People

Carrie earned her B.A. in both Environmental Studies and Spanish, a dual major she explored hands-on while studying in the cloud forests of Ecuador. After attending Indiana University to complete her Masters in Public Affairs, with concentrations in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management, she took on the role of Environmental Educator with the City of Bloomington. Here she connected with community members of all ages, teaching about habitats, sustainability practices, and conservation efforts. 

As an established marketing professional and award-winning public speaker, Carrie brings a variety of skills to NAAEE. Hailing most recently from the private sector, she is versed in planning complex marketing strategies for such names as REI, Icelandair, NPR, and The Weather Channel. A thought-leader in her industry, Carrie has developed and delivered training and audits to hundreds of participants, and prides herself on empowering those around her to excellence. She enthusiastically joins the NAAEE team to combine her creative innovation with her passion for environmental justice and education. 

Carrie has spent her life in the Midwest and currently resides in the rolling hills of southern Indiana. Outside work, Carrie serves on the Bloomington Environmental Commission and takes every opportunity to go hiking with her wife and two rescue pups.

Hello,

My name is Cole and I've been working in the Madison school district for about 10 years.

I am a non traditional student pursuing a degree in Teacher Education. 

Busy mom of four great kids who is a para by day and a student by night. When I'm not shaping young minds, I enjoy fishing, gardening, hiking, and hanging out with my family and friends.

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.