Michelle Payan is the Community Volunteer Ambassador at Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park. She was born and raised in East Los Angeles, CA. She has previous experience with NPS working with the Santa Monica Mountains Fund as a habitat restoration/seed collecting intern.

Her passion for environmental justice came from volunteering with grassroot organizations like, The Regenerative Collective, in her hometown. While she worked alongside indigenous communities seeking to grow and cultivate their own native plant medicine, she learned about the important role of land stewardship and why re-introducing native habitats in urban environments is a critical strategy for combating climate change.

She hopes to gain experience in backcountry backpacking and she's looking forward to exploring the wilderness here at SEKI.

She is also very creative-- she’s been a radio show host and DJ for a community radio station. She loves making ceramics, film photography, and collecting vintage clothes and antiques.