People

I am a nature and environmental educator who loves teaching people of all ages about the natural world and our place in it. I am a big fan of hands-on and interactive education.

I am a nonprofit leader with a deep commitment to conservation, education, and cross-sector collaboration. My career has been dedicated to designing and leading programs that inspire stewardship, strengthen partnerships, and create measurable impact. With a background in environmental education, interpretation, and organizational leadership, I have built and scaled initiatives that connect people to landscapes, cultures, and conservation efforts in meaningful ways.

As Chief Program Officer at Yellowstone Forever, I oversee education, Tribal engagement, and park project initiatives that bridge organizations, align priorities, and maximize impact. My work is centered on strategic program development, data-driven evaluation, and fostering collaboration between public agencies, Tribal Nations, and nonprofit partners. Whether developing innovative learning experiences, securing funding for mission-driven projects, or leading multi-organization initiatives, I strive to ensure that conservation efforts remain inclusive, sustainable, and effective for future generations.

Earth Day Initiative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the mainstream public into the environmental movement. We operate a year-round sustainability education program, a green-buildings publication, and a climate communications podcast.  

Grace joined the NAAEE team in September 2021 and works as an Event and Executive Coordinator. She was raised in western Massachusetts where she developed a deep appreciation and love for the surrounding environment. Grace began her journey in Washington, DC by attending American University, where she earned both her BA and MPA in 5 years. She studied a combination of environmental studies, public health, public administration, and nonprofit management. She comes to NAAEE with a background in programming for youth development, education, and in-person and online farmers markets.

Hi, 

I am a middle school science teacher in Wisconsin and a master's student studying Natural Science Environmental Education. I am hoping to learn some new strategies to get our students more engaged and excited about our natural world.  Some of my favorite outdoor activities include hiking, kayaking, camping, and bird-watching.  

I'm currently based in Milwaukee working on urban environmental education and celebrating biodiversity with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. I am an environmental educator working with the next generation of conservationists.

I am a current senior undergraduate student majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Education at Binghamton University. I have experience in environmental education in adolescents and children, in the form of working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at their Conservation Education Summer Camps. 

Kimi Waite's research and professional praxis is situated in the intersections of environmental education, geography, critical pedagogy, and social studies. She is passionate about inspiring and leading PK-12 students and teachers to take local action for global environmental change.

Emily Schaller's appreciation of the natural world started during her childhood in Connecticut playing in the mud with her brother, hiking in the woods with her dad, and picking flowers and berries with her mom. She was a dedicated Girl Scout for 10 years, which helped instill in her a love of exploration and a sense of civic responsibility. 

She pursued her interest in connecting people to the natural world and inspiring action to sustain it by earning her MS in Ecological Leadership and Education from the Audubon Expedition Institute of Lesley University. This unique program included 3 semesters of living and learning outdoors while traveling across different bioregions of North America in a retrofitted school bus. This transformational experience provided her with a deeper knowledge of herself as well as the role she could play in building connections between people, their communities, and their place. 

She has since developed and delivered a variety of environmental education experiences for all ages at Naturebridge Yosemite, Teton Science Schools, and the University of Michigan's Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER). Emily currently supports professional learning programs offered through Shelburne Farms' Institute for Sustainable Schools, focusing on education for sustainability, climate education, and food systems education.

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 passionate about learning and passing on the things that I learn. I greatly enjoy science, but mainly environmental sciences. I majored in biology and am interested in pursuing a career inenvironmentall education. I'd very much like to focus on animal perhaps doing educational programs at zoos or something similar. It definitely took a while to realize that this is something that I wanted to do. I started off wanting to pursue veterinary medicine or wildlife rehabilitation. Later, I thought a more husbandry-focused career was for me, or maybe animal training. Eventually, through my current internship and the responsibilities I was given in that internship, I realized that I really enjoyed talking to others about the knowledge I learned and facilitating experiences for others that were not just fun but educational as well. This really came as a surprise since I've always considered myself not the best people person or an introvert, but luckily, I was able to get out of my comfort zone and realize my potential.

12 years in environmental education with a degree in Marine Biology. 

My name is Weiru Chang and I was born in Fujian Province, China. My family immigrated to America when I was 10. I earned my BS in Cell Biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign and my Ph.D. (cell, genetics, and developmental biology) from University of Washington and University of Minnesota. I have been a community college Biology Faculty for over 20 years at Minneapolis Community and Technical College and Estrella Mountain Community College.  I teach anatomy and physiology and general biology.