Nick grew up in the rural foothills of California and has explored the Sierra Nevada Mountains via foot, bike, raft, ski and snowboard all his life. He also caught the travel bug early and is an avid eco-tourist. He and his wife have toured many of the top destinations throughout both North and South America and continue to seek out wild places whenever the opportunity strikes, though this has slowed down considerably since the birth of their son Leonardo two years ago.

Concerned with preserving these natural wonders, Nick earned his Bachelor's Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley. His curriculum emphasized mitigating and reversing the damage our rampant expansion as a species has had on the planet as a whole. Nick worked in this field for a short time in both the US EPA and Contra Costa Water District. He has a deep appreciation of the science behind the natural world and what is required to clean up Earth’s vital ecosystems.

Nick’s other passion is art, as he feels it is his duty to visually preserve the pristine places he has been lucky enough to explore. He is a lifelong artist, using oils and acrylics to render landscapes that inspire him from around the globe. Nick delved heavily into the art world, spending a decade as a Fine Art Consultant in South Lake Tahoe. He was thrilled to return to his core purpose by joining The Bently Foundation in their mission to support the arts, animal welfare and the environment.