People

My name is Christy and I live in Marquette Michigan with my husband and my dog. I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, exploring, camping, paddling and trail running. I also enjoy working in my yard to create native habitiat with native wlldflowers and grassses. I also love to travel and go to live music events.  I love to read and collect books. I enjoy historical fiction, thrillers, mysteries, fantasy and some autobiographies. I am a plant lover and fill my house with them. 

I am an environmental educator with 10 years of experience in childhood development and elementary education. A former gym teacher, kindergarten science teacher, and instructional coach, Milan's broad array of experience helps inform her understanding of how to best serve our community.

Dedicated educator with passion empowering students .

I am an elementary educator that loves the outdoors.

I am the Director of America Adapts Media and host of America Adapts – The Climate Change Podcast. I previously worked on climate adaptation issues with the National Park Service, FL Fish and Wildlife Commission and in Queensland Australia. I'm dedicated to highlighting the issue of adaptation.

I am from the mountains of northern California. I am married to my high school sweetheart, have 3 children and 5 dogs. I went back to school for another BS but in Evironmental Science so I could better understand my photographic subjects. My journey started in medicine and the military. For over 21 years, I listened to the most human forms of vulnerability. Now, I listen to the wild, with a camera, with stillness, and with purpose.

Emily earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from Ball State University and went on to teach first grade in Indianapolis, IN. At that time, the lack of widely accessible environmental education in urban areas led her away from formal education and into the field of informal science education at Lincoln Park Zoo. She worked on developing inquiry-based science curriculum for the zoo’s Conservation Camp program and later found her niche as the Early Childhood and Family Programs Coordinator.

Emily’s knowledge of nature education and developmentally appropriate practice allowed her to drive early childhood programming to the forefront of education offerings at Lincoln Park Zoo. Her work primarily focused on highlighting the importance of early experiences with the natural world and the long-term positive impact of these experiences. In an effort to break down barriers and create more diverse and accessible programming, Emily worked to expand the zoo’s offerings to a broader audience. Her progress on this goal is exemplified most notably through a partnership with Chicago Park District, the addition of an early childhood volunteer position, and the design and implementation of several nature play spaces.

In service to the greater AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) community, Emily served as a Nature Play Leader, where she supported other early childhood environmental educators by sharing resources, professional development opportunities, and leading discussions around important topics. Her experience advocating for early childhood environmental education led her to NAAEE and Natural Start Alliance as the Communications and Conference Coordinator. She is excited to continue the important work of Natural Start Alliance and explore new ways to support and engage the Alliance’s amazing community of members.

Emily is based in Chicago, IL.

Jimena Cuenca supports NAAEE's digital presence, helping maintain and improve our websites like eePRO so that it serves as a welcoming and useful space for environmental educators. Jimena brings a deep curiosity about how online communities grow, connect, and collaborate. She enjoys learning new digital tools and is always looking to make our web spaces more engaging. When not at work, she's walking her huskies and birding.