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Our Team
Meet the team behind Nurture Natives, a group of young leaders and advisors working at the intersection of environmental advocacy and innovation. We share a goal of helping native biodiversity thrive, especially among young people. As Nurture Natives continues to grow, we are looking to grow our team nationally. If you or someone you know is between 15 and 24 and cares about native species and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply to join our team!
Our Founder & Executive Director
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Esther Bonney, 19, is a globally recognized youth activist advancing the intersection of mental health and environmental stewardship. Since 2022, she has led the growth of Nurture Natives into one of the most impactful youth-led environmental nonprofits in the United States.
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An experienced speaker, Esther has shared her work on stages across the country, including her 2024 TEDx talk, “Have We Become Strangers to Our Own Nature?” She is a student at the University of Maryland, College Park, studying Environmental Science & Policy, and serves in leadership roles with the National 4-H Council, Wild Ones, and the Aspen Institute’s Center for Rising Generations Youth Advisory Council.
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Her work has earned national recognition, including the President’s Environmental Youth Award, the National 4-H Youth in Action Award, and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes.
Outreach Coordinator
Andrew Heffner
Andrew is a native plant advocate and emerging leader in community-based restoration with a passion for reimaging American landscapes. As a student at the University of Maryland, Andrew’s work focuses on educating and engaging students with native plants to not only promote sustainability on campus, but to rekindle people’s connection to and respect for nature. Andrew has led projects ranging from garden installations to native plant research, always with an emphasis on community engagement and stewardship. He envisions a future where people view their landscape not as sterile decoration, but as a living extension of themselves and their ecosystem. Andrew’s ultimate goal is to foster communities where ecological stewardship is accessible, sustainable, and joyful.
Blog Manager & Podcast Host
Ritika Chaudhary
Ritika is a senior at St. Paul's School in Uttar Pradesh, India. She studies Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Science and cares deeply about creating a healthier and safer environment for people. A passionate climate activist, she enjoys using her talents in writing and communication to inspire positive change. Ritika believes that when we transform our environment, we transform individuals, and when we transform individuals, we transform the world. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and short stories, spending time with family and friends, and being outdoors.
Lead Mentor & Project Advisor
Marlene Smith
Marlene Smith, founding member and President of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, has been a southern Maryland native since the age of 13. She is a certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, a University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener since 2015, a Bay-Wise Master Gardener, and Xerces Ambassador. Marlene is one of the founders of the Facebook group Southern Maryland Native Plant People.
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As a UME Master Gardener, Marlene collaborates with fellow master gardeners on presentations and workshops on native seed collecting and winter sowing. She is also a mentor for Nurture Natives, a youth-led organization dedicated to empowering youth through environmental initiatives, with a focus on protecting native species and biodiversity.
In her professional career, Marlene was a medical laboratory technologist for 21 years before obtaining her BS and MS degrees from University of Maryland Global Campus in IT project management. She worked in healthcare IT for 15 years before retiring in 2018. Marlene’s passion for native plants has opened many opportunities for her to volunteer in her community, leading to lasting friendships with like-minded people. Marlene lives in Waldorf, Maryland, with her husband, Bill, and their fur-baby, Misty.
Program Specialist
Anisa Koni
Anisa is a senior at Emmanuel College studying Biotechnology and pursuing a career in sustainability research and advocacy. Through her work, Anisa hopes to develop tools to aid environmental conservation as well as encourage individual action towards a healthier environment. Anisa cares deeply for the natural world and hopes to inspire others to adopt more sustainable lifestyles by enhancing community engagement with the environment. Anisa has organized several local events focused on promoting mindfulness towards nature, including a nature walk and a clothing swap, and she is excited to extend her work to a larger community.
Co-Founder & Ambassador
Samantha Rutherford
A sophomore at Auburn University, Samantha has had an interest in environmental and agricultural sciences from a young age and has worked to better her understanding of the natural world. She is currently a member of the Association of Southern Maryland Beekeepers (ASMB) and is working to become a member of the University of Maryland Master Gardener program. Samantha is a founding member of Nurture Natives and has been involved in helping the Nurture Natives initiative grow, subsequently helping to better inform the public about the importance of maintaining a mutual relationship between humans and the environment. Samantha plans to continue supporting projects such as Nurture Natives and working towards bettering the community through ecological means.