| Tell us about your company: |
| HAWKs (Hiking Adventures With Kids) is a year-round nature-based enrichment program based in Los Angeles, CA. Our programs are for explorers 5-12 and encourage a sense of wonder about the natural world, familiarize them with local plants and animals, teach them the fundamentals of hiking, trail safety, and LNT (Leave No Trace) while instilling a deep sense of connection to the outdoors. Led by experienced educators, HAWKs knows how to connect students to the natural world in a fun and safe way. HAWKs offers after school programing and day camps throughout the year. HAWKs launched in LA in 2022, Orange County in 2025, and is now offering franchises throughout the US. |
| What inspired you to start your business? |
| It was seeing how transformative spending more time in nature was for my son during the pandemic, and finding a hole in the market for stable nature-based programming for kids 5+. |
| What are your proudest achievements so far? |
| Our 5-star reviews from parents across all platforms! |
| What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs: |
| Passion can get you started, but systems keep you going. Write down everything you do. Create playbooks. Make decisions your future self—or a franchisee—can follow. Even a mission-driven business needs an engine under the hood. |
| Please share a memory or thought about your alma mater: |
| UCSB is one of those rare places where rigorous education meets the rhythm of the natural world. Studying anthropology steps from the beach, surrounded by mountains and sea—it shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I started HAWKs. That convergence of learning and landscape taught me that nature isn’t a backdrop—it’s a classroom. |
Alumni Emporium 