Meet Anya
How long have you lived in the Bay Area?
I’ve been here for 17 years! I’m originally from Kyiv, Ukraine and spent half of my childhood there with the rest growing up in New Jersey until I made the adventure out west on my own.
I felt right at home when I got settled in the Bay Area, so I stayed.
How did you learn about Save Mount Diablo?
I discovered the organization when we moved to Concord and I was looking for recreational and volunteer opportunities around Mount Diablo.
When searching online I saw that Mount Diablo used to offer forest immersion/bathing walks, so I figured I’d reach out to see if there was any interest in offering that outing again!
2026 forest bathing walk. Photo by Anya Starovoytov
When did you start volunteering with us, and why did you get involved?
I attended a yoga event at Curry Canyon Ranch in late 2024.
It was such a nice experience that I wanted to offer the same support from my skills as a certified forest therapy guide and guiding business, Viburnum Forest Immersion.
I reached out and offered to guide a public forest immersion walk as part of Save Mount Diablo’s public programming and have now done a walk in 2025 and 2026.
Which Save Mount Diablo programs are you involved in?
I’ve guided two walks so far as part of Save Mount Diablo’s Discover Diablo public events programming and participated in two programs myself—the yoga outing and a watercolor painting class.
Both outings were such cool and different ways to experience and appreciate the landscape around Mount Diablo! I wish I could do more volunteering, but I moved up to Santa Rosa last year so I’m now a remote Save Mount Diablo supporter.
2026 forest bathing walk. Photo by Anya Starovoytov
What do you enjoy about the volunteer work you do?
Every walk I guide is a totally different experience, both for the folks who attend and for me as a guide.
It’s so humbling to hear feedback from participants as they get further into the walk and begin to feel relaxed, slow down, and start to notice so much more of the natural world around them. It’s magical and brings a smile to my face!
What is the most challenging project you’ve worked on as a Save Mount Diablo volunteer?
I haven’t had any challenging experiences so far.
2026 forest bathing walk. Photo by Anya Starovoytov
Is there a memorable experience you’ve had as a Save Mount Diablo volunteer?
At the end of the forest immersion walk I led at the Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve in March, as our group walked back to the cars, we came face to face with a loooooong garter snake making its way across the gravel fire road.
It gave everyone a chance to appreciate it from afar and snap a photo before it scurried away into the grass.
How do you spend your time beyond your volunteer work with us?
I work as an Agricultural Program Director for Sonoma Resource Conservation District, which helps landowners in Sonoma County address natural resource concerns and improve wildlife habitat on their land.
Outside of work I’m an avid trail runner, backpacker, cat mom, and chicken tender. I’ve got three chickens right now, and you can enjoy their adventures on my Instagram feed (Instagram handle: @annastarco).
