Role Model Spotlight: Elizabeth Villano
Elizabeth Villano
Park Ranger
Meet Elizabeth, she is a park ranger in Muir Woods. Although her early childhood in the suburbs of Chicago didn’t include much time in nature, once she got the opportunity to explore national parks and the outdoors, she never turned back!
Her job includes habitat restoration and ecosystem services, as well as giving tours to park visitors to teach them about the natural world. She went to Brandeis University and studied public health, where she made the connection between public health and the health of nature.
She views forests through a community perspective, how we help it, and how it helps us. Elizabeth wants to break the stereotype that women aren’t park rangers, citing that her entire boss-ranking is female!
Her favorite part about being a park ranger is witnessing the delicate balance of nature and how harmonious it is, and then telling people about it. She gets to be the bridge for science: showing people how science is acting at the moment in nature they’re viewing.
Listen to Elizabeth’s interview at The Energy Coalition
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