Meet Our Team

Founder, Director

A junior in high school and dual enrollment student at the College of Southern Maryland, Esther is actively working toward a brighter and greener future for Maryland. Recognizing the urgent need to address the decline of local biodiversity, Esther founded Nurture Natives as a platform to empower youth in environmental initiatives, with a specific focus on planting natives and eradicating invasives. Esther was selected as a National 4-H Youth in Action 2024 Finalist and a Maryland 4-H State Council Member for her work within 4-H and with Nurture Natives. Esther plans to pursue a career in environmental law, where she can continue her advocacy and drive transformative change on an even larger scale. Alongside Nurture Natives, Esther enjoys playing the violin and caring for her five goats.

Co-Founder, Youth Leader 

A senior at St. Mary's Ryken High School, 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.