Dorna Schroeter grew up exploring the woods, streams, and ponds around her home. In college, she discovered outdoor education and knew she had found her calling.

Between undergraduate and graduate school, Dorna served as an official for Biathlon at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Among her many amazing experiences during those two weeks, Dorna was chosen to march in the opening ceremonies to represent the biathlon officials.

Upon completing her master's, she became coordinator of the Center for Environmental Education at Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES. During her 37 years at BOCES, Dorna created many amazing programs to introduce young people to the natural world and their place in it. Her favorite was the marine ecology program she ran several times a year in the Florida Keys.  Two of her expertise are in Sustainability and Biomimicry. Her K-12 sustainability programs were popular in the local schools, and she has organized and led many teacher workshops.  

In the mid-90’s, she was part of a team that developed a regional K-12 sustainability education curriculum.  She co-founded the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation and developed both student and teacher programs to support this effort. She continues to teach student biomimicry programs and offer teacher trainings.

Dorna is a member of the Biomimicry Institute’s International Leadership Team, an advisor to their Educator’s Network (BEN), and a judge for their Youth Design Challenge. In 2019, the team she co-coached in her hometown of Rhinebeck, NY, won the middle school division of the YDC.

Dorna served as an advisor to the Omega Institute’s Center for Sustainable Living for the planning of their Drawdown Learn conference, is serving as an educational advisor to Lynne Cherry’s Young Voices for the Planet Foundation, and planned and co-chaired the first two YESS! Youth Climate Summits, held at the Ashokan Center in February.

In summer 2020, Dorna, along with 5 other partners, including the Omega Institute, established the Center for Sustainability and Climate Education at Dutchess County BOCES.

Since retiring, Dorna has focused on using the power of stories to inspire curiosity and a sense of wonder for our natural world. Her first two stories, "The Story of Velcro" and "The Story of Eco-Machines," introduced young readers to the fascinating world of biomimicry. We Are One: A User’s Guide for Young Earthlings was released in January 2026. Her next book, Because of a Storm, will follow. All her books can be found at http://www.inspiredbynaturebooks.com. Her recent books are available on Amazon.