California Academy of Sciences Announces New Chief of Education and Learning

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (July 16, 2024) — The California Academy of Sciences is pleased to announce that Estefanía Pihen González, a leader in sustainability education, has been named Chief of Education and Learning, overseeing a team of about 45 staff, 30 paid interns, and 400 volunteers.

Pihen González has led the design and implementation of award-winning, published, and internationally recognized education programs and approaches for delivering solutions-focused, nature-based, place-based, and student-centered learning. With experience working with schools in rural, urban, and Indigenous communities, Pihen González has a deep understanding of the value of education opportunities that target systems change through a lens of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

"Estefanía Pihen González brings a wealth of experience in sustainability education and a deep commitment to equity and inclusion, making her an ideal fit for the Academy’s Chief of Education and Learning role,” said Scott Sampson, executive director of the California Academy of Sciences. “Her innovative approaches to nature-based and solutions-focused learning will be instrumental in advancing our mission to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration and inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders."

Originally from Costa Rica, Pihen González most recently worked as the program director for Climate Action Pathways for Schools, where she directed the implementation of paid internship programs on climate action. Her previous experiences include founding and operating a K-12 green school, founding and directing an international consultancy group for transformative education, and working as the first research fellow at the Institute for the Built Environment.

Pihen González has led teams in curricular development and professional training for teachers to support the integration of action-oriented sustainability education within formal classroom instruction. She has also conducted advanced research both in the U.S. and overseas on teaching approaches and pedagogy for nature-based, experiential, and community-centered education. In addition, while studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara, she directed and developed after-school programs focused on climate action, social justice, and environmental sustainability.

Pihen González received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a focus on marine conservation from the University of Costa Rica in 2004 followed by an MBA focused on social entrepreneurship from Colorado State University in 2017. She earned her second master’s degree with focus on education for sustainable development from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2021. In May 2024, she graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a PhD in education with an emphasis on education for sustainable development.