For AmeriCorps Week this year, we’re celebrating our GrizzlyCorps fellow Oscar Elias for his contributions to Sustainable Conservation’s Solutions in Our Soil team.
Oscar Elias (he/them) is a second-year GrizzlyCorps Fellow, who is working with the Sustainable Conservation team as the 2024-2025 Fellow. They grew up in Los Angeles and have lived in Merced for close to a decade now. Oscar Graduated from UC Merced with a degree in Public Health and has recently worked for UC Cooperative Extension Fresno County with their small farms team. Oscar has worked for multiple soil ecology and microbiology labs and has also been a Park Ranger in Yosemite National Park. He will be working with the Solutions in our Soils team to bridge connections with local Resource Conservation Districts, technical assistance providers, and other land and water management agencies in the San Joaquin Valley with Sustainable Conservation. Oscar hopes to better understand how the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, specifically cover cropping, is being conducted in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) era of land and groundwater management.
Thank you, Oscar! We couldn’t be more thrilled that you’re here!
Our team is incredibly grateful to have another fantastic GrizzlyCorps Fellow in Oscar. His knowledge, curiosity, and passion have been immediate additions to our Solutions in Our Soil program, and I cannot wait to see all that he accomplishes during his time with us! Ashley Boren, Sustainable Conservation CEO
Oscar’s passion for their work and instinct toward collaboration made them such a great teammate immediately – it’s been a real pleasure to work with them on communications projects and learn from their experience working on the ground with growers. I look forward to getting out in the field with Oscar and designing surveys together. Christa Harader, Communications Director
Oscar is one of my favorite people I’ve met through GrizzlyCorps and getting to know them has been a pleasure. First, as fellows and now as a friend that I’m lucky to call a coworker. Oscar’s earnest and passionately motivated approach to their work is admirable and inspiring. Every time we talk, I learn something new. Thank you, Oscar, for the insight, experience, and laughter that you bring to our work. Modibo Keita, Central Coast Project Associate
Since joining last fall, Oscar has contributed so much to our team and our organization. He has hit the ground running, picking up extremely complex science and policy connections, diving into grower and technical assistance provider events, and organizing and executing a large outreach initiative. I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes during the rest of his fellowship! And Oscar’s contributions aren’t limited to his deliverables either – his curious, easy-going, and kind demeanor have been such a joy to work with and a boon to the culture of our organization.
Thank you, Oscar, for all that you do to make our team, our organization, and our work better. We’re so lucky to have you! Sam Williams, Project Manager
