Victoria in Washington D.C.

Hello future friends and community! My name is Victoria Ortiz and I will be serving as ESLT’s 2012 AmeriCorps member and Education Coordinator. This morning I went for a run during which I reveled in how lucky I am to be living in paradise. For the last couple winters I have worked as a ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain and have fallen in love with the clean air and active lifestyle in this special region of the world.

The spectacular view of the snow tipped Sierra from my desk has captivated me and eased me through the transition to a “real job.” Hailing from Bishop’s downstream neighbor Los Angeles, I obtained a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2009 I studied abroad in Santiago de Chile where I learned to speak Spanish fluently and how to travel on less than $10 a day. I explored South America for another 4 months marveling at bucket list wonders such as Patagonia’s Torres del Paine, Machu Picchu, Bolivia’s salt flats, and Carnival in Rio de Janiero. The viajera, or nomadic lifestyle worked its way into my soul and since graduating in 2010, home has been wherever my backpack is that day.

Working with local students in Tortuguero, Costa Rica

I am excited to join the ESLT team in preserving this incredible region while learning more about easements and sharing their importance to conservation efforts. In the upcoming year I’m hoping to gain knowledge about how to run a community non-profit and how to plan and successfully implement events. I am very open to suggestions and would love feedback so please don’t be shy to call, stop by the office, or better yet, join us in the field throughout the year.

My to-do list while I’m not saving the Eastern Sierra with my superstar ESLT team includes hiking Mt. Whitney, exploring the Bristlecone Pine forest, and climbing in Yosemite. I cannot wait to meet everyone and thank you for the warm welcome I continue to receive.

Kindest Regards,

Victoria Ortiz