New Board Member Spotlight: Lenar A. Cantu
We have recently welcomed 3 new members to Explore Austin’s Board of Directors: Brad Garner, Lenar A. Cantu, and Adrienne Sturrup. We’re excited to add these dynamic professionals to the Explore Austin team. Get to know Lenar below and keep an eye on our social media for more!
What led you to getting involved with Explore Austin?
What led me to get involved, by joining the Board, is knowing how the program personally impacted the 2015 team and my life. Without the Explore program and my mentors, I wouldn’t be in the same situation today. As a Board member, I want to ensure that future Explorers continue to have similar experiences and see the change the program will make for them in the coming years.
What do you do for work?
I currently work part-time for the US Army and full-time in logistics for the Texas Military Department. I have worked at various levels for the last nine years.
What are you most excited about in working with Explore Austin?
I’m most excited to help the program grow in new ways that I hadn’t been involved with before. I’m also excited to see what direction the program takes.
What part of the Explore Austin ethos do you identify with the most?
“Leading with equity, we strive to remove barriers to restorative time in nature” is a part of the ethos I most identify with. As a kid, I always wanted to mountain bike and rock climb outdoors, but due to my family’s economic status, I thought it was something I’d never do. A few years later, I was mountain biking and rock climbing in places like Austin, Colorado, and beyond because of Explore.
How do you think about helping others and giving back?
I think of helping others and giving back with my time and work.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I’m an alumnus of the Explore Austin program and a past Explore Austin guide [Trip Leader].
What is one of your favorite outdoor adventures you’ve been on?
One of my favorite outdoor adventures is multi-pitch climbing in Potrero Chico, Mexico, with lots of my close friends and even some of the people who led me through some of my Explore Austin Summer Wilderness Trips.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I’m excited to be involved again and to help Explore Austin in a new and different way.