culture and community.

When she’s not busy working with our communities to protect our urban forests, Arlene enjoys hiking, camping, crocheting, family time, and laying under trees.

Sandra Reyes (she/her)

Bilingual Environmental Educator

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Sandra Reyes (she/her) joined the Canopy team as the Bilingual Environmental Educator for Santa Clara County in January 2026. Her teaching experience began when she worked as an English as a Second Language Teacher in Maryland. After teaching in the U.S. for a few years, she moved to Colombia to work as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant and to the Dominican Republic as a Youth Development & Literacy Fellow through a Princeton in Latin America Grant.

Sandra received a B.A. in Leadership Studies and Latin American, Latino & Iberian Studies from the University of Richmond and a Teaching Certification in Secondary Education from John Hopkins University. Outside of the classroom, Sandra enjoys crocheting, hiking, biking, reading, and climbing!

Elizabeth Robles (she/they)

Community Forester

Email Elizabeth Blog: Meet Elizabeth Robles, Canopy's Community Forester

Elizabeth (she/they) joined Canopy in May 2025 as the Community Forester for San Mateo County. Growing up in San Jose, Elizabeth’s love for the outdoors blossomed early on, spending her teen summers working with her dad’s landscaping company. While working on her A.A. in Environmental Horticulture at Foothill College, Elizabeth continued to work with local regenerative landscaping companies and installed rain gardens in East Palo Alto with Fresh Approach. After graduating, Elizabeth became a greywater/rainwater systems specialist in San Jose.

When Elizabeth isn’t caring for trees or admiring blue oaks, she likes to run, hike, read, draw, play video games, and do puzzles.

Bless Romo (she/her)

Communications & Marketing Coordinator

Email Bless Blog: Meet Bless Romo, Canopy's New Communications & Marketing Coordinator

Bless Romo joined Canopy as the Communications and Marketing Coordinator in March 2024. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University where she worked as a teaching and research assistant. Before working with Canopy, she was a Climate Justice in the Bay Area Fellow with North Fair Oaks Community Alliance and a Small-Scale Fisheries Fellow with the Environmental Defense Fund. Bless is excited to elevate the stories and support the work of the Canopy community through creative environmental communication.

In her spare time, Bless enjoys dancing, crocheting, and hanging out with her cats. She’s been dancing since she was 5 years old and has trained in various styles including hip hop, tap, and contemporary.

Indira Selvakumaraswamy (she/her)

Community & Volunteer Engagement Manager

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Indira (she/her) joined the team in August 2020 to oversee Canopy’s communications and volunteer engagement. She is a marketing and advertising professional with fifteen years of experience working with non-profits, social marketing firms, and with various clients from different industries, for their marketing communication needs. She also has extensive experience interacting, working with and managing people both in the non-profit and the for-profit sectors.

She holds an MBA from Bharathidasan Institute of Management (India) in Marketing & Personnel Management and a Certificate in Strategic Marketing from the University of California, Berkeley.

Karina Soria Mendoza (she/her/ella)

Senior Operations Manager

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Karina (she/her/ella) joined the Canopy team in January 2023 as Operations Manager overseeing office environment and systems, providing administrative support to Canopy’s Executive Director and Board, and providing program administrative support. Her professional career began in 2016 at College Track as a recruiter before being promoted to academic coach and later operations coordinator. Afterward, she interned as a policy and community intern with Elemental Excelerator before joining full-time as a Portfolio Fellow. Karina attended East Palo Alto Academy and College Track and studied some engineering and business classes at San Francisco State University. Karina is thrilled to bring her nonprofit administration experience to the Canopy team and to continue working in the environmental space.

Karina’s hobbies include hiking, camping, and traveling, and her favorite tree is the giant sequoia.

Evany Wang (she/her)

Lead Community Forester - Santa Clara County

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Evany (she/her) joined the Canopy team in August 2022 to coordinate tree planting and surveying in Palo Alto and Mountain View and transitioned to Lead Community Forester for Santa Clara County in Summer 2025. Before joining Canopy, Evany was a seasonal crew member with the Santa Lucia Conservancy, where she worked on invasive weeds management and fuel management.

She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture, after which she became an AmeriCorps member, first assigned to Grassroots Ecology in Palo Alto, then Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust in Seattle, WA.

Evany enjoys scuba diving, rock climbing, playing video games and tabletop games, crocheting, camping, and amateur backpacking in her spare time.

Emma Adjei (she/her)

Teen Urban Forester Lead II

My name is Emmanuella Adjei, but you can call me Emma. I attend Eastside College Preparatory School. I joined the TUF program because I am trying to find where I belong in the world, and doing Canopy may lead me to finding my future career! Some personal interests I have are to draw, sing, dance and watch youtube videos.

Fifeh Alamatu

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Fifeh, and I attend Eastside College Preparatory School. I joined the TUF program to learn more about the history of East Palo Alto, and to help the community with environmental issues. I enjoy playing Varsity volleyball as a Libero, hanging out with friends and listening to music!

Damien Alonso

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Damien, and I attend East Palo Alto Academy. I joined Canopy because I wanted to get more hands on with my community and learn new skills. Some of my hobbies consist of training my dog, video games, fishing, eating, and time with loved ones.

Sofia Barajas (she/her)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Sofia, and I attend Eastside College Prep. I joined the TUF program to deepen my knowledge and appreciation for nature while giving back to my community through environmental work. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, going on walks, and spending time with my friends!

Anthony Bustos

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Anthony Bustos, and I attend Kipp Esperanza. I joined Canopy because I wanted to help the environment gain connections. Some of my hobbies consist of playing basketball, walking outside, video games, and football.

Naomi Chapina (she/her)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Naomi, and I attend Eastside College Preparatory School. I joined Canopy to learn more about East Palo Alto and how I help my community receive more canopy coverage, help close the green gap, and get hands-on opportunities to do so. I enjoy listening to music, traveling, going on walks, and hanging out with my friends!

Pedro Delgado (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Pedro Delgado. I attend Eastside College Preparatory High School. I wanted to join the TUF Program because I wanted to try something new and see if I can see it in my future. I also wanted to be out in nature and appreciate trees for what they give us.

Angel Estrada (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Angel Estrada, and I attend East Palo Alto Academy. I joined the TUF Program because I wanted to learn and do more in my community. Some of my hobbies are biking and listening to music.

Eduardo "Eddie" Garcia

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Eddie Garcia, and I attend East Palo Alto Academy. I joined Canopy because I was really interested in what they do and how I can help out the community. Some of my hobbies are playing soccer with my friends and being with family.

Kevin Guerra

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Kevin Guerra, and I attend East Palo Alto Academy. I joined Canopy because I want to help out the community and close the green gap. Some of my hobbies are playing videos and soccer.

Alex Ibarra

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Alex Escobar. I attend Eastside College Preparatory High School. I wanted to join the TUF program to try something new after hearing my friends saying that they were a part of the program. I enjoy playing soccer and being with my family.

Cristian Jimenez (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester Lead I

My name is Cristian Jimenez and I attend East Palo Alto Academy. I joined the TUF Program because I saw an opportunity to help my community out by planting trees and shortening the green gap. Some of my hobbies are riding my bike, playing video games and spending time with my dear ones.

Wynter Johnson

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Wynter. I currently go to Eastside College Prep. I joined Canopy to learn new things! Some of my hobbies are dancing and listening to music.

Néyomee King-Polk

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Néyomee King-Polk, and I attend Eastside College Preparatory School. I joined the TUF program because I wanted to try something different and help better the community but also grow more independent. Some personal interests are dancing, reading, and listening to music.

Guillermo “Memo” Lopez (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Guillermo Lopez Aguilar (but I prefer to be called Memo), and I attend Palo Alto High School . I joined the TUF program because I wanted to learn about the environment I live in and help the environment. I also want to help my community as much as possible. A few hobbies that I enjoy doing are skating and listening to music.

Ricky Recinos (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Ricky Recinos, and I attend Eastside College Preparatory School. I joined Canopy because I wanted to help out my community look more alive by helping the trees in the area. A hobby I have is playing soccer and hanging out with my friends.

Feliciano Trujillo (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Feliciano Trujillo (but I prefer to be called Felix), and I attend Kipp Esperanza. I joined the TUF program because I wanted to help out my parents and also helping myself in financial plannings in the future as well as helping the community. Hobbies that I enjoy is playing video game, programming, listening to music and enjoying food.

Bithia Xiloj

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Bithia Xiloj, and I go to Eastside College Prep. I joined Canopy to grow as a leader and be part of an inspiring community. I enjoy traveling and buying new things.

Yael Yopihua (he/him)

Teen Urban Forester

My name is Yael Yopihua, and I attend Eastside College Preparatory School. I joined the program because I think it’s important for our community to have an environment where life can grow. Hobbies of mine include listening to music and playing soccer.