LEILANI MENDOZA SINICIN

Bilingual Educator

Leilani Mendoza Sinicin is a Ms. Smarty-Plants™ Bilingual Educator, and very dedicated to providing quality education experiences to groups for K-6th grade students using interactive teaching techniques including outreaches, camps, virtual field trips, on-site school field trips. Leilani was born and raised in Southeast Idaho where she gained her passion for the Earth, and the nature and wilderness it provides.

She has called San Diego home now for 12 years, and graduated from SDCC with her associates in Liberal Arts and Sciences and Urban Agriculture. Leilani continued her studies at SDSU and obtained her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sustainability and International Studies. During her time at SDCC and SDSU, she studied Spanish abroad in Costa Rica, and also studied Sustainability abroad in Ecuador; where she volunteered in Amazon Rainforest, Andean Mountains and her most favorite Galapagos Islands.

To fund these adventures, she held various leadership roles for a local restaurant group for the past 10 years. During this time Leilani also did a two year internship at The Water Conservation Garden where she first felt the joy of teaching young minds as an Educational Tour Guide. She loves The Water Conservation Garden so much she even recently got married there! Leilani then started working at a local Forest Kindergarten as a nature school educator.

While at home she enjoys gardening, raising butterflies and caring for her four fluffy chickens with the help of her husband and birddog. Among her favorite outdoor activities include camping, hiking, fishing, kayaking and especially snowboarding. In addition to working at The Water Conservation Garden Leilani holds a (part-time) position with CA Parks and Recreation.