Jade Gomez
Joshua Tree National Park
Fall 2024
Cactus enthusiast Jade Gomez (she/her) is excited to be working close to home in her current role as CVA for Joshua Tree National Park. She is a low-desert local of the Coachella Valley and is currently studying Environmental Health Sciences at CSU San Bernardino. Jade is a certified CA Naturalist with a background in wildlife conservation research, volunteer conservation advocacy for many local nonprofit organizations, and retail management of a popular local cafe- all of which keep her engaged and in-tune with her community. Her environmental work was influenced by her love for strange plants and animals that thrive in harsh desert ecosystems. With temperatures of her town frequently exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit, she has withstood the tests of nature to become one with her unique environment within the intersecting area of the Mojave and Colorado deserts.
Jade is moved by the hues of purples and oranges in her mountainscapes and the creatures that dwell near them. Her favorite local species include the Grizzly Bear Prickly Pear (Opuntia polyacantha erinacea), Blainville's Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii) and Peninsular Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni). Her bucket list includes visiting all 158 California Fan Palm Oases and hiking the famous local trail, “Cactus to Clouds, Palms to Pines, Sand to Snow” which totals over 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Jade’s ultimate goal is to foster greater environmental awareness. She is inspired by her team’s ability to work together with volunteers to steward the land in the community they love to serve.