A San Diego native, Empress enjoys spending her time outdoors running/hiking and exploring the local food scene. She attended San Diego State University where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geography, where her research focused on placed-based environmental education, environmental justice, and the impact of water pollution on young people in Imperial Beach, CA. As an interpreter at the reserve, she largely focuses on environmental education, community science, and outreach to spread knowledge about habitats, species, and the benefits of the reserve as a resource to the local and global community.