Sharon Ungersma joined our chapter in 2020 and became our Digital Communications Coordinator. She created the chapter’s website and manages our social media, with a goal to make climate education and advocacy accessible to all residents of the Valley. According to Sharon, “It's not that people don't care about climate change; people care a lot! But they feel powerless, or don't know what they can do personally to help or make a difference. Our job is to help our communities understand what's needed and how to take action.” Sharon has been a Valley resident since 2010, living in Woodland Hills with her husband, two kids ages 10 and 14, and two orange cats. She is a physicist and brings a scientific background to her climate advocacy, combined with deep community ties and a desire to bring neighbors together to work for a better future. She has a passion for native plants, wildlife, and habitat restoration. After taking the SAMO Fund's class on native plant horticulture, she began a habitat restoration project on space owned by Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA) in Woodland Hills. She organized her neighbors to plant and water native species; four years later, an oak woodland habitat is re-emerging, birds and insects are returning, and each winter more neighbors join the planting events. Sharon now sits on MRCA’s Citizens Oversight Committee and hopes to expand her efforts at other sites in the Valley. |
