People

Hi everyone! My name is Abby, and I use she/her/siya pronouns. I am a proactive and mission-driven aspiring environmental educator. I'm deeply passionate about community care and promoting sustainability, with experience in community outreach and education, and have a strong understanding of the importance of diversity in shaping effective policies and programs. My goal is to inspire the younger generation while continuously learning and applying environmental best practices to ensure equity for all.

Founded in 2011, Bow Seat is the world's largest environmental youth program for the creative arts. We provide an innovative space for youth to connect, create, and communicate for our blue planet. Working at the intersection of ocean science and arts education, our award-winning Ocean Awareness Contest emphasizes creative thinking and making in exploring the natural world. Through art exhibitions, publications, and scholarships, Bow Seat uplifts diverse youth voices to advance dialogue and participation in environmental conservation. We empower young thinkers and creators to be active and empathetic global citizens, starting in their local communities and watersheds.

Brittany Petish is the creator of the True Heart Tails series, award-winning children’s books inspired by real wildlife rescue and rehabilitation stories. Through gentle storytelling, accurate natural science, and social-emotional learning, her books help young readers understand animal behavior, ecosystems, and compassionate coexistence with wildlife. Brittany collaborates with wildlife centers, educators, and conservation organizations to develop stories and educator guides that support environmental literacy in classrooms and communities.

Long-time outdoor and environmental educator, conservation educator, and sustainable agriculture educator, and naturalist/natural & cultural history interpreter, now getting back into the field.

Ecological Steward for Earth and Human Systems. First-Generation-to-College. Resource-Connector. Youth and Young Adult Mentor. Believer and Doer. Philadelphia Program Manager with the Student Conservation Association. 2025 NAAEE CEE-Change Fellow. 

Kendra Liddicoat, Ph.D. is a professor of environmental education in the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She has worked at camps and residential outdoor environmental education centers across the U.S. and conducts research on impacts of environmental education programs, design of inclusive outdoor settings, and eco-anxiety in college students. 

Lara Maupin is Executive Director of the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, where she leads an organization dedicated to connecting people with nature and the arts through environmental education, conservation, and community engagement. Throughout her career, she has worked to expand access to high-quality, hands-on learning experiences, build strategic partnerships, strengthen nonprofit organizations, and inspire lifelong curiosity about the natural world. Her professional experience spans environmental education, STEM education, nonprofit leadership, civics education, fundraising, and organizational development, with a focus on creating meaningful educational experiences that serve learners of all ages.