On October 10, 2025 from 1-3 PM, PEECnic, our annual membership meeting to which the community is invited to come, will be held as an opportunity for members to vote for the Pajarito Environmental Education Center’s 2025 Board of Directors. Learn more about the prospective board members and current board members seeking re-election below.
PEEC Board of Directors consists of seven to eleven individuals elected by the general membership. Board members are elected to two-year terms and may serve up to three consecutive terms. Officers are elected by the Board.
Currently there are eight members: Kristen Dors, Galen Gisler, Janet Griego, Robin Gurule, Bonnie Klamm, Eduardo Santiago, Nan Sauer and Simone Schmidt. Galen Gisler will be departing from the board in October after completing his third term.
With the proposed full slate, PEEC’s Board of Directors would consist of ten members. The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote FOR the election of each of the nominees below.
Jonathan Creel
Current Board Member
A native of the Florida panhandle, Jonathan discovered the American West during college and never looked back. After serving as a ranger at Yellowstone National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Grand Canyon National Park, he eventually made his way to Los Alamos to design exhibits and develop programs for the Pajarito Environmental Education Center. Later, he continued his environmental education career as the Executive Director of the Ogden Nature Center in Utah. Currently, Jonathan leads the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Los Alamos National Laboratory. When he’s not at work, he spends his time hiking, cross-country skiing, and exploring the outdoors. However, you’ll rarely see him without his binoculars because birding is his passion! He serves on PEEC’s Strategic Planning Committee and Board Nominating Committee. Jonathan joined the Board in October 2025.
Jenifer Malek
Prospective Board Member
Jenifer grew up in northwestern Montana, looking at Glacier National Park every day. From an early age, she was horse-obsessed and spent her childhood at the barn, camping, fly fishing, or skiing Big Mountain. She attended Carroll College in Montana, where earning a BA in Anthrozoology—the study of the human-nonhuman animal bond—with a minor in Biology. She then pursued an MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, which led her to a rewarding career in recruiting and human resources. Jenifer and her family moved to Los Alamos in July for her husband’s postdoctoral appointment and immediately felt at home amongst the ponderosas. Rooted in 4-H and a history of service with various agricultural associations, Jenifer is eager to support PEEC and the Los Alamos community.
Lauren Winchester
Current Board Member
Lauren grew up on Colorado’s Front Range, spending her free time wading up the creek, perfecting her “running straight downhill in the forest” technique, and paying close attention to plants and birds around her. She has a B.A. in Communications and German, has spent 8 years in a wide variety of nonprofit roles, and currently manages grants for a nonprofit focused on ending youth homelessness. Lauren and her partner moved to Los Alamos in 2022 and quickly found ways to plug in at PEEC. Lauren likes spending most of her free time outside on foot, bike, or skis and likes helping other people take the next step towards spending more time outside, whether that’s securing the right gear, drumming up the courage for the next objective, or planning their nutrition. On multi-day trips, her pack includes sour candy, classic trail mix, multiple hat options, and a good book.
Janet Griego
Current Board Member
Janet Griego is originally from Dixon, NM. Her father shared his love of the outdoors with his family, taking them camping, hiking, and fishing, all the while instilling a deep regard for nature and the environment. In 1995, she and her family moved to Los Alamos where her husband worked for LANL while Janet pursued her career as a surgical pathologist and medical director with Pathology Associates of Albuquerque. After retirement, Janet began volunteering in Los Alamos (including at PEEC) and in neighboring communities. She enjoys running, gardening, hiking, and baking. Janet serves as PEEC Board Vice President, is the Chair of the Nominating Committee and a member of the Executive and Programs Committees. In addition, she enjoys supporting PEEC by volunteering at major events and helping out in the Penstemon gardens. Janet joined the board in October 2021.
Robin Gurule
Current Board Treasurer
Robin grew up in a small town in Arizona, spending her afternoons hiking in the Sonoran Desert. Summers were filled with backpacking in the Washington Cascades and working in her cousins’ apple orchards. She learned realistic bird carving from a friend and pursued it as a vocation for a decade. After earning her accounting degree and CPA from Northern Arizona University, Robin had a long career at Los Alamos National Laboratory, starting in Accounts Payable and retiring in 2018. She works very hard to get the PEEC financial statements cleaned up and made more transparent to share with the Executive Director and Board. She also runs the Finance committee, keeping extra money invested, helps with budgets and 990, and performs the Treasurer’s reports each month. She helps with grounds maintenance, Earth Day, Bear Fest, the donor dinner, and also leads birding trips for PEEC. Now, she enjoys birding, hiking, backpacking, rafting, organic gardening, and folk music and dance, serving as treasurer for the Folk Music and Dance Society Board since 2018. Robin joined the Board in November 2024.