Joan Malone

Borrego Springs resident Joan Malone is educational program director for ABDNHA.

She is responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing ABDNHA’s classes, tours, hikes, programs and other related educational interpretive activities. She has also made greater community involvement in ABDNHA activities her priority.

“I want to offer activities that not only involve people who come here during the winter, but our school kids and families who live here,” Malone said. “It’s good for people to get out and see where they live.”

Avid hikers and campers, Malone and her husband Bill purchased a home in Borrego ten years ago, and moved here fulltime when she retired in 2005 from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. Much of her 25-year career centered on teaching Naval personnel, including a year-long stint at the Royal Military College of Science in England where she was primary developer of coursework and lead instructor and assessor of two courses attended by 1,200 Naval officers.

She holds a masters degree in Computers and Education and studied geology as an undergraduate. Since her arrival, Malone has worked in the library at Borrego Springs High School and taught mathematics there.

A native of Nebraska, Malone was introduced to the desert in 1974 when she moved to California. It was love at first sight.

“I love the starkness, the dryness, and the openness,“ she said. “And the rocks – the rocks are beautiful – it’s just a beautiful place.”

Joan and Bill Malone have two grown daughters – a married daughter and two grandsons living on the East Coast and a daughter who teaches dance in San Diego.