Born Vanessa Awinda Otieno-Pala, but among my close friends, and colleagues, I prefer to be known by my middle name Awinda. I was raised in Nairobi, Kenya where I learned first-hand about plants mainly by climbing the avocado and loquat fruit trees in my family’s front yard, and by watching my aunt grow leafy greens and onions, in our backyard to supplement the household income & food. My real journey began when I attended college at Temple University. I was undecided on my majors my first 2 years attending. The answer to my prayer was Horticulture- Ironically; I was staring at a leaf at the exact time the answer came. From then on I began on the path to reconnect with my love for plants and nature. In 2005, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Temple in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture. After Temple, I was introduced to Skip Weiner, Executive Director of Urban Tree Connections (UTC), and to UTC, where I have helped oversee after school programs in the Haddington area of West Philadelphia, as well as assisted with teaching a work ready summer program in South West Philadelphia. I also helped design and teach a landscape design program for the Green Jobs Training Program in the West Oak Lane area of Philadelphia funded by Foundations Inc. I strongly believe in shaping the ideas and concepts I learned throughout my career into teaching tools that can be used to strengthen or grow communities.
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