Who We Are

Meet Our Team

Neal Fox, Executive Director

Sierra STEM was launched in 2021 by Dr. Neal Fox (he/him), an interdisciplinary STEM educator, mentor, and researcher and an avid outdoorsman living in California’s Sierra Nevada east of Yosemite National Park.

Neal has spent hundreds of nights under the stars, including some three months on the Appalachian Trail, thousands of miles of hiking west of America’s Continental Divide, and backpacking trips around the world. He is passionate about introducing people of all ages to camping, backpacking, and other outdoor adventures.

As a high school educator, “Dr. Fox” designed unique courses centered around inquiry-based, experiential learning including: Evolution, Genetics, & Ecology; Data Analytics; Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology; and Advanced Topics in Biology. In the classroom, Dr. Fox was known for designing immersive weeks-long labs and projects that engaged students in creative project-based learning experiences.

Before becoming a high school teacher, Neal spent a decade doing research and teaching in academia. His scientific research focused on computational, neurobiological, and cognitive models of human speech perception and production. He earned his B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of Virginia, his M.S. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from Brown University, and was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. His research and training were funded by fellowships from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Brown Institute for Brain Science.

Neal lives and hikes with his wife, three kids, and cattle dog-retriever mix (Ginny!) in June Lake, CA.

Claire Landowski, Operations Director

Claire Landowski (she/her) joined Sierra STEM as Operations Director in 2024. She has been picking up pretty rocks in the mountains and rivers of the western United States for as long as she can remember.

As a budding geologist at the University of Arizona, an undergraduate research trip to Antarctica sparked Claire’s interest in glaciology. During her MS in Geology at the University of Wyoming, Claire worked to understand the mechanics of glaciers and how they move in her thesis, entitled Glacial Hydrology and Geochemistry of Meltwaters of the West Greenland Ice Sheet.

Since graduating, Claire’s work has focused heavily on science communication, including seven years with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Science Publishing Network and writing scripts for the popular YouTube channel SciShow. Pivoting to the nonprofit sphere in 2020, she served as the Office Director at the Mono Lake Committee for three years.

Claire brings a wealth of skills in project logistics and organizational administration, as well as science and education in the outdoors. When she’s not planning programs or managing office administration for Sierra STEM, you’ll likely find Claire outside – backpacking, riding bikes, hiking, or camping – with her husband, John, and their two dogs, Hank and Ruby.

Lauren Johnson, Environmental Education Program Facilitator

Lauren (she/her) is thrilled to be one of the Environmental Educators for Sierra STEM this summer. Originally from Washington, Lauren grew up in the Pacific Northwest and fell in love with the outdoors. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, last June, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus in ecology and conservation. She has spent the past year doing several different seasonal jobs, including working as a farmhand at a reindeer sanctuary in central Washington, doing marine mammal rehabilitation in Seattle, and working as a naturalist on a whale watching boat in Maui. Through these experiences, she found immense fulfillment in environmental education. Lauren is so excited to be starting this next chapter at Sierra STEM in the beautiful Eastern Sierra.

Rose Nelson, Environmental Education Program Facilitator

Rose (she/her) has many passions, but two near the top of her list are outdoor education and reveling in the beauty of the Eastern Sierra. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and worked in various research positions until she found her calling within the environmental education world. She worked as a naturalist interpreter for California State Parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains and then moved to Lee Vining in 2017 to work for the Mono Lake Committee, eventually becoming their Education Director. She has spent the past two years bicycling across South America and living in Germany with her husband. She is elated to be back in the Eastern Sierra and working for Sierra STEM.

Program Facilitators

In addition to our permanent staff, Sierra STEM hires skilled outdoor educators to help lead our programs. We have a diverse team of expert facilitators who work with us year after year, and we also occasionally recruit new program facilitators through our job postings.

Everyone who works for Sierra STEM has in common a passion for working with kids, a love of the natural world, experience in STEM fields, and a strong set of wilderness skills. We are proud that partner organizations, parents, and participants praise our facilitators as kind, thoughtful, capable leaders.

All facilitators are thoroughly trained on the curriculum for each particular program, and each person brings their own perspectives and expertise that enrich and add value to the experience for students. Every program facilitator is also trained on our extensive Risk Management philosophy, practices, and emergency response protocols, and lead backcountry facilitators are also certified in wilderness medicine.

Meet Our Board of Directors

Sierra STEM’s volunteer Board of Directors is charged with guiding the overall direction and long-term financial planning of our nonprofit organization so that we can fulfill our mission for many years to come.

Our Board’s membership combines deep expertise and diverse experience in schools (public and independent, as well as colleges and universities), outdoor education and enrichment programming, STEM fields, environmental stewardship, accounting and finance, legal fields and risk management, marketing and communications, fundraising and grant-writing, government and public policy, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership. We also ensure that our Board has geographic diversity, with members hailing from both our local community and throughout California and the United States.

  • Dr. Neal Fox, Ph.D., President and Executive Director

    Neal founded Sierra STEM in 2021 with the goal of offering experiential learning and community building programs for students of all ages. With a background in neuroscience, professional work as a high school teacher, and a wealth of experience in the outdoors, he brings a broad skill set and clear vision to the everyday operation of Sierra STEM.

  • Emily Fox, J.D., Secretary

    Emily is Assistant County Counsel for our local municipality, Mono County, and has additional professional experience as a contract lawyer and litigator. She provides critical advice on legal, procedural, and policy decisions that affect Sierra STEM while also helping keep the Board of Directors organized and focused.

  • John Buttram, Treasurer

    John is an engineer and founder of Tandem Building Solutions in Kansas City and has additional professional experience as a digital product developer. Always ready to think critically and creatively, John brings to Sierra STEM invaluable skill sets in process efficiency, organization, and logistics planning.

  • Aaron Whitmore

    Aaron is the owner of Little, Molligan & Whitmore, LLC, an educational consulting firm in the Bay Area. As a student advisor with a background in teaching and coaching, he provides guidance on school outreach and partnership development, while also supporting the growth of Sierra STEM’s new programs and curriculum.

  • Kelsey Mooney

    Kelsey is a forestry program manager for the Sierra Nevada Alliance and has a background in environmental science and outdoor education. With a knack for resourcefulness and boundless motivation, Kelsey provides critical support to our fundraising and grant writing efforts.

  • Melissa Renda

    Melissa is a former technology marketing executive and an experienced nonprofit leader in Southern California who is currently pursuing an advanced certification in nonprofit accounting. Her wisdom is critical as we build and grow our financial management systems, bookkeeping procedures, and fundraising capacity.

  • Missy Larsen

    Missy is a local nonprofit superhero, having served on the boards of multiple organizations that support Mono County art programs, youth services, and civic functions. With a professional background in pediatric physical therapy, she provides important insight and sage advice on an enormous range of topics around our logistics, outreach, and short- and long-term planning.

  • Paul McFarland

    Paul is currently serving as Mono County Supervisor for our local district, and has a storied history of starting successful nonprofits and leading local organizations. He offers a depth of experience in public policy and community engagement, not to mention nonprofit operations and administration.