Intersections and Integrations: Building DEI and Cross-Cultural Competency

Yakuta was born and raised in India, and her love affair with nature began during her first trek to the Indian Himalayas at the age of fifteen. Since that initiation, she has continued to develop her relationship with the natural world, and has worked with various non-profit organizations in India and the US to educate, inspire, and cultivate love and respect for the environment. She studied Communications and Media with a focus on social issues at Sophia College in Mumbai, India which fueled her passion for women’s rights, and environmental, racial and social justice, and gave her the confidence to pursue a life of intention. Yakuta currently works for the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy where she leads the San Francisco Park Stewardship Program and is developing creative programs that focus on inclusion, cultural relevance, mindfulness and healing. She is a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Parks Conservancy, and is deeply involved in various initiatives across the park. When she is not working, you will find her on a trail - either examining a wildflower or in awe of a mountain.

Kevin Wright is the Government Affairs Manager for Marin County Parks and Member of the Policy Committee and Steering Committee of the California Landscape Stewardship Network. Mr. Wright has a background in forestry and redwood ecology, active transportation planning, and partnership development. He is a Cultural Intelligence trainer at the County of Marin and participates on a Collaborating Well team focused on curriculum development for effective collaboration. His latest paper, Advancing Collaboration In California, describes aspects of California’s policy environment that support collaboration and makes recommendations for furthering regional stewardship approaches. Mr. Wright plays three prominent support roles in team settings: He helps to activate the ideas of others, brings humor and hard work, and challenges himself and team members to reconsider current ways of thinking and doing.