C
heryl Hamilton
Alamo Area Master Naturalist (Class of 21), Citizen Scientist with Invaders of Texas, Native Landscape Certification Program Instructor with NPSOT-San Antonio and Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association for Interpretation
Cheryl co-founded the Balcones Chapter of the Invaders of Texas Program in 2010 and passed on the leadership to George Ozuna and Olivia Tapia in 2016. The Balcones Chapter is known as the “Salsa Squad.” Salsa Squad volunteers have contributed more than 20,000 volunteer hours to eradicate invasive plants and restore native plant habitats.
Cheryl also volunteers as a Preventative Search and Rescue Ranger (PSAR) at Big Bend National Park for three months every summer. She holds certification as a Wilderness First Responder with NOLS Wilderness Medicine.
Cheryl has presented 120+ invasive/native plant workshops at the local, state and national level since 2009 and has trained more than 100 Citizen Scientists for the Invaders of Texas Program.
In 2015, Cheryl received a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Obama for contributing more than 4,000 volunteer hours to the master naturalist program.
Prior to retirement in 2009, Cheryl was a School Principal and Educational Diagnostician. She holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.