Marena Sampson

Currently, Dr. Marena Sampson is part of the Rob and Melanie Walton Sustainability Solutions Service team, working as the Project Manager of Urban Nature (formerly Greater Phoenix Urban Forestry Accelerator), a $5 million USDA Forest Service, Urban Community Forestry award. The Urban Nature program — in partnership with community-based organizations, industry partners, national organizations, and several ASU departments — is a community trade school, offering expert instruction, field training, hands-on experiences, industry-standard assessments, internship opportunities, and real pathways for folks interested in starting rewarding careers or launching and scaling thriving businesses across all urban forestry sectors to support the full life cycle of tree. This transformative initiative dedicated to building a climate-resilient, water-smart urban forest and thriving urban forestry workforce and entrepreneurship ecosystem in metro Phoenix. 

Marena earned her PhD from ASU in the School of Community Resources and Development. With over a decade of experience in the social sciences, Marena has dedicated her career to creating equitable and practical conservation solutions that prioritize community involvement and benefit both people and ecosystems.  As a local Phoenician, she has collaborated with nonprofit and governmental partners to tackle issues like climate change, recreation, species conservation, cultural heritage, workforce development, and water scarcity. Marena has also worked with international organizations and governments, partnering with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Kinigi, Rwanda, to study how transformative learning can promote pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, she has taught classes on community-based conservation and led educational trips across Kenya. Through her work, Marena is passionate about collaborating with multicultural and interdisciplinary stakeholders to create pragmatic solutions that support both communities and the environment.