Reed Kenny (M.S., Biological Sciences, ‘20) came to Cal Poly because of his love of plants, but he never expected to return years later as a faculty member and program leader. He returned to the university in 2025 and now teaches BIO 472 (Conservation Ecology and Practice) and leads the Halter Ranch Conservation Scholars Program.

“Because I had a strong relationship with my Cal Poly mentors, I reached out and started catching up on what they were working on, and that's how they were able to loop me into this work,” Kenny said.

Kenny grew up exploring the outdoors with his family in Humboldt County, Northern California. His mother, who has a degree in wildlife biology, taught him about local plants and animals from an early age and introduced him to the idea of a career as a naturalist and biologist. 

“I always saw botany as this thing that could lead to a lot of adventures outside,” he said.

A plant sciences major at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC), Kenny worked at the UCSC Arboretum and Botanic Garden during his undergraduate years. Through connections there, he was able to visit Cal Poly’s nearby Swanton Pacific Ranch several times to collect seeds and study the rare plants that grow on the property. After graduating, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a botanist before returning to Cal Poly to pursue a master’s degree, where he focused on studying the flora of Swanton Pacific Ranch.

Returning to Cal Poly has been a full-circle moment for Kenny, and he is thrilled to serve his alma mater in this new role.

“Cal Poly is unique and special and has a strong botanical community,” Kenny said. “It’s really a joy to be a part of it.”