Our Team

Katie Newman
Vice President | GLOW

Katie Newman is a horticultural consultant, native plant advocate, and longtime environmental volunteer rooted in Orange County. With a background in California archaeology and habitat restoration, Katie sees landscapes as living archives, holding stories of place, culture, and resilience.

Formerly the Wholesale Sales Manager at Tree of Life Nursery and a board member of the California Native Plant Society (OC Chapter), Katie brings decades of experience in outreach, education, and creative strategy to GLOW. Her work bridges science and storytelling, inspiring others to see native plants not just as beautiful, but essential.

Katie is driven by the belief that nature should be accessible to everyone, and that some places, like the land beside the Environmental Nature Center, are simply too vital to lose. At GLOW, she helps lead a movement to protect open space, amplify community voices, and re-imagine what local stewardship can look like when people and place are in harmony.

Monet Quick
Engagement & Mobilization Director | GLOW

Monet Quick is a dynamic storyteller, connector, and creative force who brings soul, strategy, and cultural depth to everything she does. As GLOW’s Engagement and Mobilization Director, Monet leads with both vision and authenticity, crafting community-first campaigns that move people to care, connect, and act.

Her grassroots mobilization experience spans multiple cities and causes. She has organized community coalitions and engaged with city councils in Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Tempe (AZ), and Portland (OR). With a rare understanding of both sides of the table, she brings insight from her work on development projects from the developer side, giving her a sharp, strategic lens on local government processes and community dynamics.

By day, Monet works in the hospitality industry, producing unforgettable culinary experiences and large-scale epicurean events that center culture, storytelling, and sensory connection. She also collaborates directly with restaurants on marketing campaigns, overseeing everything from concept development to filming, editing, and social media execution. Her work includes coordinating influencer partnerships and driving branded content strategies that elevate visibility and impact.

She is currently executive producing two documentary films, including The Freedom Within, a powerful exploration of inner healing, identity, and resilience. Her creative work lives at the intersection of narrative and impact, infusing every campaign she touches with a deep sense of purpose and emotional resonance.

Whether she’s producing stories that spark transformation or organizing grassroots energy into real momentum, Monet believes that change begins with connection. She’s here to help GLOW shine brighter, together.

Angela Samuels
Chief Operating Officer | GLOW

Angela Samuels is the Chief Operating Officer of GLOW, where she brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial grit, creative vision, and deep community roots to the movement for conservation and collective action. A successful business owner in both the wellness and hospitality industries, Angela has spent the past decade building brands that center people, purpose, and place.

At GLOW, she oversees operational strategy, brand partnerships, and community initiatives that drive engagement and impact. Known for her intuitive leadership and ability to turn big ideas into real-world momentum, Angela plays a key role in shaping GLOW’s identity - from bold merchandise launches to grassroots events that unite supporters across Newport and beyond.

Angela’s commitment to environmental stewardship and community resilience is personal and lifelong. She believes in protecting the spaces that nourish us while creating new pathways for people to feel connected, empowered, and inspired.

Valerie Niedringhaus
Chief Financial Officer | GLOW

Valerie Niedringhaus is the Chief Financial Officer of GLOW, where she brings a strong background in business leadership and a deep personal investment in protecting nature and community spaces. A Newport Beach resident and mother of two, both of Valerie’s children attended the ENC Preschool and continue to participate in ENC camps - giving her a firsthand understanding of the importance of preserving this unique educational and ecological resource.

Valerie was honored as a MemberPower Award Winner by the Envelope Manufacturers Association for her leadership in driving member engagement and organizational growth. At GLOW, she applies that same financial and operational expertise to help guide the coalition’s fundraising, stewardship, and long-term sustainability efforts.

Valerie is motivated by a vision of Newport Beach where open space, nature education, and neighborhood character are not only protected but elevated for generations to come.

Danielle Fink
Director | GLOW

Danielle Fink is a Director at GLOW and the founder of Elle Communications, a purpose-driven public relations agency amplifying voices and brands working toward a more just, sustainable world. With a deep background in environmental storytelling, campaign strategy, and media relations, Danielle brings a powerful communications lens to GLOW’s mission - helping shape a narrative that inspires both action and long-term impact.

A passionate advocate for equity and ecology, Danielle believes that when local communities take the lead in shaping their future, real change follows. At GLOW, she works to ensure that the movement to protect Newport’s remaining open space is seen, heard, and felt far beyond city limits.

Webb Travis
Board Member | GLOW

Webb Travis is the founder of TURF, a Newport Beach gym known for building strength, resilience, and deep community connection. With advanced degrees in Business Administration and Kinesiology, Webb brings both strategic insight and heart to GLOW’s mission.

As a board member, Webb is guided by the same principles that define his gym: care for people, investment in well-being, and a belief that community is built through action. TURF sits beside the Environmental Nature Center and the proposed development site, placing Webb and his team at the center of this effort, literally and figuratively.

From helping seniors stay strong, to assisting e-bike accident victims in his parking lot, to leading an Earth Day Bootcamp in support of local conservation, Webb lives his commitment to the people and places that make Newport Beach special.

Brian Smith
Board Member | GLOW

Brian Smith is the former CEO of UMC, a global agricultural irrigation company founded by his father and now led by his son - representing three generations dedicated to feeding the world. Under Brian’s leadership, UMC expanded its reach to farms across the globe, advancing innovative irrigation systems that supported sustainable agriculture and food security on an international scale.

Now in retirement, Brian is focused on giving back to the community he loves. As a GLOW board member, he offers a legacy-minded perspective rooted in land, family, and stewardship. His decades of experience in infrastructure, operations, and strategic growth inform GLOW’s mission to preserve open space and protect the natural beauty and vitality of Newport for generations to come.