Meet the Speakers
Sinda Sutton
Park Manager, Oracle State Park
I have been a part of the Arizona State Parks and Trails family since 2013. I am currently the park manager for Oracle State Park that sits quietly within the small town of Oracle, Arizona. I have held a variety of positions and have worked at a couple different parks throughout my career, and have really enjoyed seeing the changes and growth within this agency. My favorite part of my career has been working and meeting with people from all over the globe and learning about their cultures. I really enjoy their reactions when experiencing (often for the first time) the beauty Arizona’s natural and cultural resources exude.
Oscar Sanchez
I have been a part of the Arizona State Parks and Trails since 2022. I am the Assistant Park Manager of Alamo Lake State Park, a secluded park 38 miles North of Wenden, Arizona. Before starting in the parks service I was an educator in Yuma county. Throughout my career something I have been passionate about is giving everyone access and opportunity to access the world around them, either through education or through nature.
Jannika Pitner
Born and raised in Arizona, I graduated from ASU in 2014 with a BA in Psychology. Since then, I have held several roles in the non-profit and public sectors, all of which have largely focused on training, coaching, and mentoring. I am passionate about connecting with people in order to create engaging and effective learning experiences that help them achieve their goals. I came to Arizona State Parks and Trails in September 2022 and have since been working to build up the agency’s Learning and Professional Development programs. My favorite part about working at ASPT has been building relationships with all of the wonderful people that work for this agency.
Soren Shelby
I moved to Arizona and have been part of the agency since early 2021, but grew up going to AZ state parks as a kid. I work at a somewhat secluded park, Lyman Lake State Park, 11 miles south of the town Saint Johns. I’ve always loved nature and education, and being able to combine them for my job has been amazing. My favorite part of my career has been being able to share the wonders and wildlife of Arizona with visitors. Not many people realize AZ gets snow or isn’t all just desert canyons, and it’s a treat to be able to share the high desert plains and forests of the White Mountains area.
Erika Way
I came to Arizona State Parks 7 Trails as a seasonal interpretive ranger at Kartchner Caverns giving cave tours. After moving through several different positions and parks I returned in late 2021 to manage Kartchner Caverns. I love that this career allows me the freedom and creativity to explore the wonders Arizona has to offer and getting to share in that with others. My favorite part of being a Park Ranger is the people! We get to work alongside some of the best and most interesting people there are and then get to share in creating new and wondrous experiences with our visitors.
Tickets
Register for JEDAI!
Join us for the CAZCA Speaker Series event, Justice, Equity, Diversity, Access, & Inclusion: Arizona State Parks JEDAI Group! AZ State Parks employees Sinda Sutton, Erika Way, Jannika Pitner, Oscar Sanchez, and Soren Shelby will share their insights and expertise on best practices for implementing JEDAI!
We look forward to seeing you there!
