DIRECTOR

PNPP Founder and Director Parker Davis grew up in Highland Park and San Gabriel Valley, the child of a biology teacher who along with a few other colleagues, created a forest school summer camp to keep the kids occupied when school was not in session. Having spent his early days round the forests and streams of the local foothills and canyons, he developed a passionate interest in the local ecology. Formerly the director of Hahamongna Native Plant Nursery, Mr. Davis’ derives his livelihood from sharing his enthusiasm for native plants and their myriad benefits for humans and wildlife with others.

TREASURER

Portia Besocke is a transplant from the east coast, whose love for Southern California’s native plants is a classic example of how a place can surprise us and teach us new things. “Moving to Southern California, it took a long time to fully appreciate the local flora, especially, the Coast Live Oak trees. These trees look nothing like their east coast cousins, with their flat lobe leaves, large acorns, and deciduous nature. After many years, I finally admitted that Coast Live Oaks were in fact oaks. Now they are my favorite tree. They define the place where we live. Leaving their canopy, I lose my sense of place.”

GARDEN DESIGNER & EDUCATOR

Keely grew up surrounded by a family passionate about nature and conservation. Through yearly camping trips with her great aunt Margie Sill (founder of ‘Friends of the Nevada Wilderness) she fostered a passion for wild spaces. Keely believes that our wild lands should not only be conserved but accessible to everyone which has lead her to seek out opportunities to participate in community education. Working with Plant Community has been an incredible opportunity for Keely to put these ideals into practice.

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Elaine Brown was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley and has a deep affection for the local culture, history, and natural areas. Involved with a wide array of non-profits, she is committed to working toward improving the quality of life for the people, pets, and wildlife in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. To her, the best way to help the world as a whole is to start with small actions near your home, like getting involved with your local community, removing invasive plants, and growing native plants in your backyard to provide homes to other native species.

PROJECT MANAGER

Do Kyung Lee is an avid gardener and a native plant landscape designer with a background in studio art. Since moving to California, Do Kyung has become entranced by native flora and their resilience. She believes that observing local ecologies is amongst one of the most meaningful modes for building a sense of belonging and making connections. Her commitment is to continue exploring practices of care and the possibilities of collective land stewardship as a Master of Landscape Architecture candidate.