Brenda Miller began her position at the River Park in January 2014. Her previous experience has been a Business Manager of an import auto dealership, office manager of an independent auto repair facility and customer service for an online shopping rewards mall. She loves assisting staff with all projects and helping the Park visitors learn about the Park and the Coast to Crest Trail. Her goal is to hike and experience all of the trails in the Park. In her spare time she enjoys her grandchildren, volunteering for the Sons of Norway, Viking Festival, holiday bazaars, bowling, and watching live theater.

Shawna has been with the JPA since March 2000 and, as the Principal Planner for the JPA, is responsible for planning and permitting trails and facilities throughout the Park. Working with the other Park staff, she routes and designs trail segments, coordinates with JPA member agencies and obtains all permits/approvals to build park projects, writes and manages project grants, and prepares reports and studies for planned park projects, habitat restoration projects, and other park proposals. Her expertise in local, state, and federal resource regulations and their application enables the JPA to efficiently implement restoration and recreation projects while minimizing impacts to park resources. Before joining the JPA, Shawna managed a variety of environmental and land use projects while at private environmental consulting firms in San Diego. Shawna has a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning (Cal Poly Pomona) and a master’s degree in Geography from SDSU. She is married and has two teenage children. Her goal is to complete the Coast to Crest Trail and to continue implementing other projects important to the San Dieguito River Park. It is satisfying to see the outcome of all this hard work as a public benefit enjoyed by so many and the importance of this open space greenway treasure – the San Dieguito River Valley.

Jason has been with the JPA since August 1996. He oversees the SDRP Recreation programs at Lake Hodges, San Pasqual Valley, and at the Coast including setting maintenance standards, coordinating large projects, and providing quality control. He designs and constructs new trail projects and staging areas through working with Park staff, volunteers, contractors, and conservation crews. Jason is responsible for Habitat Management Plan implementation and monitoring. He analyzes recreation and conservation issues throughout the Focused Planning Area and writes reports and recommendations. He monitors operational budgets and Park resources. His knowledge of local land issues and regulations, natural and cultural resources, erosion control, trail construction, and habitat restoration benefits SDRP in the planning, management, and implementation of projects that are located in sensitive environments.

Before joining SDRP, Jason worked at the City of San Diego as a Lake Ranger, City of Escondido as a Lake Aid, and at Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation as a Park Aid. Jason also volunteered at Mission Trails Regional Park. He has a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University. In 1999, Jason completed the respected California State Parks Advanced Trail Maintenance and Management Program. Since 1997, he has been certified by California Department of Pesticide Regulation to apply herbicides and currently holds a Qualified Applicators License. He is the principal scientific investigator for the Park’s Scientific Collection Permit issued by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Jason is a third generation San Diegan and focused on the conservation of the natural history and culture of the region.

Leana has been with the Park since 2010. Before joining the Park, she studied tropical ecology in Costa Rica and then transferred to the University of California, Santa Cruz where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Conservation Biology. While in college, she worked with the U.S. Forest Service as a Lead Biological Technician, Interpretive Specialist and a Wildland Firefighter. After graduating, she moved back to San Diego and worked with the Soil Ecology and Restoration Group and San Diego Conservation Resources Network as a Project Manager. She also continued to work for the Monarch Program as the Assistant Director. She is still on the board of directors for the Monarch Program, which she has been involved with since 1996. She had been working in the Park conducting non-native removal prior to her hire, which gave her a deeper understanding of the Park’s unique ecosystem. During her time with the Park she has worked with thousands of students, volunteers and the community developing numerous programs. She feels so grateful to be able to protect and educate about the Park she grew up in. She believes it is through understanding and appreciation we can save one of the remaining treasures in San Diego, the San Dieguito River Park.

He has been with the SDRP since 1999, was promoted to Senior Park Ranger in 2006, and has been Trails Manager since 2018. He has a degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Palomar College and has dedicated many years of his life studying the impacts that users have on trail systems and the surrounding environment. His continuing goal at the park is to provide a wonderful place to experience nature while preserving it for generations to come. In his spare time he is an avid mountain biker, hiker and rock climber.

Jake was brought on by the River Park to help recover from the 2007 wildfires and has since been a part of restoring hundreds of acres of native landscape and building several miles of the Coast to Crest Trail. He has a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource and Wildlife Management and loves using this field of education every day at work. He’s a kinesthetic learner and enjoys getting his hands dirty installing plants or becoming blistered through woodworking. He hopes to create valuable habitat for our local wildlife and the viewing pleasure of the Park patrons that will be seen for many years to come. While not exploring the backcountry of San Diego, he enjoys playing guitar, camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, and building ukuleles.

Bryan has worked for the San Dieguito River Park since August 2010. He has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Chemistry from UC San Diego, which comes in handy during the monthly water quality monitoring at the San Dieguito Lagoon Urban Runoff Treatment Ponds. He has always enjoyed hiking and exploring the outdoors, but it wasn’t until after working as an intern at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that he realized he wanted to be a Park Ranger. He enjoys learning and sharing his knowledge about the natural environment during ranger-led walks and volunteer events. In his free time, he likes to go geocaching, and sometimes he gets to geocache while on the job.

Felipe has been a Park Ranger with the River Park family since July of 2013. His work experience includes being the son of a Carpenter/Handy Man, working as a lifeguard at a water feature park, and working for the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation for 7 years in the central coast district. His goals and motivations at the River Park are to continue to repair and build the Coast to Crest Trail, building rapport with patrons and our surrounding neighbors, and to provide great stewardship and excellent public service. His hobbies are surfing, playing sports, watching movies, and spending time with his family.

Hilary started working with the Park in January 2017. She holds a degree in Environmental Science from Point Loma Nazarene University and is currently working on obtaining a GIS certificate from UCSD Extension. After graduating from PLNU, she spent a summer guiding ocean kayak tours at the La Jolla Ecological Reserve, then moved up to Orange County to work for the Environmental Nature Center, where she managed the nature center’s native plant communities, worked with volunteers, and taught environmental education programs for two and a half years. In early 2016, Hilary furthered her love for California’s native plants and found an interest in habitat restoration while taking a Habitat Restoration and Volunteer Management training course in the Cleveland National Forest with Back to Natives Restoration. As a park ranger at SDRP, she hopes to help continue the park’s efforts to restore valuable wildlife habitat, maintain trails, educate the public, and learn as much as she can about land management and conservation.

In her free time Hilary enjoys hiking, trail running, camping, watching wildlife, and identifying Southern California’s native plants.

Brian joined San Dieguito River Park in March 2019. He has a background in Environmental Studies and Marketing. He spent 2 years working with California State Parks as a Senior Park Aide where his primary responsibilities were Visitor Services and Code Enforcement. Brian is looking forward to expanding his knowledge of the natural environment, building relationships, public safety, and helping others. In his spare time he enjoys surfing, golfing, backpacking, fly-fishing, and spending time outdoors on an adventure with friends.