People

I am a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Tennesse - Knoxville. I earned my PhD in STEM Education from Texas Tech University. Community engaged scholarship is my passion, having worked with organizations such as Girl Scouts and National Audubon Society before becoming a classroom science teacher. My current research interests are:

• culturally responsive -sustaining practices
• science education
• garden-based education
• informal - formal education partnerships
• K-12 science teacher development

Breah Sovegjarto is an educator and educational researcher in the zoo and aquarium industry, based in Ontario, Canada. Breah leads a team of zoo educators who deliver over 1,000 hours of conservation-focused programs annually. She designs programs and lesson plans that align zoo conservation messaging with the Ontario curriculum in addition to conducting research on the impact of zoo education programs.

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.

Laureanna brings energy-related activities to teachers across her home state through KEEP - Wisconsin's K-12 Energy Education program. She has a background in elementary and environmental education, and in her free time she writes picture books, hikes, plays board and card games, and dreams of places in the world that she'll visit next.

I am the Watershed Educator at the Watershed Agricultural Council. I teach New Yorkers about the forest-filtered source of their drinking water and help formal and non formal educators teach about fresh water, watersheds, forestry and the NYC water supply system.

I am a Park Ranger for Grandfather Mountain State Park. I graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Biology - Ecology, Evolution & Environmental Sciences. I specialize in ornithology, dendrology, and wildflower ID at the park, where I am the lead interpretation and education ranger. 

Nayiri Haroutunian is Program Director at EarthGen, an environmental education nonprofit. She creates programs and develops curricula to help support students to take environmental action in their school communities. She has a MS in Natural Resources & Environment from Michigan.

My name is Jack Kirsten Wolfman and I am currently a student at CU Boulder in my 4th year. I am passionate about taking care of the environment by contributing to local conservation projects and educating my friends and family about how they might work to better take care of their communitiesa and the enironments around them.

Gustavo grew up in Southeastern Brazil, inspired by nature on his grandparents’ farm. His passion for nature motivated him to become a field biologist and led him to a career path in academic research and higher education. Gustavo dedicated over 15 years to help college students connect their curiosity about nature to science, guiding them through the transformative path of critical thinking. He believes that such transformation, however, should not be restricted to colleges, but accessible to everyone.

In 2018, Gustavo chose Connecticut to be his new home, and non-formal science education and outreach to be his new career. He currently serves on the Board of the NAAEE affiliate in Connecticut (CT Outdoor & Environmental Education Association) and has been supporting outdoor education as the perfect format to stimulate kids’ and adults’ curiosity about nature and connect them to science.

In 2020, Gustavo joined the Neighborhood Leadership Program from the Community Foundation for the Greater New Haven. Inspired by the stories and actions of so many community leaders, Gustavo decided to found the Science Yourself initiative as a way to celebrate, connect, and support professionals and community members that value science literacy, critical thinking, and science-based programs in the Greater New Haven area and across Connecticut.