Uriel Hernandez grew up in East Palo Alto where he attended Ravenswood District Schools before graduating from Menlo Atherton High School. He attended college in rural Vermont where he studied how spaces and stories fit together. There, he developed a love for easily accessible green spaces for recreation and contemplation. He brought this love back to East Palo Alto through his work at Canopy where he organized community tree plantings and advocated for more green space for three years. Uriel is currently a Project Manager for the City of Palo Alto. He joined Nuestra Casa’s Board in 2019 to help amplify our environmental justice work.

Uriel’s hobbies still include exploring the bay area in search of unique places, special parks, and public space treasures. His favorite places include the Baylands around East Palo Alto. He dreams of the day when he can bike along the bay through a green corridor from East Palo Alto to San Francisco, or walk through an East Palo Alto covered by a healthy and lush canopy of trees. 

Uriel holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College, where he studied Architecture and History. He has a Master of Natural Resources from Oregon State University. Previously, Uriel served as a Planning Commissioner for the City of East Palo Alto. Connect with Uriel on LinkedIn.