It’s a Gift to Grow Up on the Land

Michelle Cox grew up in Monrovia, California, with endless memories of enjoying life in the great outdoors. Visiting the San Gabriel River, hiking in the mountains, riding horseback, and playing in nature strengthened both her connection to the land and her spirit of adventure.

At one point during her first career as a Flight Attendant, Michelle found herself based out of Saint Louis, Missouri. A fateful personal ad for a Country & Western dance partner led Michelle to reconnect with a lifelong love: rodeo. One day, her dance partner invited her to go on a cattle drive in Wyoming. Through the friends she made on that journey came a trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, and the flames of passion were fed.

Michelle loved going to rodeos as a kid. When her family moved to Tucson, Arizona, she became a regular at the Tucson Rodeo—something she continues to attend every February. After that first NFR trip, Michelle volunteered with the California Prorodeo Circuit fundraising as the Northern California Circuit Committee Representative for several years. She then became a PRCA Rodeo Timer and has been a Gold Card Member for a decade.

When the airline she worked for closed down, Michelle had the opportunity to reinvent herself. She studied and performed for two years as a Stand-up Comic before combining her skills and personal interests into a second career as an outdoor educator for youth learning about our natural resources. She joined the Contra Costa Water District’s Public Information Office as an Educator for elementary schools on field trips at the Los Vaqueros Watershed, led summer camps at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, and became a Certified Interpretive Guide at the Oakland Zoo.

Her time on the land and in the rodeo arena has driven two important goals for Michelle—first to help urban youth experience and be inspired by the outdoors; and second to preserve the traditions, working lands, and open spaces that have so deeply enriched her life. By giving both her time and financial support, Michelle is making sure more children can grow up connected to the land and all of its gifts.

Michelle first met the California Rangeland Trust in 2012 while attending a rodeo at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. She recalled that her childhood friend Carson Scheller (a founding Board member of the Rangeland Trust) had mentioned being part of this project, so she came to our booth to learn more. She soon became an annual donor, and in 2022 made a future commitment through her estate plan that will further support the conservation of working lands and the people who steward them. Through her gifts, Michelle is helping ensure both agricultural lands and our iconic Western traditions are around for the next generation.

Thank you Michelle, for all your support today and tomorrow!