Orange County Business Journal’s Women in STEM 2024 recognized CSUSB alumna Stacey Chartier-Grable ’91, (B.A., business), this past spring for her role as founder and executive director of her nonprofit, OC Habitats. The nonprofit’s goal is habitat and species conservation.

Founded in 2017, with a seven-volunteer team, OC Habitats has grown to five paid staff and over 100 volunteers. The organization is focused on Orange County ecosystems and seeks to educate as many residents and members of the public as possible through education and hands-on opportunities in restoration, monitoring, volunteering and internships.

As an undergraduate at CSUSB, Chartier-Grable did not see herself as a scientist. It was only when she went back to school to continue her graduate education (this time, to Cal State Fullerton for her M.S.) that she discovered not only did she enjoy her science classes, she was good at them. “That was a surprise,” she said. “A lot of it had to do with motivation, drive, confidence and the professors who had faith in me and my abilities.”

In fact, she said, “If I knew then what I know now, I would have chosen science and not business for my degree at CSUSB.” She acknowledges that age played a role in this realization, along with a growth in confidence. “I was a little bit older when I did the science. I did so much better at it because I was doing what I wanted to do and was more mature and serious about my career.”

After graduating with her master of science in environmental studies, working as an environmental consultant in the planning field, and getting married, Chartier-Grable took time off to raise her two children. During those years, she realized several things. One, was that both nature and nurture had made her a person who loved animals. That extended into the natural world itself, as she recognized how much she cared about other species and their intrinsic value. She learned further that it was important to her to save animal and plant species, along with their habitats, so that animals (including humans) can continue to live and thrive in them. She found herself asking the question, “How do we co-exist with other species so that we are not decimating them?”

When she returned to the work force, she chose to pursue positions in conservation instead of planning. It was time for her to chase her dream and follow her moral compass. And so came the moment when she had to decide: “If I don’t do this now, I will never do it. And, if this is what I really want to do, I want to choose the team I always wanted to be on. And that is the origin of OC Habitats.”

While funding was small at the outset, with the organization primarily volunteer-based, she was nonetheless able to hit the ground running. “I am very proud of the work we have done in the last seven years,” she said. “We have educated people, restored habitats, monitored local habitats and listed species. I hope we can continue to do that.”

Her pride in OC Habitats is clear. “There are challenges with running a small grassroots nonprofit,” she said. “Nevertheless, I know we have been doing good work since day one. I hope it goes on for years to come.”

Chartier-Grable emphasized the importance of community members getting involved in the nonprofit. “We are always looking for diverse board and staff members who are passionate about the environment and who would be interested in joining our team. I love it when interns and community members join the board and/or staff, or simply get involved as a volunteer.”

The initiative also has its own internship program. “We like students to come in and get credit for their volunteer work. We have six-month internships available for those students with a passion for the environment and willing to drive out to the OC!”

Chartier-Grable is intensely grateful for the excellent teachers and role models she encountered when she attended both Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Fullerton while she was pursuing her environmental studies’ M.S. She is especially grateful to two of her chemistry professors, John Tate and Larry Mink, who taught her while she was taking her science pre-requisites at CSUSB. But that doesn’t mean her earlier CSUSB bachelor’s degree in business was not useful.  “I am a leader and am running a business — so my B.A. in business informs my work.”

She also loves bringing in younger individuals to volunteer, work or serve on the board. “Environmental education has come so far since I got my degree. We want people who are up-to-date on new laws and the new initiatives that are happening out there.”

OC Habitat intends to remain small and grassroots-based. The organization’s office is in Santa Ana. Chartier-Grable herself lives in Irvine. Her community-based approach means she has made connections with Santa Ana government and the surrounding areas because that is where the office is located, and OC Habitats serves all of Orange County.

Community-based and with a community focus: alumna Stacey Chartier-Grable, over the years, is remaining close to her Coyote roots of community engagement and making a difference where she lives. And this is not only in her own life but also in the lives of her fellow humans and the animals which share the various habitats of the OC.

To learn more about OC Habitats, please visit their website. You can also follow their blog.