Jadyn Parga

I was born and raised in San Diego, California. I just moved to Tennessee June 2026 after graduating from San Diego State University with a bachelors degree in Sustainability. My name “Jadyn” was my mom’s idea. My mother is also a teacher and one of her students recommended the name to her when she was pregnant with me. 

I have always wanted to inspire kids to be passionate about the environment. I wanted to become the person that many of my own mentors are to me.

I am a Naturalist at the Forest campus where I will facilitate environmental curiosity in a range of outdoor settings.

My mentors include Dr. Megan Eckles from Southwestern Community College and Mr. Casey, who was my high school biology teacher as well as my boss from when I was a lab technician. I also could not be where I am today without the support of my mother and family. 

Since moving to Nashville, I have realized how drastically my life has changed. I have a new career, new home, new friends, and a new way of life. It is scary, but I am trying to embrace change. I am teaching myself that because something is new and different, does not mean it is bad. 

I enjoy hiking, crafting, and spending time with my friends. I love attending community events like farmers markets, festivals, and clothing swaps. I am also a big reader, I am currently reading Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinnamin.

The language of insects. I love identifying bugs. If something’s crawling, I’m identifying.

I’m a vegetarian so I consume beans by the can. Fruits and veggies are always a hit with me. (But also I loveeeee to snack on chips).

Green. I have always loved the variety of shades that green can become. I love how it looks with brown, and that it is an earthy color. 

Scuba diving!

I love when I get to witness a student’s “a-ha!” moment. Seeing a child put together a question and answer without assistance brings so much warmth to my heart. It’s the scientific method in action!