Dana has been a dedicated educator in the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District for over 20 years and the visionary behind Refugia Marin. Her passion for observing and sharing the wonders of the natural world led her to transform the Hawks' Garden into a thriving native habitat and hands-on learning space for K-5 classrooms. With a commitment to environmental education, Dana partnered with the community to cultivate the garden, inspiring over 500 students and staff members to engage with this vital ecosystem. Her innovative work earned her national recognition as a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. Through Refugia Marin, a non-profit dedicated to transforming neglected public spaces into habitats of refuge for both wildlife and humans, Dana continues to promote the use of native plants, create wildlife habitats, and enrich student learning in the pursuit of environmental awareness.