People

<p><span>Sheila Williams Ridge is the Director of the University of Minnesota Child Development Laboratory School. Sheila has worked in the field of environmental education since the early 90s and is the mother of four adult children. She has an EdD in Education Leadership, an MA in Education, and a BA in Biology.

<p>Preethi Mony brings to her role as EE Grant and Program Manager varied experience in environmental education, evaluation, and grants from her work in India and the US.</p><p><a href="mailto:preethi@naaee.org">preethi@naaee.org</a></p&gt;

<p>Michelle is the Founder and Principal of Biosphere Strategies, a boutique consulting firm specializing in work focused on science, sustainability, climate and the environment. Biosphere Strategies works with government, academia and industry on the use of science and knowledge to design and implement environmental policies, plans and strategies.</p>

<p>Veronica Lin is a researcher working at the intersection of technology, education, equity, and sustainability. Currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Veronica works as a User Experience Researcher on the Hardware Wearables team at Google. She earned her doctorate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education in Learning Sciences &amp; Technology Design and an M.S.

<p>Laura Downey, Executive Director,Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education--From an early age, being outdoors in every season was an important part of Laura's time growing up. The woods, ponds and sand dunes of Michigan were where she spent time exploring and observing the world around her. As important to her as time spent outdoors was playing "teacher" and that interest carried into her professional life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Megan Fink serves as the Partnerships &amp; Policy Manager for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and brings a robust place-based, outdoor education background to the NAAEE team.</p><p><a href="mailto:megan@naaee.org">megan@naaee.org</a></p&gt;

<p>Sydney spent the bulk of her childhood learning and growing under the canopy of the southeastern deciduous forests that make up her home state of Virginia. She earned her B.A. in International Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.</p><p><a href="mailto:sydney@naaee.org">sydney@naaee.org</a></p&gt;

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<p>Vanessa is an outdoor educator who works to promote equity for students by providing high-quality outdoor educational experiences.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Richard is an environmental enthusiast advocating for an empowered, youthful generation for a greener planet. He endeavors to establish all-inclusive, engaging, and passion-fueled platforms for environmental learning to amplify the green actions of children and youth as caretakers of Mother Nature.</p>
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<p>Sarada works with students and teachers to explore the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on nature and human communities and the solutions we can all harness for a brighter future.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Patty nurtures tomorrow’s stewards by educating young people with the skills and knowledge they need to create a sustainable future.</p>
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<p>Mariam empowers children and young leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to contribute to the protection of our planet, creating green economic opportunities and amplifying youth voices in climate education.</p>
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<p>Maggie is a social science researcher and educator engaging with communities about climate resilience and weather events to increase preparedness to natural hazards.</p>
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<p>Kim is a lifelong environmental educator with nearly 30 years of experience connecting people of all ages to the outdoors through art, gardening, adventure, and STEM programming.</p>
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<p>Katie Russell works with Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition’s CoastWatch in the schools to help students learn about and care for the Oregon Coast.</p>
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<p>Jeff is an environmental educator who empowers professionals and practitioners to make changes in their work through hands-on, experiential, place-based learning.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>James creates youth leadership and empowerment opportunities around the world to claim their spaces in sustainable development through social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and economic governance.</p>
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<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Jaeydah empowers Cincinnati residents to get involved in citizen science projects, teaching them about environmental issues and how they can become advocates for their communities. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p>Holly is a community coordinator working to ensure study abroad students’ learning and research are community-focused and community driven.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Heather creates engaging and informative media and citizen science projects to empower teachers and students to take action for the ocean!</p>
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<p>Harrison is an environmental engineer, sustainability and climate leader, empowering and equipping young people with the tools, skills, support, and mentorship to be at the forefront of climate action and drivers of change in their respective communities, working towards a sustainable and just future of our planet.</p>
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<p>Hannah helps youth and adults take climate action together by building intergenerational partnerships for change.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Hamza is a science education researcher who supports students and teachers to better understand the nexus of in-school and out-of-school learning places (i.e., Nature Centers).</p>
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<p>Gloria is passionate about sharing the power of GIS, data, and maps to tell stories that matter.</p>
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<p>Gitanjali is a learning designer and facilitator empowering organizations and individuals to educate for a more sustainable, just world.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Evan aims to change oppressive systems by supporting efforts to shift power and connect us with each other and our planet.</p>
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<p>Deepika is a youth advocate and a sustainability education researcher working and learning with young people in schools and universities to amplify their voices on climate action and justice.</p>
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<p>Danielle is a naturalist, educator, and community member who strives to bring people together to co-create the future they want to see.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Courtni is committed to centering environmental and climate justice principles at the foundation of carbon removal development and deployment.</p>
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<p>Catherine connects the community to nature and the value of clean and abundant water to help build a more climate-resilient future.&nbsp;</p>
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<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Caroline champions citizen science, public service, and civic technology to people of all ages, all around the world, through educational, nonprofit, and academic efforts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p>Bridget is a middle school science teacher and certified environmental educator working towards integrating outdoor and climate education into public education curriculum through student-driven action and advocacy.</p>
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<p>Ashley Herrmann is an experienced climate educator empowering high school students in Tampa, Florida, to understand and act on climate solutions.</p>
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<p>Aneesa mentors children to write and publish storybooks about climate change and climate justice, empowering them to raise and amplify their voices for a global audience.</p>
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<p>Alma bridges conservation science and education to demystify environmental topics to diverse audiences and to encourage active stewardship and lifelong love for nature.</p>
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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Wendy is a passionate young woman from the global south championing climate action, quality education and gender equality. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Kenya, Age 29&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Vihaan is an 18-year-old student and advocate who has written a climate education children’s book and empowers youth through educational nonprofit initiatives and curricular change. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United States, Age 18&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Victor leverages the power of storytelling and narratives to create emotional connections between people&nbsp; and the natural world and inspire action.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Nigeria, Age 29&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sanjana is an engineer harnessing hackathons as a form of climate action, creating spaces for students around the world to learn new skills, combat climate anxiety, and build projects and community.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United States, Age 26&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Ruairi is a climate activist and policy officer for sustainable agriculture who empowers young people and farmers to take action for climate justice and nature.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United Kingdom, Age 26&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Rifumo&nbsp;inspires and encourages young people to connect with nature through photography</span></span></span></span></span></span>—<span><span><span><span><span><span>building self-esteem, raising aspirations and developing employment skills. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Phoebe is using environmental education and youth empowerment to help society adapt to and mitigate climate change.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United Kingdom, Age 21&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nikkitha is a young nature educator introducing both children and adults to the wonders of nature, fostering a deep connection between them and their local landscape.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>India, Age 21&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nelly is a longtime climate justice advocate, strategist, engagement enthusiast, facilitator, and community builder dedicated to a just, sustainable, and liveable world </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Canada, Age 29&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Michael is a passionate advocate for climate education, solutions, and peacebuilding who believes in creating realistic and inspiring spaces for people to do good. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United Kingdom, Age 20&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Jude is a teacher using environmental education to engage education stakeholders and the wider community in environmental sustainability and youth engagement.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Philippines, Age 27&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span>Jack builds the capacity of educators, schools, and organizations to ensure a continuum of high-quality, non-biased environmental learning experiences are a part of daily lives of Nebraska’s youth.</span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<p><strong>United States, Age 25&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Idah empowers individuals to become eco-peacemakers by imparting knowledge and skills that enable them to coexist with wildlife and their environment.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Kenya, Age 25&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Carlos Shanka is a sustainability enthusiast fighting the climate crisis through interdisciplinary youth-led projects in the Canary Islands and across the globe.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Spain, Age 22</h3>

<p>Founding Curator, Global Shapers Las Palmas,&nbsp;ClienEarth Next Generation Board, Windo Advisor</p>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cameron is an environmental justice advocate using the power of storytelling and coalition-building to bridge the divide between influential institutions and communities on the ground.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>&nbsp;United States, Age 24</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Brigitta is a visionary leader who empowers communities </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>to take meaningful actions to protect the ocean through environmental education, habitat restoration, and science. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tracy is a social entrepreneur leveraging nature to uplift people's well-being in Hong Kong, building impactful partnerships and innovative programs to connect people with nature.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Hong Kong, Age 29&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tomas encourages young people in Argentina to become changemakers by giving them the tools and resources to create projects that solve local environmental problems.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Argentina, Age 24&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sunita is an environmentalist who is passionate about encouraging young people to initiate and amplify solutions for planetary crises through environmental education. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Nepal, Age 28&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sian sparks transformative change by inspiring rangatahi/youth, kaiako/teachers, and the wider New Zealand community, and developing stronger intergenerational connections with the environment.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>New Zealand, Age 25&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Serag is an ocean advocate and writer who creates educational resources and learning opportunities to inspire young people around the world to become environmental leaders.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>&nbsp;Egypt, Age 21&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Pamela is an environmental activist and champion for the UN's Tide-Turner Plastic Challenge programme, educating young people and communities about ocean protection.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Owen is a resident physician who empowers healthcare trainees and professionals to practice low-carbon, high-value healthcare and advance environmentally-sustainable healthcare systems.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Canada, Age 24&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Meng-Hui Lin is an academic, advocate, and leader who is transforming knowledge into action to support environmental education efforts across Taiwan.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3><span><span><span><span><span><span>Taiwan, Age 27</span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Maanit is a conservation advocate enabling youth to view conservation and climate crises from new perspectives and act on equitable and scalable real-world solutions.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United States, Age 17&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>MJ is an environmental educator who shares knowledge through social media and inspires the next generation to become eco-stewards of the planet. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Jenna is passionate about facilitating spaces for people of faith and youth to cultivate relationships with nature and seek community transformation together.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>United States, Age 29&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Max mobilizes and empowers Malaysian youth to engage in nationwide environmental action through environmental storytelling, education, grassroots campaigns, and advocacy. </span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Malaysia, Age 22&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Oghenekevwe is a girls advocate, environmental educator, and social entrepreneur. During his advocacy campaigns, he teaches local young people about the environment and climate change.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Nigeria, Age 24&nbsp;</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Carol is a lover of the oceans, leading the first assisted sexual coral reproduction project in Honduras and educating local youth on the island of Roatan in marine conservation.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3>Honduras, Age 25</h3>

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<h2><span><span><span><span><span><span>Anghy is a dedicated environmental educator who actively leads projects, engages in various programs, and collaborates on platforms aimed at creating a sustainable future for all.</span></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<h3><strong>Peru, Age 24</strong>&nbsp;</h3>

<p><strong><span>Gabriela Mezeiova</span></strong><span> has been an expert on education at the Slovak Center for Scientific and Technical Information, Slovakia (since 2018) and leader of Slovak Eco Quality, NGO (since 2020). </span></p>

<p>Stefan J. Jackson is principal of <a href="https://naturaldifference.consulting/">NATURAL DIFFERENCE, LLC</a>, specializing in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consulting &amp; Coaching and Mediation Services, with a focus in natural resource and environmental conservation, stewardship and education organizations. Stefan has nearly 30 years in land and water conservation, over 35 years in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and over 20 years as a trained negotiator and mediator.

<p>Daniella earned her B.S. in Conservation Biology and Ecology from Arizona State University.&nbsp; She holds a certificate in Sustainability and Behavior Change from the University of California-San Diego and is pursuing her master’s degree in Environmental Studies from Prescott College. She has been in the Environmental Education field for over a decade. This includes working as a gallery interpreter for the Arizona Science Center, as a Recreation Coordinator for the City of Chandler Nature Center, and then&nbsp;as a Water Conservation Specialist for the City of Chandler.

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<p>Having co-authored 12 books and manuals (including three for NAAEE); published 33 book chapters, 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, and 198 extension fact sheets; and served on 160 graduate student committees in her 20 years at the University of Florida, Dr. Martha Monroe is a prolific leader and contributor for catalyzing environmental education research.

<p>Currently working at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, heading up Project Learning Tree (PLT) and PLT Canada, connecting young to young adults to our forests, through meaningful school experiences, green jobs, and mentorship</p>

<p>Kathayoon Khalil, PhD is the Associate Vice President of Conservation Learning at the New England Aquarium. Prior to joining the New England Aquarium, Kathayoon was the Director of Engagement for Canopy Strategic Partners. She has also held positions as the Conservation Impact Manager for the Oregon Zoo, the Principal Evaluator for the Seattle Aquarium, and the Director of Evaluation for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

<p><strong>Dilafruz Williams</strong> is Professor and co-founder of <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pdx.edu%2Felp%2Flse&amp;sa… for Sustainability Education</a> and Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Portland State University.

<p>Melissa was responsible for managing NAAEE&rsquo;s international programming-- most notably through the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP), a learning network designed to build capacity of environmental education professionals and organizations&nbsp;around the world.

<p>Brock Adler is an environmental education consultant and lobbyist, green investor, and Chair of the NAAEE Advocacy Committee. He has worked and volunteered in the field for many years, and helped lead the effort to include environmental education in the 2015 federal education bill.</p>

<p>Alex Kudryavtsev, a Russian citizen, completed his MS (2006) and PhD (2013) degrees at Cornell University. He explored urban environmental education and sense of place among students in community-based organizations and schools in the Bronx, New York City. Alex has a BS degree in environmental conservation from a Russian university, and worked in a Siberian environmental NGO for eight years. Through the EECapacity project run by NAAEE and Cornell University, Alex teaches online professional development courses for educators, and conducts environmental education research.

<p>Abbreviated Vita</p><h4>Joseph&nbsp;A.

<p>Alan Reid is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, Monash University. He edits Environmental Education Research, and is a member of the Education, Environment and Sustainability Faculty Research Group.

<p>Yue Li recently finished her PhD in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in soil and water conservation from Beijing Forestry University and a master’s degree in natural resources from Beijing Normal University. Through her research and outreach, Yue seeks to understand how networking among diverse environmental&nbsp;educators fosters innovation in their environmental education practice.</p>

<p><br />Emilian Geczi&#39;s work history revolves around wonder and connection. Inspired by Rachel Carson&#39;s urging that we help young children establish a sense of wonder "so indestructible that it would last throughout life," Emilian worked for the Chicago Wilderness alliance as coordinator of its Leave No Child Inside initiative. In that position, he helped to align dozens of agencies and organizations for collective impact on the amount and quality of time children spent in nature.

<p>While living for months in the newly formed Canadian Territory of Nunavut, Mr. Velazquez was invited to learn about the lives and environmental conditions of the Inuit people, sharing some of the work being done by U.S. state, federal, and environmental agencies to protect the environment.

<p>Hawaii is, by definition, an insular place. As island communities, they oscillate from being extremely well connected (in that ‘small town’ way where everyone knows each other and wears multiple work and community “hats”), to isolated and disconnected from both each other and the continental world (in that they are separated by ocean, geographic identity, demographics, education level, and much more).   Elizabeth works for two organizations that allow her to connect people to each other and to places in new ways.

<p>In many ways Midwesterners—and especially Chicagoans—take water for granted. Chicago sits at the edge of the largest group of freshwater lakes on earth.  Yet, to meet the needs for the future it is essential to be wise in current use and to promote a culture of conservation around water. As Neighborhood Program Director, Elvia is responsible for the GardenKeepers Program where residents are taught how to create and maintain a community garden in an eco-friendly manner.

<p>Jacob's project seeks to educate and engage local farmers and food producers on the emerging relationship between global climate change and the local food system, in partnership with the Rutland Area Farm and Food. Vermont has an amazing network of sustainable food producers, marketers, educators, as well as citizens interested in local/sustainable food and agricultural issues (most notably the Vermont Farm to Plate Network) and Jacob hopes to utilize this abundant energy/resource every possible way in the project. Vermont Food System Atlas is a great starting point for anybod

<p>Climate Stories Project is an interactive forum for sharing stories about the effects of climate change on our lives and in our communities. Too often, we distance ourselves from climate change by viewing it only through the lenses of science and politics. What we need is to tell stories about how climate change is affecting people and communities around the world, heard directly from the voices of those being affected.

<p>Young students from underserved communities have the right to know about climate change and climate solutions, and to be part of the policy making process to address climate change. The Climate Action Institute will enable 20 high school students to do just that. Through interactive workshops, field trips and engaging experienced speakers, participants of the Climate Action Institute will explore climate and environmental justice issues—and possible solutions— affecting their local and global community.

<p>Jennifer’s project is designed to engage college-aged students in climate change education and action by working with members of the KSU chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) to continue a project that started in 2013. In the fall of 2014, MANRRS students will receive in-depth trainings on climate change basics, as well as workshops on how best to teach the basics of climate change.

<p>As climate change intensifies in the Desert Southwest, growing food in a desert system will become more challenging.  The goals of the Desert Oasis Teaching Garden (DOT) are to teach the community how to grow food in a hotter, drier land using fewer resources, increasing soil fertility, enhancing pollinator habitat, and integrating ancestral knowledge. The DOT garden will teach these goals through school curriculum, workshops, community workdays and events, and presentations.

<p>A cross-department team at Mass Audubon, is developing and implementing a statewide campaign to move members, program participants, and residents in the communities it serves to electricity produced by renewable sources. The goal is to provide information, remove barriers, and effectively support constituents in “Making the Switch” to renewable, regionally produced green energy.<br />

<p>“Cool,” or highly reflective roofs, reduce urban heat island effects, cut cooling energy use by up to 20%, reduce carbon and air pollution, and improve public health and safety—all at little to no additional cost above conventional roofs. There is a great need to accelerate the adoption of cool roofing material, especially in urban communities with high populations of socially vulnerable residents, and increasing exposure to extreme heat days due to climate change, such as the City of Los Angeles.<br />

<p>As part of the Climate Change Community Fellowship, Luis is coordinating the development of the Selva Escuela (Jungle School) project. This project intends to create an alliance with private land owners to develop state-of-the-art facilities for a Montessori School and the San Pancho Bird Observatory. Such facilities will integrate all the possible elements, methodologies and techniques for sustainable practices.

<p>In the past four years, 15 climate theaters have been built in various locations throughout Mexico. Several more are in the process of being built.  All of them contain the "science on a sphere,” technology developed by NASA and NOAA. This includes a round projecting screen of 2 meters in diameter and all the necessary equipment to project in a 360 degree view. These theaters have the capability to showcase over 300 presentations developed by the aforementioned organizations on a variety of topics relating to climate change.

<p>With each workshop, Maria's conviction grows that being an effective climate change educator means that she must also be a community organizer. She has created a small-group organizing format called Climate Courage Resilience Circles (CCRCs). CCRCs are small-group networks that increase members' psychological and emotional resilience in the face of climate change while also increasing their effectiveness on climate change action.

<p>Women Empowering Climate Action Network (WE-CAN) is kicking off a certificate program in community-based Climate Justice and Gaian Thriving. A project of the Institute for Earth Regenerative Studies, with a maiden cohort in Fall 2015 in Portland, Oregon, the WE-CAN program is recruiting a first cohort of 9-12 women and queer women activists interested in arts-based, ecopreneurial, and/or regenerative design/permaculture approaches to community-based climate resilience.

<p>In partnership with Common Ground High School (CGHS) in New Haven, Michelle is developing and piloting a high school climate change education curriculum that will incorporate classroom and outdoor activities, professional development workshops, and service-learning experiences. The curriculum will be integrated into several freshman-level courses, including chemistry, biodiversity, environmental justice, world history, and environmental science.<br />

<p>It is important for everyone to understand climate and people's role within it, however, climate change education is not always accessible for Aboriginal learners, even though Aboriginal communities are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.  Climate change education is already established as an important community need, so the goal of this project is to help individuals in Mi’kmaq communities understand the science of climate change, how human activities influence climate, and how individuals can take culturally-relevant action to mitigate the damage of clima

<p>Climate Change and Food Systems:In 2010, around one-third of the food produced in the United States was not consumed, and ended up being wasted. Food waste is the main source of garbage in landfills and producing the food we throw away generates more greenhouse gases than most entire countries do. In addition, the impact of climate change on food production can already be seen, and will worsen as climate change gathers pace. First, slow-onset changes in mean temperature and precipitation patterns are putting downward pressure on average global yields.

<p>The ‘My School’s Energy Diet’ project’s primary audience are 8-12th grade students. The secondary audiences are the students’ teachers and school administrators. The project will launch in January 2015 and end in June 2018 (3 year project). The primary goal is to increase students’ knowledge of climate science, awareness of anthropogenic climate change, and stewardship for Earth and oceans, as indicated by at least a 50% increase in pre- and post-project evaluation surveys of participating students and delivery of the end of school year project proposal.

<p>Roy’s project is to design an environmental communication product for locals and visitors of the Yukon, aiming to educate them about climate change impacts along the corridors of the Alaska & Klondike Highways. Using geological, ecological, climate, and aboriginal culture research, Roy will create a story to help travelers understand the alterations happening in the North.

<p>The COOL Earth Schools project sees schools as laboratories to study and respond to climate change. Schools are supposed to teach students skills that will serve them the rest of their lives. Those skills should include seeing nature and the environment around them as their home and life support system. If people keep the environment healthy, it will meet humanity's needs for oxygen, water, and food.

<p>Susan's climate change project will involve equipping young people to collaboratively design their own communities through the process of co-design. The ecological challenges due to urbanization requires an unprecedented collaborative effort from architects, engineers, and landscape architects—a charrette of epic proportions. It's also an educational challenge for teachers to prepare youth for the future. The design solution lies not in buildings, energy efficient cars, or gadgets, but the redesign and re-imagining of a life.<br />

<p>Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are not only home to the largest living trees on Earth but they also contain some of the darkest skies in California. The first ever Dark Sky Festival during the weekend of July 25-27, 2014, in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks hopes to promote this incredible, scenic wonder to Park visitors, amateur astronomers and wilderness enthusiasts. Activities range from speakers on robotic mars missions to current and former astronauts; water rocket launches to Junior Sky Ranger programs. <br />

<p>Trevor hopes his students, and graduate-level scientists affiliated with the GK–12 (Graduate Students partnered with K–12 teachers) Program (at the University of Texas at Austin’s Environmental Science Institute (ESI)), will develop a series of hands-on learning experiences designed to foster environmental science literacy in upper-elementary students.

<p>After working as an environmentalist in many parts of the world and especially in urban settings, Veronica was convinced that many people still do not know what climate change is, nor are they convinced that it exists.

<p>Colorado has established a lead role in advancing environmental education across the nation. In 2012, the State Board of Education adopted the Colorado Environmental Education Plan with bipartisan support. The Colorado Environmental Education Leadership Council is responsible for implementing the plan’s strategies. This is the first collaborative group in the nation specifically designed to engage in cross-sector partnerships to advance environmental literacy in Colorado’s PreK-12 schools.

<p>Teach City – a new project of Common Ground – aims to build the capacity of urban public high schools to grow a new, diverse generation of powerful environmental leaders and successful college students. Over the next two years, Common Ground will bring together educators, leaders, partners, and students from urban environmental high schools across the United States, with a particular focus on schools in the Northeast–creating a community of practice that both builds schools' capacity and documents their emerging best practices.

<p>Earth Force is developing an easily accessible blended learning platform for Earth Force educators. The goal is to provide virtual support and informational resources that help educators complete the full 6-step Earth Force Process with their students. The T3 project follows the guidelines of The Lean Startup, by Eric Reis, to develop a variety of online delivered products for a select cohort of early-adopter Earth Force educators to test and provide feedback.

<p>Earth Force is developing an easily accessible blended learning platform for Earth Force educators. The goal is to provide virtual support and informational resources that help educators complete the full 6-step Earth Force Process with their students. The program follows the guidelines of The Lean Startup, by Eric Reis, to develop a variety of online products for a select cohort of early-adopter Earth Force educators to test and provide feedback.

<p>Green Teacher is the only North American magazine focusing on environmental education for educators of youth in kindergarten through grade 12. In addition to a quarterly magazine, Green Teacher continues to host educational webinars and has an archive of 50 one-hour sessions covering a variety of environmental education topics. These webinars come from diverse and widespread educators that offer up their personal experience and expertise in the field of environmental education.

<p>4-H Youth Development is the youth development program of the Cooperative Extension and land grant universities throughout the US. Over 6 million youth, ages five to19, are engaged in 4-H in the United States, making it the largest youth development program in the country. 4-H is a program that relies heavily on adult volunteers to provide programming and develop opportunities for experiential learning.

<p>The WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy) Capacity Building Project is a professional development program for WRAPS Coordinators that will include face-to-face, online, and hybrid learning opportunities. WRAPS Coordinators are natural resource professionals who manage a grassroots project for water quality improvement. KACEE has been facilitating face-to-face “capacity building forums” to address pressing professional development needs and provide networking and sharing opportunities for the group since 2006.

<p>Josh’s project will be an interactive webinar series focused on greening STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). The environment is a compelling context for teaching STEM as it provides teachers with a diverse range of real-world challenges that engage students in hands-on opportunities to apply and reinforce STEM concepts across multiple subject areas. Each broadcast in this series will be interactive, engaging, target both formal and informal educators, and will include a downloadable resource.</p>

<p>The NYU Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education, established in 2000 at New York University, focuses its efforts on environmental literacy through courses, workshops, trainings, and field experiences. Recently, the Collaborative has developed service-learning programs for K-12 students and professional development opportunities for teachers. The online course developed through T3 will focus on K-12 teachers and non-formal educators who want to create and engage in service-learning projects.

<p><strong>Dawn Lagrotteria</strong> is an employee of the Department of the Interior, <strong>U.S.

<p><strong>Queta González</strong>&nbsp;is the Director of the Portland-based <strong>Center for Diversity &amp; the Environment (CDE)</strong>. CDE has been committed to diversifying the environmental movement since 2008. Today nearly 400 alumni representing 250 organizations have graduated from our trainings, with a broader program reach that includes over 3,500 individuals from nearly 300 organizations.

<p><strong>Joe E. Heimlich</strong>, Ph.D.

<p><strong>Jean Kayira,</strong> Ph.D. is Associate Director of the Environmental Studies Ph.D. program at <strong>Antioch University – New England</strong>. Jean has a strong commitment to and passion for socio-ecological justice issues, community-based education, and collaborative inquiry. In engaging with these concerns, her work has focused on education as a sociocultural and critical practice, with an additional focus on epistemological and methodological issues of qualitative research.

<p><strong>Vince Meldrum</strong> is President and CEO of <strong>Earth Force</strong>. Vince is an experienced nonprofit leader who has worked in environmental and civic education for 20 years. Vince leads Earth Force, a national organization with a unique focus on combining active civic education with environmental education to prepare young people with the civic skills, scientific knowledge, and motivation to improve our local environment.</p>

<p><strong>Traci Price</strong> consults with the <strong>Center for Diversity & the Environment (CDE)</strong> and has worked in the environmental non-profit sector for most of her career with a focus on education and youth. She spearheaded the&nbsp;No Oregon Child Left Inside&nbsp;Act in 2008, built a statewide coalition over 100,000 Oregonians strong, and was appointed by Governor Kulongoski to lead the development of the Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan in 2010.

<p><strong>Elaine Horr</strong> is presently the <strong>COSI Center for Research and Evaluation</strong>&rsquo;s in-house evaluation specialist, with program evaluation expertise in the developmental and summative stages of program development and implementation. Elaine is also proficient in consulting with external clients in the areas of program evaluation, exhibit evaluation, and capacity building. Prior to joining COSI&rsquo;s team, Elaine taught science at the middle school, high school, and college levels.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Kevin Coyle</strong> is Vice President for Education at the <strong>National Wildlife Federation</strong>. He oversees its Eco-Schools USA program and Schoolyard Habitats&reg; for 11,000 K-12 schools. He also manages NWF&rsquo;s higher education based Eco Leaders program and supervises the Federation&rsquo;s climate change education campaign and education policy advocacy programs.

<p><strong>Daniel Edelson</strong> is the executive director of <strong>BSCS</strong>, a national center for research and development in science education. Over his career, he has been a curriculum and software developer, educational researcher, and advocate for educational reform.

<p><strong>Shaun Martin</strong> is senior director for climate change adaptation and resilience at <strong>World Wildlife Fund</strong> and has more than 20 years&rsquo; experience in capacity building, training, and leadership development. In his current role, he helps influence conservation and development policy and practice by bringing climate change and ecological dimensions into the broader resilience discussions.

<p><strong>Kim Martinez</strong> is the Senior Director for K-12 Education at the <strong>National Wildlife Federation</strong> located in Reston, Virginia. Her responsibilities include overseeing NWF&rsquo;s award-winning education programs, including Eco-Schools USA and Schoolyard Habitat.&nbsp;</p><p>Before coming to NWF, Kim was Administrator of Professional Development for programs in the Center for Teacher Innovation at the Riverside County Office of Education in California.

<p><strong>William ‘Billy’ Spitzer</strong>, Ph.D., is Vice President for Programs, Exhibits, and Planning at the <strong>New England Aquarium</strong>. He is responsible for oversight of exhibit design, visitor experience, volunteer, and education programs as well as institutional strategic planning.

<p>Dr. <strong>Richard &lsquo;Rick&rsquo; Wilke</strong> is an emeritus University of Wisconsin System Distinguished Professor of Environmental Education in the College of Natural Resources at the <strong>University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point</strong>. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Resource Management, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Education. Dr. Wilke has been President of NAAEE, a member of the North American Commission on Environmental Education Research, and a consulting editor for the Journal of Environmental Education.

<p><strong>Diane Wood</strong> is President of the <strong>National Environmental Education Foundation</strong> (NEEF), a national organization connecting people to environmental knowledge they can use to improve the quality of their lives and the health of the planet. During her tenure, she has led national events and programs, such as National Environmental Education Week and National Public Lands Day, and is committed to taking environmental education to untapped audiences.

<p>A former Chicago Public School Teacher, Laura moved to Kansas about 25 years ago and continued teaching K-8 students. In 1998, Laura was fortunate to join the staff with the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) and in 2000 became the Executive Director for the organization. KACEE is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization with the mission of promoting and providing quality, non-biased and science-based conservation and environmental education for all Kansans.

<p>A native of Connecticut, Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with an Earth Science Minor from the University of Hartford, and a Master of Public Administration from the Barney School of Business and Public Administration. He presently serves as the Chief, Division of Education Outreach at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service&rsquo;s National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, WV.</p><p>Steve joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990, working on National Wildlife Refuge System, Migratory Bird, and Law Enforcement issues.

<p><strong>Preethi Mony</strong> is a specialist in the field of environmental education and evaluation and has over 15 years of experience. Growing up in the busy metropolis of Mumbai, she quickly recognized the importance of the social aspects of conservation in protecting the natural world. She has worked with various organizations in India and the US to help with environmental education program planning and resource development.

<p><strong>Louisa Koch</strong>, NOAA&rsquo;s Director of Education, educates and inspires the public and future workforce about the Earth System working with NOAA&rsquo;s amazing array of people, partners, places and information. Louisa also serves as NOAA&rsquo;s National Team for Regional Collaboration, helping to address complex, place-based challenges that require interdisciplinary approaches and regionally tailored solutions. Ms.

<p><strong>Samantha Selby</strong> is a research associate with Prof. Nicole Ardoin&rsquo;s team in the Graduate School of Education at <strong>Stanford University</strong> and a research assistant for Challenge Success. Samantha&rsquo;s research interests include international and environmental education.

<p>Ginger Potter is the Senior Environmental Education Specialist in the Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education (OPEEE) for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p>Ms.

<p><strong>Esther Cowles</strong> is Senior Director of Programs for <strong>Project Learning Tree</strong>. She guides PLT&rsquo;s strategic direction and evaluation. She is also responsible for directing PLT&rsquo;s program development, state network capacity building, and operations. Esther has worked as an educator, program designer, executive director, and evaluator in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years at the state and national levels.

<p>Alice Fu manages Stanford&#39;s work on the ee360 project, a US EPA-funded initiative that focuses on innovative approaches to connecting environmental research with practice and policy. Previously, Alice worked with SK Partners, LLC, an education consulting group based in Menlo Park, CA. There, she managed a project on high-quality assessments and evaluations in informal science education, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. She completed her Ph.D. in science education at Stanford&#39;s Graduate School of Education.

<p>Dr. Mele Wheaton is a senior research scholar with Prof. Nicole Ardoin&rsquo;s team in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. Her research interests include learning in out-of-school contexts, pro-environmental action, and nature-based tourism. As lead on a variety of projects, Mele has studied behavior change in ecotourists in Galapagos and California, environmental identity and action in high-school students participating in an intensive conservation education program, and professional development in environmental educators.

<p>Connections. Luciana Ranelli’s personal and professional life revolve around the theme of connections as she fosters relationships among people, sees connections between ideas, and invests in connection to place. Joining the ee360 project ties in her passions for communication, social justice, inquiry, outdoor exploration, and education. Luciana is currently at Antioch University New England working toward a Master of Science in Environmental Studies with an Environmental Education concentration.

<p>Cynthia Espinosa Marrero is a food systems scholar and activist, helping diverse communities grow and learn more about food and environmental systems. Her passion was seeded with her family and neighbors in Yabucoa,P.R. where she grew up. &nbsp;With over 10 years of experience in the food systems, Cynthia is now focusing her expertise in her own consulting business, <a href="http://www.pulegiumconsulting.com/&quot; target="_blank">Pulegium Consulting</a>.

<p>Anna Mooney serves as the Director of Environmental Education at YMCA Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie, South Carolina. In her eight years as an environmental educator, Anna has worked with hundreds of teachers to craft field trips that meet the academic and social needs of students. Inspired by the teachers&rsquo; enthusiasm and passion for fair and just education for all, Anna is currently studying culturally relevant environmental education in pursuit of her doctorate in Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England.

<p>Quilen Blackwell is the president and founder of the Chicago Eco House, whose mission is to train inner-city youth in sustainable social enterprises to alleviate poverty. The Chicago Eco House&rsquo;s two signature programs are a flower farm and 3D printing youth social enterprises. The Eco House has won several awards for its work including the UL Innovation Education Award, Delta Institute BOOST Award, and the Keep Chicago Beautiful Community Vision Award. Quilen is interested in advancing youth entrepreneurship in the environmental education field.

<p>Jim Embry considers himself Stardust congealed in human form that represents billions of years of Earth&rsquo;s evolution. As an evolutionary being, his purpose is to contribute to a paradigm shift towards <em><strong>Sacred Earth consciousness</strong></em> and refers to himself as a <em><strong>Sacred Earth Activist</strong></em>. As an activist, Jim has participated in most of the major social justice movements of his era and now believes that the sustainability movement encompasses all the other movements.

<p>Trevor Claiborn is a 4-H Extension Assistant at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY. Trevor, through his character and program &ldquo;Farmer Brown Tha MC,&rdquo; has directly engaged more than 10,000 students and parents through in-class presentations, community events, summer programs, church camps, conferences, tours, afterschool programs, and urban gardening workshops. Trevor has led community garden initiatives for 8+ years in Lexington&#39;s West End and Northside communities as well as presentations around the country.

<p>Alexandra &lsquo;Ali&rsquo; Stefancich is a Community Education Specialist at the University of California&rsquo;s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resource&rsquo;s Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC). Ali has been at SFREC for over three years and in that time has developed all-new youth science-education programs that now serve over 1,500 local students a year. Run with the help of a team of dedicated volunteers, these programs give students a chance to get out in the field and do hands-on science.

<p>Katherine Straus is the Public Education and Outreach Coordinator for the City of Federal Way&rsquo;s Surface Water Management Division. She works with community groups, residents, businesses, students, and a regional network of stormwater educators to address polluted stormwater runoff through education, community involvement, and targeted behavior change.

<p>Carmen M. Reyes-Colón is part of the Biology Department faculty and is the Environmental Sciences Program Coordinator at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus (PCUPR). Carmen previously worked as an environmental consultant and for the last 17 years has taught college-level courses. Carmen has a genuine commitment to environmental education with not only her students but also her local community in the southern region of Puerto Rico. She created the Environmental Sciences Conference Series at PCUPR.

<p>Carol Raymond is the Volunteer Manager for Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, New Hampshire. Although Holderness and its surrounding towns and city have a population of under 40,000 people, it receives strong support through its volunteer corps. In 2017, 344 volunteers donated 8,900 hours of service. In 2009, Carol introduced a new junior docent program for teen volunteers called First Guides, which trains them to be an educational presence on a native wildlife exhibit trail.

<p>Tracey Ritchie is the Director of Education for Earth Day Network, a global environmental nonprofit organization working to expand climate and environmental literacy worldwide. Tracey&rsquo;s biggest priority is developing plans to mobilize students from around the world to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020.

<p>Stacey Moore is an Education Technician with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Wyoming. She has been able to establish a strong community outreach in central Wyoming through her History and Outdoor Clubs. Her goal is to create opportunities for children to connect to the outdoors, to nature, to history, and to our public lands. Moore wishes to utilize the ee360 fellowship to increase families&rsquo; awareness of playing and learning in the outdoors during the winter months when many wish to hibernate indoors.

<p>Corina (Cori) E. Rendón attended undergraduate and graduate programs at the State University of New York: Environmental Science and Forestry and Teton Science Schools, respectively, where she studied environmental education and place-based educaton. Cori pursued this career after growing up volunteering at a local environmental science center in her hometown on the Tex-Mex border.

<p>Stephanie Ung is a U.S.&nbsp;American woman with Cambodian, Filipinx, and Chinese heritage. She was born and raised in the sunny suburbs of southern California (Chumash territory) and currently resides in Coast Salish land (Suquamish and Duwamish territories) that is known to many settlers today as Seattle, Washington. Stephanie most recently served as a Naturalist for Seattle Parks and Recreation, focused on community-based environmental education in the southeast region of Seattle.

<p>Tracy Hart is a Wildlife Ecologist who facilitates community involvement in science and conservation, including the Annual Maine Loon Count, the Forestry for Maine Birds Song Meter Project, and the Fish Lead Free Initiative. Tracy is passionate about promoting nature literacy, community science, and conservation. Early in her career, she coordinated place-based environmental education programs that empowered schools in the mid-Atlantic region to protect local aquatic resources.

<p>Dr. Jennifer Page is the Director of Education for the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership in mid-coastal Maine. In her current role, she helps to design and deliver innovative science education programs that involve students in community-focused, applied research, and other projects deeply rooted in a sense of place. For half of the year, Jenn facilitates this work on Hurricane Island itself: a 125-acre, off-the-grid island where students are immersed in the natural world.

<p>Leslie Parra is off on her new adventure as outreach program manager for Save the Redwoods League. She is excited to help connect diverse populations to redwood and sequoia forests. Leslie has garnered significant recognition for her outstanding leadership in environmental education, STEM education, diversity, equity, and inclusion work over the past 12 years.&nbsp; In 2012, Leslie created Nature Connection, a science (conservation) enrichment program supporting a diverse group of students with multicultural and international perspectives in the San Francisco-Bay Area.

<p>Amaris Alanis Ribeiro is the Center Director of the North Park Village Nature Center in the Chicago Park District. The North Park Village Nature Center, a public facility with 46 acres of nature preserve, is open 7 days a week and provides year-round programs that serve more than 50,000 yearly visitors. Amaris has over fifteen years of experience in environmental science education, coordinating community engagement strategies, and developing STEM-equity programs at museums, botanic gardens, and nonprofits.

<p>Bijoy Goswami has been a sustainable development professional for the last 13&nbsp;years, with special emphasis on capacity building, coordinating and building relationships with various stakeholders, linking to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), water and sanitation, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood promotion. As an ee360 Fellow, he conceptualizes and designs capacity-building programs for a number of stakeholders in these areas.

<p>Erin Saunders is the Education Programs Director at Thorne Nature Experience. Erin leads community environmental education programming with a staff of 14 in Boulder County that serves more than 12,000 youth each year. Thorne believes that ALL children should have the opportunity to connect to nature and has been the backbone organization in a collective impact project reaching an additional 10,000 participants each year and providing more than $400,000 in scholarships annually to low-income families.

<p>Anita Singh is a program manager and youth educator with Keep Growing Detroit (KGD), a garden resources organization supporting 1500 gardens across Detroit. Anita builds and manages KGD&rsquo;s Youth Leadership Program and Summer Youth Apprentice Program, and develops the capacity of gardens and youth-serving organizations working in the food system. She also works to build the capacity of young people to affect change in the food system.

<p>Emily Cobar is the Community Program Manager at Los Angeles Audubon Society, a nonprofit organization that focuses on wildlife conservation through research, education, recreation, and habitat restoration. Emily leads many environmental education programs for varying audiences from inner-city elementary school students to high school students to community college students. She enjoys teaching about the natural history of Los Angeles, including topics such as water conservation, plant communities, urban wildlife, geology, and more.

<p>Aurelio Giannitti is the Education Director of the Ward Museum at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. The Ward Museum&#39;s education department provides preK-12 environmental education for thousands of local public, private, and homeschool students on Maryland&#39;s Eastern Shore. Aurelio places particular emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches, integrating environmental science, and STEM with the fine arts, social sciences, and language arts &ndash; through multi-subject field trip lessons to a student art show with an annual environmental theme.

<p>Sandra was born and raised in the Bay Area and is a first-generation Guatemalan American. Her parents immigrated to the United States after the devastating Guatemalan earthquake of 1976. Having found a welcoming community of friends and family in the Bay, her family settled in to establish a home in San Mateo.

<p>James Gibson is Chief Executive of the BLAKE, an organization that delivers environmental education and leadership development opportunities for young New Zealanders, primarily using experiential learning techniques. Prior to joining BLAKE, James was General Manager, Partnerships & Communication at Sport NZ, responsible for managing Sport NZ&rsquo;s relationship with the sports sector, as well as their brand, communications, and partner capability work. He also led the development of their women in sport strategy.

<p>A former secondary science teacher and the 2015 EcoRise Teacher of the Year, Abby Randall is committed to inspiring teachers to ignite passion in a new generation of green leaders. Abby was born in London, England, raised in Hingham, Massachusetts, and spent the last decade in Austin, Texas, teaching and designing curricula for a wide variety of K–12 science courses and alternative education programs. Abby holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Trinity College and an M.S.

<p>Rabin Kadariya has been a Conservation Officer in the National Trust for Nature Conservation, Nepal since 2009. He has led population monitoring of endangered wildlife; human-wildlife conflict assessment; anti-poaching and anti-gun campaigns; conservation awareness; youth mobilization; and human-wildlife conflict minimization programs in Bardia National Park and surrounding areas.

<p>Parker Gassett is a graduate student of ecology and marine policy at the University of Maine in Orono. His research and practice focus on partnership development for coastal environmental governance. With this interdisciplinary lens, he combines a foundation of ecological sciences with principles of community leadership and societal decision-making processes in his work. In the Northeast, demographic transitions and climate changes are leading to emergent challenges and opportunities for coastal sustainability.

<p>Elizabeth brings 20 years of professional experience in and outside the classroom to the 2018 ee360 Fellowship cohort. She started her career in Wildlife Biology working on the Spotted Owl Demographic Study and Sensitive Endemic Plant Species Project in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. She taught Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science in various schools both public and private, urban and suburban.

<p>Sarah Johnson is the founder of Wild Rose Education, an innovative environmental education business providing place-based, learner-centered educator workshop, youth leadership programming and environmental education consulting. Sarah earned her Master of Arts in Education: Natural Science and Environmental Education from Hamline University.

<p>Renee Strnad is the Environmental Educator for Extension Forestry, housed in the<br />College of Natural Resources at NC State University.&nbsp; She is the state coordinator for Project Learning Tree, has responsibilities for 4-H natural resource<br />programming statewide, and is a North Carolina Certified Environmental Educator.&nbsp;</p><p>She has served on the board of Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC), the state&rsquo;s NAAEE affiliate, and continues to serve on various committees for the organization, as well as the NAAEE Aff

<p>Michele Archie leads Harbinger Consulting&rsquo;s public deliberation, economic analysis, and Geotourism work.

<p>Xin Yu aka "Fish" is Youth Engagement Director of The Nature Conservancy, China,&nbsp;responsible for strategic development and implementation of environmental education in China by collaborating with EE experts, education entrepreneurs, schoolmasters, educators, and officials, etc. He and his team are currently adapting TNC&rsquo;s E-STEM course for adoption and application with Chinese context and aiming to reach one million students.

<p>Ryan Pemberton is a Science Education Specialist with the Asombro Institute for Science Education in Las Cruces, NM. Since moving to New Mexico and working for the Asombro Institute, he has&nbsp;been an integral part of developing several K-12 programs that focus on connecting what students learn in the classroom to the Chihuahua Desert that surrounds them and spreading the message of environmental education to students all over southern New Mexico. Asombro&rsquo;s engaging place-based education programs annually serve over 22,000 students.

<p>Nina Suzuki is the Waterway Steward at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) Arboretum and Public Garden. She is responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of the Arboretum Waterway, which is currently undergoing a <a href="https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/waterway">major transformation</a>. Nina has more than 13 years of experience in outdoor environmental education, with students in high school through college, as well as local community members.

<p>Lily Jonsek is a Park Naturalist for Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation in northwest Louisiana. She earned her master&rsquo;s degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Her professional background is eclectic, spanning bioremediation research, cancer research, data management for a national education website with 30 million visitors annually and many years in environmental education.

<p>Suzanne Major is an anthropologist and early childhood educator. She received her Ph. D. in 2015, with mention of excellence, in Anthropology of Early Childhood Education from the University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She also has a master&rsquo;s degree in Child Studies which was obtained in 2004 at Concordia University, in Montreal, Canada. She has worked 12 years as Director for the Early Childhood Studies Program of the University of Montreal&rsquo;s Faculty of Permanent Education. She has been a teacher in the program for 19 years.

<p>Justin Reeves Meyer, PhD, is a research associate at Lifelong Learning Group, at the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio. He also teaches graphic communication and urban design for the city and regional planning program at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on the connection between arts/cultural institutions and neighborhoods.

<p>Kristie Wagner is a middle/high school science teacher near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After 6 years in the classroom, she is now focusing on raising her two sons, and teaching them everything she can about their world and environment.

<p>Michael Cruse is a secondary school resource teacher at the Arlington Career Center, in Arlington, VA, where he also serves on the superintendent&#39;s environmental sustainability committee.&nbsp; He has worked with committee members to develop a school-based sustainability liaison program, supporting teacher-liaisons&#39; capacity to address environmental projects with students.</p><p>At the Career Center, he initiated a closed loop compost system for the culinary arts program, where culinary students are composting their scraps and growing herbs and micro

<p>Maggie Allen is an Education Specialist at NOAA&#39;s Office of Education, contracted through TechGlobal. Beginning her role in the office as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, she now coordinates grant and partnership programs, such as a network of 27 aquariums, that work to build a more environmentally literate society. Maggie has a B.A.

<p>Genie is a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with NOAA&#39;s Office of Education. As a Knauss Fellow, Genie&nbsp;works to advance NOAA&#39;s mission of science, service, and stewardship through education, and helps to&nbsp;coordinate a nation-wide Environmental Literacy Program which provides grant funding for science&nbsp;education projects that seek to increase community resilience to environmental hazards.

<p>I have a BA in philosophy and history of science and mathematics and a MS in marine science. For over 20 years my work has focused on building ocean literacy, environmental literacy, and science literacy among K-12 and informal education audiences through grants and other partnerships.</p>

<p>Jeannine Montgomery is an Education and Outreach Coordinator for NOAA&rsquo;s Office of Education and manages the Outreach Center in Silver Spring, MD.&nbsp; &nbsp;Prior to joining NOAA, she had the privilege of working as a Park Ranger - Interpreter at Yellowstone National Park for fifteen years, and as Chief of Interpretation and Heritage Resources at Fort Harrison State Park, Indiana for ten years. Jeannine holds a BS in Geology, and a BS in Biology and Geography Education.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Christos was born in Athens, Greece. He has a B.Sc. degree in Biology and an MS in&nbsp;Oceanography. He joined NOAA in 1997 as a Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellow and spent&nbsp;the first five years with the GLOBE Program, an international partnership in science and&nbsp;education. While in GLOBE, he conducted over 40 environmental education training&nbsp;workshops in 18 countries.

<p>John McLaughlin is a Program Officer with NOAA&#39;s Environmental Literacy Program. He also serves as a&nbsp;Citizen Science Coordinator for&nbsp;the agency.&nbsp;Prior to coming to NOAA he worked for the&nbsp;GLOBE Program where he trained educators around the world in collecting and analyzing environmental measurements.&nbsp;John enjoys measuring and reporting precipitation and observing clouds and contrails.</p>

<p>Jaime works on the Bay Watershed Education and Training Program and Environmental&nbsp;Literacy Program teams, both NOAA environmental education grant programs.&nbsp;Previously, Jaime worked for the EPA with the Trash Free Waters and Ocean Dumping&nbsp;Programs. She has a Master in Environmental Management from Duke University and a&nbsp;Bachelor in Marine Science from Boston University. Her background is in marine and&nbsp;coastal conservation, with a particular emphasis on marine mammals.</p>

<p>Bronwen coordinates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) B-WET program, a competitive grant program based at the NOAA Office of Education that funds outdoor experiential environmental education in schools throughout the United States. Bronwen came to NOAA in 2008 as a Sea Grant Knauss Fellow. She holds an MS in marine resource management from Oregon State University and BA in biology from New College of Florida.&nbsp; Before joining NOAA, Bronwen spent two years as a U.S.

<p><strong>Charissa V. Jones</strong> <em>(she/her/hers)</em> is the Outreach and Inclusion Coordinator for the <a href="https://outdoorschool.oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service Outdoor School Program</a> and a third-year doctoral student at Oregon State University in the College of Education’s STEM Education program. She is a cultural and community connector with over 15 years of experience in outdoor and environmental education.

<p>Billy Bennett is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC). Before his appointment, he was the Director of the Center for Environmental Education and part-time faculty in the College of Education at Eastern Kentucky University.&nbsp;Currently he also serves as vice-president of the Kentucky Society of Natural History. Billy also served as the Chair and Vice-chair of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) and the Kentucky College and University Partnership for Environmental Education (KCUPEE).

<p>Elizabeth Schmitz is the Environmental and Sustainability Education Program Manager in Science, Environment, and Sustainability/Learning and Teaching at Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. In this role, she supports administration of Washington&rsquo;s $10 million climate science professional development Proviso, ClimeTime. She oversees implementation of the Washington Green Ribbon Schools program, the Washington Environmental and Sustainability K-12 Learning Standards, and the Washington Environmental and Sustainability Literacy Plan.

<p>I am a recent graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor&#39;s degree in Biology. Currently, I am an NAAEE Fellow based in Washington D.C. and I&#39;m excited to expand my knowledge on the world of Environmental Education. In my time at VCU, I was involved in local sustainability movements, such as Kick The Straw and as a panel facilitator for a Before The Flood documentary showing. My goal is to one day contribute to the environmental field through education so I am looking forward to my journey here at NAAEE!&nbsp;</p>