People

Executive Director of the Missouri Environmental Education Association. A longtime youth gardening educator and outdoor education advocate, who believes that teaching systems thinking is key to tackling our myriad, complex, and intertwined environmental and social issues....and knows that environmental education is the perfect avenue for developing that kind of understanding!

Aneesa Jamal is a CEE-Change Fellow with the NAAEE. She has been involved with innovative work in school education for the past 14 years. She currently heads Cogitation Club, an after school program for middle & high school students. Aneesa was the Head of Al Qamar Academy, a progressive micro-school in Chennai, India for over 10 years.  Aneesa holds micro-credentials from Cornell University & National Geographic for teaching climate change, urban environmental education & geo-inquiry.  She has extensive experience in teaching creative writing and has co-mentored children in authoring storybooks on nature and environmental issues. . An alumna of Smith College, USA & an MBA from the University of Washington, she is currently pursuing her PhD in Education in Malaysia.

The Okayama ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) Promotion Commission is the network of various stakeholders, including universities, civic organizations, businesses and local governments in Okayama area in Japan. Since its establishment in 2005, it has been collaborating to make ESD a community-driven initiative in the area with the aim of establishing a community in which people learn, think and act together toward the realization of a sustainable society.

Founded in 2011, Bow Seat is the world's largest environmental youth program for the creative arts. We provide an innovative space for youth to connect, create, and communicate for our blue planet. Working at the intersection of ocean science and arts education, our award-winning Ocean Awareness Contest emphasizes creative thinking and making in exploring the natural world. Through art exhibitions, publications, and scholarships, Bow Seat uplifts diverse youth voices to advance dialogue and participation in environmental conservation. We empower young thinkers and creators to be active and empathetic global citizens, starting in their local communities and watersheds.

Hi! My name is Will Vest, and I have been working in environmental education and interpretation for the last few years. I am passionate about alternative and sustainable life styles, and love learning in that field. I have experience working on local farms, national parks, adventure courses, as well as in primary education. I also am an avid bird watcher since intering at the Great Smoky Mountains in 2021!

I currently work to support leadership and best practices at nature centers throughout North America. In my role with the Association of Nature Center Administrators, I create and share content about the issues that nature centers face, and how they can overcome their challenges.