Tress discovered their passion for accessibility work while working at the Tenement Museum, facilitating public programs to adults, families, and K-12 students, including English Language Learners and visitors with disabilities. Inspired by their co-workers’ advocacy work, Tress co-founded and co-facilitated an interdepartmental affinity group to strengthen and advocate for inclusive practices for disabled museum workers and visitors with disabilities. Tress worked in both the Education and Learning and Research Department at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. In their roles, Tress developed and led art/making education while using research and evaluation as a tool to expand accessibility, facilitate disability-inclusive informal learning environments, and empower the perspectives of disabled youth.

Tress’ earliest connections to the natural world were fostered by their father, a longtime gardener, fisherman, and bonsai artist. He always kept a thriving vegetable garden in their small, mostly concrete communal backyards. Tress has fond memories of harvesting bountiful bunches of basil with which their family would make homemade pesto, preserved in ice cube trays for the winter.