Alfonso was born in agricultural Hollister, CA but grew up in Oakland. His interest in the outdoors was sparked from an Outdoor Leadership class he took at San Francisco State University, from which he later received a B.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration. When he realized that backpacking existed, he made a personal goal of learning how to backpack. Little did he know that this interest would turn into a lifelong passion and career. It began with a Yosemite backpacking trip and evolved into positions with Bay Area Wilderness Training, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Alcatraz National Park, and Virgin Islands National Park. He is currently living in Laramie, WY working towards a M.S. in Natural Science Education and a M.S. in Environmental and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. He is also the Wyoming Coordinator and the Program Committee Head for Latino Outdoors.
Alfonso was selected to participate in SHIFT’s Emerging Leaders Program in 2016, and will also will be at the at the SHIFT Summit’s Marketplace on Friday, Oct. 14 at 1:45 p.m.
Tickets for the SHIFT Summit may be purchased here.