Jorge Bogantes Montero is a Natural Resources Specialist at the Anacostia Watershed Society in Bladensburg, MD. He leads ecological restoration efforts on public parklands in the Anacostia River watershed, including wetland restoration, tree plantings, meadow creation, SAV propagation, mussel propagation, wildlife monitoring, and invasive plant management.

Mr. Bogantes Montero earned his Bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Management and Protection at the Universidad Estatal a Distancia in San Jose, Costa Rica, his native country. Before moving to the U.S., Jorge worked in Costa Rica on tropical biodiversity conservation. 

As Manager of Virtual Programs at Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS) and Co-Chair of Naturally Latinos, Serenella Linares is dedicated to sparking curiosity about nature and inspiring nature stewardship through environmental education. Serenella is known around ANS for being an expert in two things: making learning fun (for children and adults) and mycology (mushroom knowledge).   

Serenella Linares has been working with ANS since 2015 and was recently promoted to Virtual Programs Manager. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Linares developed a series of virtual programs that included bilingual videos that could be used as educational tools for both English and Spanish speakers simultaneously. Serenella also manages the Naturalist Hour talks series, in which experts and nature enthusiasts come together to learn and stay connected online. Her previous work at ANS includes collaborating with schools to deliver curriculum-based environmental education programs, establishing field trip scholarships for title one schools and Spanish speaking children at ANS, and teaching nature-themed summer camps. 

Prior to joining ANS, Ms. Linares worked as an assistant park naturalist with the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation from 2011-2016 at an urban nature center serving predominantly African-American and Hispanic communities. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Universidad Metropolitana de Puerto Rico, a Master’s degree in atmospheric science from Howard University, and graduate training in mycology from University of Maryland. When Ms. Linares is not teaching, she explores urban natural areas, photographs plants, insects, and fungi, and participates in citizen science projects. 

Alonso Abugattas has worked as a professional naturalist and environmental interpreter in several jurisdictions, including Alexandria, Fairfax, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and finally in Arlington, where he served as the acting director for Long Branch Nature Center, later becoming the Natural Resources Manager for Arlington County.

He’s an instructor for five master naturalist chapters, teaching classes in Maryland and Virginia, and made a master naturalist for his role in starting two chapters. He’s a former officer holding various positions in the Virginia Native Plant Society, including president of the Potowmack Chapter. A member of the identification team for the Virginia Herpetological Society, he wrote a natural history and identification book, The Reptiles and Amphibians of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. The Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families awarded Alonso a “Connect With Kids’ Champion”.

Longtime Co-Chair of the Beltway Chapter of the National Association for Interpretation (the professional organization for naturalists and others who interpret resources), Alonso is a Certified Heritage Interpreter, receiving regional and national awards, including the Regional Interpretive Manager of the Year and the national Master Interpretive Manager. 

As The Capital Naturalist on social media, Alonso shares his insights, on the natural world. Some of the wonders of the natural world found right around the Washington, DC Metropolitan area are explored using his own photography and life-long experiences. He was awarded the Thomas Say Interpretive Media Award for his social media outlets: Capital Naturalist Blog, Capital Naturalist YouTube Channel, Capital Naturalist Facebook Group, and @CapNaturalist on Twitter.  

Alonso is also the Co-Chair for the Beltway Chapter of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), the professional organization for naturalists, historians, and others who interpret resources. Through NAI, Alonso is a Certified Heritage Interpreter and has received regional and national awards, including the Regional Interpretive Manager of the Year and the national Master Interpretive Manager both in 2018. He is also the Co-Chair for the Beltway Chapter of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), the professional organization for naturalists, historians, and others who interpret resources.  

Appointed in October 2014, Natali Fani-González is the Vice-Chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board and the first Latinx and first millennial to serve on the five-member Board. Since her appointment, Natali has made significant contributions to the Board, Planning Department and Department of Parks to engage diverse communities. She has been involved with several planning efforts, including the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan, 2016 Subdivision Staging Policy, Montgomery Village Master Plan, Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan, Veirs Mills Corridor Master Plan and Bicycle Master Plan. In April 2018, she participated in the national conference of the American Planning Association on a panel about public outreach for hard-to-reach audiences and has been a speaker at several regional planning events.

Her passion for community advocacy has prompted Natali Fani-González to speak about civil rights and economic justice on noteworthy occasions such as the 40th Anniversary of the March on Washington. She has been the recipient of several prestigious awards: Washingtonian Magazine honored Natali as one of the “40 Under 40” Changemakers in the Washington D.C. Region and then named her as a “Woman to Watch.”  In 2017, the DC metro area’s largest Spanish language newspaper, El Tiempo Latino, recognized Natali Fani-González as one of the 100 most influential individuals for the DC Hispanic community. She received the Montgomery Women’s Rising Star Award.

Natali Fani-González is a member of the Transition Team for Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and a member of the “More Affordable and Welcoming County” committee. Natali was Vice-Chair of the Transition Team for former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker III.

While on the Planning Board, Natali is a Public Engagement executive leading impactful grassroots efforts and multimillion-dollar campaigns across the nation. Natali graduated from Goucher College and completed professional studies at Georgetown University. She lives with her husband and children in Wheaton.

José G. González is the Founder and Director Emeritus of Latino Outdoors. He is an experienced educator as a K-12 public education teacher, environmental education advisor, outdoor education instructor and coordinator, and university adjunct faculty. As a Partner in The Avarna Group and through his own consulting, his work focuses on Equity & Inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. He is also an illustrator and science communicator.

His commentary on diversity and environmental/outdoor equity has been featured by High Country News, Outside Magazine, Earth Island Journal, and Latino USA, among others. He engaged in collaborations with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Interior, and the National Park Service during the Obama Administration. He also represented Latino Outdoors in several coalitions including the Latino Conservation Alliance, the Next 100 Coalition, and California Parks Now. He has been recognized with several honors, including the National Wildlife Federation Environmental Educator Award, Grist Magazine “Grist 50”, and The Murie Center Spirit of the Muries, among others. You may have also seen him in various outdoor spaces or read his poetic musings.

He received his B.A at the University of California, Davis, and his M.S at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment. His teaching coursework was at the Bilingual, Multicultural, Education Department at Sacramento State.

He serves as a Trustee for the National Outdoor Leadership School, a Trustee for the National Recreation Foundation, Resource Media Board Director, Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project Board Director, Councilor for Save the Redwoods League, and as an advisor to Blue Sky Funders Forum, among other such leadership volunteer roles.