Staff Spotlight: Mel Sarmento
Meet Mel Sarmento! Through her position as the Open Space Authority’s Educational Program Administrator, Mel combines her passions to plan free, environmentally-focused educational programming for all community members throughout Santa Clara Valley to help connect them with nature and empower them to access their open spaces.
Mel, who was born and raised in San Jose, is a student of the world. As someone who enjoys education and consistently learning, Mel immerses herself in various hobbies and passions including meditation, journaling, wildlife, the outdoors, writing, art and macrame. In fact, Mel is so passionate about her hobbies and self-care that she intentionally makes room for them each and every day. “I wake up at 4 a.m. every morning, but it is my most precious gift to myself,” Mel shared. During the early hours of the morning, Mel can be found engaging in one of her hobbies or taking a class on an interesting and new-to-her topic. And, once her morning routine is complete, Mel gets going on her other passion: her work.
My passion is connecting people with the outdoors, especially those who experience barriers to do so. I love working with groups who have special needs and English learners.
In particular, Mel loves challenging herself to get community members interested in nature who may not picture themselves as outdoorsy people. “Bringing people outdoors and experiencing nature together is a feeling you cannot articulate,” she said. Mel also has a soft spot for school programs because of their ability to demonstrate how learning can be fun and exciting, especially for youth who have the opportunity to experience the educational content in action.
Mel’s devotion to education first began during her time in college and continued after graduation.
After graduating from San Jose State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies, Mel started her professional career at the Youth Science Institute where she coordinated the Wildlife Festival, developed programs, organized events, managed the Alum Rock Park visitor center and oversaw the volunteer and animal care programs.
Eventually, she transitioned to an Education Program Associate role at the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy (GRPC) where she was tasked with creating educational and fun experiences for community members, oversaw the field trip curricula and provided hands-on teaching moments. As she grew within her professional career, Mel was promoted to become GRPC’s Education Program Manager, a role through which she more intimately worked on grants for the organization’s programs.
Later, Mel was promoted and became the first-ever Program Director at GRPC, a role through which she oversaw both the Education and Volunteer departments. This invaluable experience provided Mel with the opportunity to work with both people who were giving back to their community and continue planning programs. Her ultimate goal was to become an employee at the Open Space Authority, so when the Educational Program Coordinator role became available, Mel knew she had to apply.
When I was offered the role, it was profoundly meaningful for me. It wasn’t just a job, it was what I had been working toward for more than a decade. It is such an honor to be part of the team and finally doing the work I have admired from afar for so long.
Since Mel joined the team in November, she has jumped right into creating fun and educational programs for the community.
“I love seeing all the educational resources we have, looking through past programs, getting to know the preserves and properties and chatting with our amazing team,” Mel shared. As she continues her journey as an Open Space Authority team member, Mel is looking forward to the endless possibilities that come with environmental education and bringing new knowledge and nature to residents.
As she continues her journey as an Open Space Authority team member, Mel is looking forward to the endless possibilities that come with environmental education and bringing new knowledge and nature to residents.
Essentially, our team finds ways to remind people that they have a chance to develop an intimate, meaningful connection with the environment that is theirs alone – and we’re simply offering the opportunities to do so.
As Mel dives deeper into educational programming at the Open Space Authority, she looks forward to expanding upon current offerings and building relationships within the community.
Mel hopes to prioritize the needs of the agency’s constituents and provide them with the best possible nature experiences. The Open Space Authority is excited to have Mel on board as she contributes her knowledge, perspectives and experience and continues to develop her career!