In the second episode of Season 5, host Monica Carcamo-Binetti heads out into the field to kick-off California State Parks Week beneath the soaring redwoods of Samuel P. Taylor State Park. This is the 4th year of celebration and the first time in a redwood park!
Guided by this year’s tagline “This Is Where You Live”, Monica captures stories from District Superintendent Maria Mowrey, Interpreter Kourtney Boone, community champion Kirstie Dutton, and a band of wide-eyed kids fresh off a hike. Plus we also had a surprise visit from a key player that helps shape California State Parks in a big way! Each guest revealed how a single park visit can have a long lasting impact and even reshape a life. By the episode’s end, you’ll feel the quiet of ancient trunks, the laughter echoing through the redwoods, and know that these giants are really in our own backyards. Your own neighborhood trailhead is just a pair of sneakers away, no fancy gear required.
Left to right: Maria Mowrey, Kirstie Dutton, and Kourtney Boon
About our guests
Maria Mowrey, District Superintendent, Bay Area District · California State Parks
Maria Mowrey leads the Bay Area District efforts to leverage the strengths of partners to enhance State Parks. Prior to her appointment to District Superintendent, Maria led the community engagement work with the Ambassador Program at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area. Maria received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Biology and Management from UC Davis. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and traveling with her three children. Find her on social media: Instagram | LinkedIn
Kirstie Dutton, Program Manager, Asian Pacific American Community Center
Kirstie Dutton has been a Program Manager of Asian Pacific American Community Center (APACC) since 2016 but has been working in youth nonprofit since 2011. She received her undergraduate degree at the University of San Francisco with a Psychology major and dual English and Asian American Studies minors as well as a Master’s in Social Work from UC Berkeley. She co-created APACC’s youth program serving low-income youth located in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley.
Kourtney Boone, State Park Interpreter I at Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Kourtney Boone is the State Park Interpreter I who serves Samuel P. Taylor State Park by leading educational programs, running social media, and working in community outreach. Kourtney graduated from Humboldt State University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and a deep admiration for the majestic Coast Redwoods. In her free time, she can be found chasing down the ball that neither of her two Labradors bothered to retrieve. Instagram | Facebook
About the podcast
I’ll Go If You Go, a Save the Redwoods League podcast.
On I’ll Go If You Go, we have thought-provoking conversations with emerging environmental leaders from diverse backgrounds who explore and work in the outdoors. By examining how we think, work, and play in the outdoors, we’re building community and illuminating how Californians from all walks of life experience nature and conservation, in the redwoods and beyond.
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About the host of Season 5
Monica is a storyteller, hiker, and Save the Redwoods League council member. She is also the co-founder of Bay Area GalVentures, an Instagram community she started with her lifelong friend to share their hiking adventures, especially among the redwoods. Monica discovered her love for the outdoors later in life and now champions access to nature for women. She extends this passion into her role as our new podcast host, where she shares stories that connect people to redwoods, nature, and each other—with heart, curiosity, and a deep love for the forest.
