DeAnna Walker
Team Member Since 2023
Naturalist
DeAnna (she/her) grew up in the Chattanooga Valley area where her mother could not keep her contained within her home. Spending much of her childhood outdoors with frogs in her pockets, she learned how to whistle while trying to mimic a wild bird. Her passion for nature was fostered during a school field trip to the Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, and working with us now has fulfilled a lifelong dream for her. She spent a decade out in Las Vegas volunteering with a local zoo where she shared her infectious enthusiasm presenting the animals that are typically shied away from with the public, such as snakes, millipedes, and giant monitor lizards, but her passion for Tennessee’s diverse ecology drew her back home. She aspires to someday own a large plot of land that she can steward and preserve.
You can find her working in the Native Plant Nursery, where she is easily distracted by interesting insects and spiders or clusters of mushrooms. When she is not working, DeAnna enjoys hiking with her partner, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and gardening. She is typically found with acorns and mosses in her pockets to this day, though thankfully, she usually leaves the frogs at home.