Salena served two terms in the AmeriCorps/Florida Conservation Corps in 2017 and 2018. During her service terms, she worked on non-native plant removal, native plant propagation, prescribed fires and outreach volunteer recruitment.
As an AmeriCorps member, she hosted a strike team at St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park to treat a large area of Brazilian peppers. The AmeriCorps members treated most of the maritime hammocks at the park.
Salena now works as an environmental specialist in District 5. As a wildlife biologist, she is involved with monitoring and restoring habitat for birds, sea turtles, butterflies, coral, seagrass and oysters, to name a few. She is also responsible for imperiled species monitoring and management, invasive animal removal and restoration projects, and she is the research/collections permit coordinator for District 5.