Belén Bernal, Executive Director
Belén Bernal is the Executive Director of Nature for All. She comes to the organization with 20 years of experience in nonprofit and public management sectors. Belén’s career has been dedicated to programs that increase access to legal services, housing, workforce development and social services; and most recently, access to the outdoors. Concurrently, Belén spent eleven years in elected office, where she served as South Gate’s Mayor, Councilwoman and City Treasurer, and where she had an active role in shaping policies that impacted the quality of life of her community. As Nature for All’s Executive Director, Belén is guided by her values of equity, justice and inclusion, which inform the programs implemented as a team. A native of Southern California, Belén was raised in Southeast Los Angeles. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and her MBA from CSU Long Beach.
Azeneth Martinez, Coalition Coordinator
Azeneth Martinez is a native of Pacoima whose favorite park is Sheldon Arleta Park in Sun Valley. She enjoys journaling when out in nature “as a way to get in touch with myself and envision my dreams.” “I am excited to work with Nature for All because I envision a more equitable future that includes kindness and compassion for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices. I believe that when our communities have access to the proper tools and mentorship, they can not only survive, but thrive.”
Omar Gomez, Program Manager Omar Gomez joined Nature For All after serving as the coalition chair. Previously, he worked for the Council of Mexican Federation (COFEM) for 10 years as the Director of Programs and Public Policy, where coordinated the Community Networks program and was the designer of the Civic Promoters Organizing Model that has trained more than 800 community leaders in southern California. He studied Political Science at California State University of Northridge (CSUN) and has more than 17 years of experience organizing the Latino Community in California.
Araceli Hernandez, Program Manager
Araceli Hernandez is passionate about environmental justice and creating equitable access to nature. She is especially focused on creating access to nature, within her community in the San Fernando Valley. This led her to founding 818hikes, a zine focused on trails that are accessible by bus that later led to a Social Justice-focused hiking group. Araceli is a graduate of the 11th cohort of the Nature for All Leadership Academy. After graduating from the Leadership Academy, Araceli received an internship with the Kern River Ranger District in Sequoia National Forest, and then the Angeles National Forest, Supervisor’s Office. Araceli has her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Cal State LA (GO Golden Eagles!). Araceli leads our Leadership Academy Program and our Community Transit Program, among other roles.
Bryan Matsumoto, Program Manager
Bryan Matsumoto is dedicated to connecting our communities to the bountiful nature surrounding Los Angeles, providing the deep experiences that create life-long advocates for environmental justice, outdoor equity, mental health and public lands. As Project Manager, he leads development of the Los Angeles-San Gabriel Mountains Urban Shuttle System to build LA’s first transit-to-trails bus system to the mountains, while also increasing sustainable visitor education to “Recreate with Respect.” Bryan is also Project Manager of the Fish Canyon Trail Restoration and Access Planning project in collaboration with the City of Duarte, to rebuild the beloved trail burnt in 2016. He is the Transportation Access Ad hoc Committee Chair and Steering Committee member of the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative, and also represents Nature for All’s efforts to increase multi-benefit urban green spaces in underresourced communities, as an Alternate on the LA County Safe Clean Water Program, Rio Hondo Watershed Area Steering Committee. Bryan previously led Nature for All’s San Gabriel Valley Leadership Development Program, which includes community workshops on park equity, sustainability, water/green infrastructure, public lands and watershed tours. He also was lead organizer of the All Aboard for Nature! Public Lands Day L.A. event. Bryan got his start in Nature for All through our Leadership Academy (Cohort 10!) and remains active in our Stewards group engaging our graduates and the public in stewardship programming, including our Wild LA Wednesday Book Club online series. Bryan has a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, a B.A. in Design | Media Arts from UCLA, and worked 10 years in public landscape architecture, park design and community outreach across LA County with Withers & Sandgren Landscape Architecture and BlueGreen Consulting. Bryan is a volunteer leader in Great Outdoors Los Angeles, a gay hiking/camping organization, and plays with Bombu Taiko, a Japanese drumming group.
Brenda Kyle, Program Manager
Steven Ochoa, Program Manager
Julio Soria, Program Manager