With the fall season upon us, we are excited to announce a new OLLI instructor we are featuring this Fall 2022 semester, Joseph L. (Joe) Medeiros! Raised in hot Portuguese dairy farms in Rhode Island and California, Joe became fascinated with the snowy, mountain, landscape that appeared in the distance. Joe's passion for the cool air, tall pines, bare granite, and clear streams, he always felt destined for the Sierras.
Joe studied botany and ecology at Modesto JC, San Francisco State University, Fresno State University and UC Davis. He has spent over 34 years as a full-time instructor of botany, ecology and environmental studies; including at both, Modesto Junior College, and Sierra Community College. Having spent summers as a Ranger-Naturalist for the National Park Service, Joe has also published many books on the history and natural history of the Sierra. Even more impressing, is that Joe was recognized as “Conservationist of the Year” for the John Muir Association in 2017.
