Staff & Volunteers
Staff
Richard David Tejeda
Founder & Executive Director
Richard Tejeda is a naturalist with over a decade of experience working with diverse populations in environmental education. As an adult, Richard realized that when in nature, his state of consciousness was at peace. Rather than focus on the trauma of the past, or concerns of the future, he was able to stay focused on the here and now.
He holds degrees from West Valley College in Park Management and from San Jose State in Environmental Studies with a minor in sustainable water resources. He is up to date on Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core and has worked for California State Parks, Open Space Authority, Santa Clara County Parks, Valley Water, and the Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project and is now the founder and executive director of Saved By Nature, an organization that helps all members of the community find peace in nature.
Richard is the first documented person in Santa Clara County to be rehabilitated by nature and is recipient of the 2020 Environmentalist of the Year Award from Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters, and the Bay Nature Magazine 2022 Community Hero Award. Today, you can find him leading guided hikes in parks and preserves for Saved By Nature throughout the South Bay and beyond.
Celia "CeCe" Moreno
Program Manager/Cultural & Natural Resources Interpreter
CeCe Moreno is the Program Manager and Cultural & Natural Resources Interpreter at Saved by Nature. She has recently worked as an Admin Assistant at the Electrical Training Alliance of Silicon Valley and as a Summer Camp Counselor at Mount Madonna School. She also currently coaches Varsity Girls’ lacrosse at a local high school, a position she is passionate about.
In high school, she volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where her love of conservation of the outdoors deepened. While she has always enjoyed the outdoors and nature, it was then that she realized that being a steward for the environment could be a path she could dedicate her time and energy to. While in college at UC Santa Cruz, CeCe further explored her passion for the environment while learning about environmental justice, agroecology, and food sovereignty, even traveling to Cuba to study agroecology and organic agriculture. She also played on the school’s lacrosse team as the goalie, serving as Captain for two years. She did not always see people who looked like her in sports and outdoor activities, and it became important for her to see representation. CeCe graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a Concentration in Environmental Justice.
CeCe is thrilled to work for Saved by Nature and share her love of the environment and the outdoors. Saved by Nature’s mission to bring the outdoors to underrepresented communities and provide equitable access to nature and its resources deeply aligns with her values. She is excited to contribute to Saved by Nature and learn along the way.
In her free time, she likes to take care of her houseplants, tend to the family garden, read fiction novels, go on hikes with her brother and sister, and attend San Francisco Giants games.
Anthony Perez
Community Outreach Specialist
Anthony Perez is the Community Outreach Specialist at Saved By Nature. He grew up in South San Jose and went to local schools, including Christopher Elementary, Davis Jr. High, and Oak Grove High School. For more than ten years, he coached football and baseball at Oak Grove Pop Warner and Blossom Valley Baseball. While studying art and creative writing at Evergreen College, he also became the sound engineer at his church, a role he has held for over a decade. A devoted man of faith, Anthony is a proud father of seven and is enjoying his new role as a grandfather. He has a real passion for art and loves giving back to the community, along with enjoying hobbies like fishing, music, and cooking.
