KALLI MARTINEZ - SAMO FUND EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

If you ever get lost wandering in the mountains, Kalli Martinez is an excellent person to have with you. She is a graduate of the SAMO Youth program and has been involved in SAMO Fund ever since. She has spent so much time in the Santa Monica Mountains that she swears she knows them like the back of her hand. 

"This program has shaped me in ways that I could have never imagined and given me opportunities I never thought possible” 

During her time at SAMO Youth, working on habitat restoration and trails, she came to appreciate how vital native plants are to the mountains and how important National Parks are to both urban areas and open spaces. Kalli valued the teamwork and community of like-minded individuals she found within SAMO Youth and took the opportunity to network, finding other internships and volunteer opportunities to further her interests. 

"I've created relationships and bonds with people in this park that I consider my SAMO Family (SAMO-ly)," I've fallen in love with the work I get to do and I know that my work makes a difference for the park, for visitors, for the environment, and for myself."

At the end of her two months in SAMO Youth, Kalli continued working with SAMO and the National Park Service, surveying raptor and squirrel populations. She then was invited to come back as a SAMO Youth supervisor, learning to be a leader and teacher. She has also worked on the Roads and Trails Crew, as well as joined the Special Park Uses (SPU) team in 2022, where she now works as a Generalist Ranger. 

"I've been so fortunate to explore so many careers within the National Park Service that I don't think I would have been able to learn about at other parks or jobs," said Kalli. 

During all this, Kalli also managed to graduate from California State University, Channel Islands, with a BS in Environmental Science and Resource Management! Congratulations, Kalli!