Tara Fuad, Executive Director

Tara joined San Diego Children and Nature (SDCaN) in 2021 and serves as SDCaN’s first Executive Director. In this role, she collaborates with SDCaN’s Board of Directors, school districts, recreation centers, libraries, nonprofits, and families to increase meaningful outdoor experiences for children and communities throughout the region.

In partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education, Tara helped spearhead an environmental literacy “Moving Instruction Outdoors” teacher training program that has reached dozens of teachers across multiple school districts. She has also secured funding to install native plant gardens on school campuses, increasing access to nature at schools that were predominantly hardscape.
Prior to joining SDCaN, Tara served as Education Director at Nature Collective, where she helped establish a robust, multi-year environmental education program for the Escondido Union School District and other nonprofit organizations.

A collaborator by nature, Tara currently co-chairs the San Diego Environmental Educator Leaders Network, which provides professional learning and networking opportunities for formal and informal environmental educators throughout San Diego.

Debi Iannizzotto, Program Specialist/Trainer

After serving in an advisory role with SDCaN since 2021, Debi joined the SDCaN team in early 2023. An experienced educator, outdoor enthusiast, and nature journaler, Debi leads SDCaN’s popular nature journaling club and supports and facilitates teacher workshops.

During her years as a classroom teacher, Debi was committed to providing meaningful outdoor experiences for her students. As a trainer for SDCaN, she draws on this experience to inspire teachers to incorporate outdoor and schoolyard learning into their classrooms and uses these experiences to support learning across multiple disciplines.

Debi holds a multi-subject teaching credential from the University of Colorado and an M.A. in Teaching Inquiry from Miami University.

Shelley Glenn Lee, President

Shelley serves as School Director at High Tech Elementary North County and is dedicated to providing hands-on, outdoor learning opportunities for her students. A San Diego native, she has spent more than 25 years connecting people with the biodiversity of the region through her work with organizations including the San Diego Natural History Museum, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and UC San Diego.

Shelley holds a B.A. in Biology, a master’s degree in Education, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership. She brings extensive experience in curriculum development, instructional design, and teacher professional development to her work with SDCaN.

Shelley served two terms on the Board of Directors of the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy as Education Chair and was a member of the Escondido Creek Conservancy’s Education Advisory Board.

Debra Weiner, Treasurer

After a successful career in finance and accounting, Debra became actively engaged in her community, volunteering with an organization focused on food security before joining the Board of SDCaN as Treasurer. When Debra moved to San Diego from Washington, D.C., in 1995, she quickly embraced the Southern California lifestyle of spending time outdoors and connecting with nature year-round.

Her background in finance and her love of the outdoors made her a natural fit for SDCaN’s Board. In addition to serving as Treasurer, Debra coordinates SDCaN’s popular Check Out Nature Backpack Program, helping families discover and explore the region’s natural spaces.

Debra enjoys year-round recreational biking, hiking, and beach walks.

Amy Whitehouse, Secretary

Amy has been part of San Diego’s environmental education community since moving to the region in 2016 and joined the SDCaN Board in 2023. As a Senior Program Manager at San Diego Community Power, Amy oversees energy efficiency programs that help deliver clean energy benefits to communities throughout the region.

Prior to joining San Diego Community Power, Amy worked as a Project Manager at The Energy Coalition. Before that, she worked as a naturalist and program instructor, where she gained experience in curriculum development and implementation. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sociology and a certificate in Sustainability & Behavior Change from UC San Diego Extension.

In her spare time, Amy enjoys exploring all that the region has to offer, rom camping in the local desert and backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail to biking through San Diego’s canyons.

Judy Osman

Judy is an experienced educator and naturalist committed to providing meaningful outdoor learning experiences for children. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and spent nearly a decade teaching mathematics in secondary schools before discovering her passion for nature through the Wilderness Awareness School program in western Washington.

Judy is passionate about sharing the wonder and abundance of the natural world with others. She loves hiking, camping, and backpacking with her young son, and they are both avid birders. For Judy, the more time spent outdoors, the better!

Judie Lincer

Judie has worked as a classroom teacher with students from preschool through high school and is currently a Naturalist Educator with the San Diego Bird Alliance. In this capacity, she inspires others to connect with nature by leading school groups into nearby natural spaces for exploration, learning, and fun!

Previously, Judie taught SDCaN nature education programs with a focus on empowering teachers to use the outdoors to engage children across disciplines and foster an appreciation for and understanding of the natural environment.

A California native plant enthusiast, Judie understands the many benefits of connecting with nature and has transformed her own backyard into a wildlife sanctuary, including converting her swimming pool into a pond. Judie also serves as a board member of the San Diego River Park Foundation.

Mary Zanotelli

Mary has been connecting children with nature as an environmental educator for more than 35 years. As Director of Tecolote Nature Center, she uses inquiry-based learning and interactive exhibits to introduce children and their families to the natural world and inspire curiosity and wonder.

Throughout her career, Mary has created and implemented environmental education curricula for organizations including Innovations Academy, the San Diego Natural History Museum, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Earth Discovery Institute, EarthLab, Friends of Rose Canyon, and other nonprofit organizations and nature centers throughout San Diego and Wisconsin. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide with the National Association for Interpretation.

Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and is a published writer and photographer. She is currently working on a children’s book series.