People

Heidi McAllister currently serves as the Assistant Director of Conservation Education at the U.S. Forest Service. Her background includes a wide variety of national and international experience in environmental education. She is the recipient of the 2006 Renewable Natural Resources Foundation’s Sustained Achievement Award, which recognizes Heidi’s contribution of more than 25 years to the teaching of environmental education and the sustainable management of natural resources. Heidi holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Education and Outdoor Leadership from Hampshire College. Heidi is a published author in two languages and three countries. One of her books is used by the Ministry of Education in Mexico as a text for 35,000 students per year.

Heidi began her career working for the United States Peace Corps and the Paraguayan Ministry of Education where she co-developed a national environmental education program for elementary schools, implemented in-service training and university classes, and served as a consultant to train Peace Corps volunteers and teachers. Heidi also lived in Mexico for over a decade, where she developed educational activities and materials on the monarch butterfly, education and recreation plans for a forest experimental station, and designed in-service training courses and curricula for the Secretariat of Education. Heidi also served as the environment specialist for the Europe, Mediterranean, and Asia Region of the Peace Corps where she managed an international portfolio and provided technical oversight to about 100 programming and management staff in more than 20 countries with the main mission of strengthening environmental education programming in these countries. Her leadership strengthened programming and training in countries such as Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Philippines, Romania, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Heidi also trained host country professionals in the environment and education fields. As the sole environmental education specialist at Peace Corps headquarters, she served as a specialized resource in this field to countries around the globe. 

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Judy Braus brings to her role as NAAEE Executive Director a wealth of experience in the environmental education profession, with a focus on conservation education, diversity and inclusion, and using the power of education to help create healthier communities that empower local communities, stakeholders, and individuals to help restore and protect the environment. She comes to NAAEE from the National Audubon Society, where she was the Senior Vice President of Education and Centers, overseeing an extensive nationwide network of nature centers and educators. Prior to that, she led the education programs at World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the U.S. Peace Corps, and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

Liz Train is a co-coordinator of the Audubon at Home Program for Fairfax County and is also an Audubon at Home Ambassador. Liz is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist (Fairfax Chapter) and a certified Virginia Extension Master Gardener (Fairfax- Green Spring Gardens Unit).  She is an active volunteer in northern Virginia, supporting numerous educational and stewardship programs for Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax County Public Schools, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and the annual USGS Breeding Bird Survey.  Liz leads two Virginia Master Naturalist training cohorts annually as co-chair of the training committee for the Fairfax Master Naturalists and additionally actively participates in the annual training of Extension Master Gardeners.

Liz’s motivation to be involved in environmental work is grounded in her belief that we all play a critical role in mitigating the effects of climate change, that no measure is too small, and understanding the basic principles of what it takes to create a healthy habitat for wildlife is an important tool for every homeowner.  Improving our Chesapeake Bay watershed water, soil and air quality and increasing biodiversity are central to the work Liz does.  Liz resides in Fairfax County.

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.

My name is Hannah Benge. i am orginally from Charlotte NC, but i moved to Taylorsville NC.i have always had a deep appreciation for nature and spending time outdoors. This passion has insprired me to dive in deeper into enviromental education, as i am eager to learn more about how we can protect and preservw our natural surroundings. 

Kara Sayles is an Upper Elementary Lead Teacher at Redwood Cooperative School. Kara studied Environmental Technology at Bluegrass Community College and obtained a BA from Evergreen State College, focusing on Sustainable Agriculture and Ecological Design. Kara was an Environmental Educator at Bluegrass Greensource for 15 years before teaching at Redwood, where she taught environmental literacy programs to students across Central Kentucky.