People

Hi, my name is Eric. I'm a curiosity-driven, efficiency-minded individual with a decade of experience working as a child educator in various capacities, including one-on-one tutoring, overseeing afterschool programs, providing game and arts and crafts to underserved communities, to now educating the visitors of the nature center I work at all about California flora, fauna, sciences, natural history, and local indigenous cultures.

I am passionate about bringing quality educational programs to students who visit Glenstone Museum. I help to develop the programming for students who come to learn about art, architecture, and nature. 

I have been based on the Eastern Shore of Virginia since 2010 providing public interpretation and environmental education programs to tourists and local community members. I love working among our pristine barrier islands and salt marshes and taking people out in these areas to learn more about the plants and animals that call them home. Our education program currently focuses on providing Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences for 5th, 7th, and 10th grade students as well as professional development for all teachers from Accomack and Northampton Counties.

Kayla Soren is a Co-Founder of the International Student Environmental Coalition (ISEC), an organization that engages 30 countries and thousands of youth in environmental activism.

Elena is currently the Director of Conservation Education and Leadership Development at the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, where one of the programs she manages is Project WILD. Elena was an EE Specialist for NAAEE supporting the state capacity building program, Guidelines for Community Engagement, and Community Climate Change. Prior to coming to NAAEE, Elena was the Program Manager for National Geographic’s Chesapeake Bay FieldScope program and the co-lead staff for Maryland's Partnership for Children in Nature at Maryland DNR. With a B.S. in Natural Resource Management (Environmental Education concentration) from the University of Michigan, Elena has had the privilege of working with Dr. Bill Stapp, who has profoundly influenced her life and career. Additionally, she has an M.A. in Science Education from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University. In her spare time, Elena enjoys playing taiko and dancing hula.