Watershed Management Group Intern

Carmina Diamente
Community Engagement and River Restoration Apprentice

Drawn to the natural world and the man-made impact on it from a young age, Carmina found her passion in environmentalism and later, social justice. She went on to the University of Arizona to obtain a B.S. in Environmental Science. During her education, she completed projects and independent studies related to adaptation strategies and environmental justice movements. Carmina is driven to learn more about and contribute to restoration efforts particularly in her Sonoran desert childhood home. In her spare time, she pursues learning French and the electric bass, while trying out new baking recipes, attending the occasional boxing or yoga class, and being an avid movie-theater-goer. 

Language fluency: English
Pronouns: She/They

Daniel Blancas
Green Stormwater Infrastructure Apprentice

Daniel is a Tucson native with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Plant Systems with an emphasis in Urban Horticulture from the University of Arizona. He has a passion for creating sustainable environments for plants, animals, and people for years to come. He hopes to coordinate community events to inspire more people to love the Sonoran Desert. Outside of work, Daniel is a water color painter and plants a vegetable garden every year with his friends.

Language fluency: English, Español
Pronouns: He/Him

Henry Schon
Restoration and Outreach Intern

Henry is a high schooler at BASIS Tucson North. Having lived in Tucson since he was a baby, Henry grew up in and around the watersheds of Southern Arizona, and developed a serious appreciation for them when he began to volunteer with WMG as a 12 year old. He is an avid hiker, and can likely be found wandering the trails of the Santa Catalina Mountains in the cooler months of the year. As an intern, Henry hopes to engage the Tucson community with the Arundo removal initiative and spread awareness about the value of our creeks and rivers.

Language fluency: English
Pronouns: He/Him

Issa Mena-Garcia
Non-Profit & Community Engagement Apprentice

I was born in Sonora, Mexico and am a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation. Growing up in Tucson next to Santa Cruz River I developed a deep love and appreciation for the Sonoran Desert. It is my goal to help bring my community together with the common goal to conserve water and restore our ecosystem. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my 3 dogs, Puppy, Chulo, & Boots, working in my garden and cooking. 

Language fluency: English, Español
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella

Lauri Hermosilla-Flores
Green Stormwater Infrastructure Apprentice

Lauri is an environmental designer, recently graduated from Arizona State University. They were born in Chile and moved to the Sonoran Desert in 2010. Growing up in Tucson, they developed a deep appreciation for nature, yet noticed there is a need for the integration of nature into urban spheres. During their studies, Lauri specialized in design, environment and sustainability, and delved into subjects like urban planning and design, energy systems, material properties and production, sustainable urbanism, and community organizing. Through these skills they hope to aid in fostering the intersectionality of urban design, social justice, and the environment to create more sustainable communities as a whole. 

Language fluency: English, Español
Pronouns: They/Them

Lizbeth Perez
River Restoration Apprentice

Having lived in every type of desert in the U.S., the Sonoran Desert was the one to capture Lizbeth's heart. Spending time enjoying and teaching others to enjoy the Sonoran Desert has been a passion of hers since undergrad. Her foray into this field began with an environmental education outreach internship, and she went on to earn her degree in Wildlife Conservation and Management in 2022. She started working at Saguaro National Park's Visitor Center the very next day. However, more adventures were to be found outside the visitor center walls, and she began doing fieldwork such as tearing down old ranch fencing, backpacking to survey rare plants, measuring saguaro arms, filling in historic mines, and researching Sonoran Desert Tortoises. Appreciating the creatures that all rely on water (including us) guided her to WMG, where she hopes to work with the community to restore our rivers. While she is busy wrapping up the third and final year of tortoise research, Lizbeth can still find time to enjoy playing soccer, baking, taking advantage of local public libraries, and singing karaoke.

Language fluency: English, Español
Pronouns: She/Her

Manuel Barcelo
Native Edible Tree Intern

Manuel is a Sustainable-Built Environments and Urban Planning student at the University of Arizona. As a Tucson native, Manuel has a great appreciation for the Sonoran Desert region. Manuel's career goals include bringing more density, transit-oriented development, and green stormwater infrastructure to Tucson to make it a more resilient city. Manuel likes going to the movies, hiking, and playing basketball in his free time.

Language fluency: English
Pronouns: He/Him

Marci Caballero-Reynolds
Grow Tucson Intern

I'm pursuing my Master's in Urban Planning, and Water, Society, and Policy. My work centers on climate adaptation and innovative water management strategies in cities. I believe in participatory planning to create sustainable, inclusive urban environments. Outside work, I'm an avid cyclist and artist (printmaker), which informs my creative approach to urban challenges. At home, my two dogs, Ocotillo and Cholla, reflect my love for arid landscapes. My interests in sustainability, community engagement, and art drives me to understand and work towards creating resilient, water-wise cities that serve both people and the environment.

Language fluency: English
Pronouns: She/They/Siya (Filipino)