Loni Cantú grew up in rural south Texas and has a deep connection to the land created through exploring and managing chaparral forests with her father.  This deep passion for land conservation sent Loni to Texas A&M where she received a B.S. in Environmental Studies in 2011. Since then, Loni has worked as a park ranger, teacher, and served in the U.S. Peace Corps. These experiences built a passion and drive in Loni to advocate for conservation and connect communities to their environment. 

Loni graduated with her Master’s in Environmental Management from Yale School of the Environment in 2020.  She plans to work in conservation and support opportunities for high-need communities to engage as conservation leaders with their land. Loni is excited to represent the Mano Project and support programs that build deeper more meaningful connections with nature - igniting a passion for sustaining our resources now and for future generations.