Michelle Cyr

Michelle manages all of the Garden’s youth programs, including school and teacher services, family classes and events, onsite youth activities, camp programs, and youth development. 

Michelle Cyr is the youth and family programs manager for Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. This includes school and teacher services, family classes and events, onsite youth activities, camp programs, and youth development. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Michelle grew up wandering the Garden and romping around our many creeks and wooded areas. Some of her earliest memories are of dissecting flowers and investigating the plants and animals in her neighborhood. She believes that the first step to creating the next generation of environmental conservationists begins by developing a deep love and appreciation for nature through unstructured play, and she strives to make child-driven explorations and learning a key component of her programs. 

Michelle graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a bachelor’s degree in earth science, an emphasis on biology, and a minor in geography and anthropology. Since graduating, Michelle has spent her career connecting youth to nature and inspiring a love for our native ecosystems. She has worked for camp and outdoor programs at University of California, Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Zoo, United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History before joining the Garden in 2015. Michelle is a certified UC California Naturalist, Project Learning Tree educator and facilitator, and environmental educator through the Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education.