People

Terri Gorman is the Pearl Homes and Pearl Neighborhoods Coordinator for Lynnhaven River Now who works with residents and communities on incorporating earth-friendly practices in and outside their homes that impact our waterways and nature. Terri is a Virginia Wesleyan University graduate who completed her liberal arts degree in Sociology and Studio Arts.  Born in the Appalachian Mountains and raised in a rural town in Connecticut, Terri has made Virginia Beach her home for the past 30 years where she enjoys the beauty of Virginia Beach natural areas. She credits her father for teaching her to respect and protect nature and the environment. In her spare time Terri can be found creating art or walking her dog Coco along the Virginia Beach waterways.

Being a lover of children and the outdoors brought me to becoming a business owner of an early childhood school in 2004.  The journey went from childcare to being Reggio-inspired and then being Natue Based.  Connecting with other nature-inspired educators with the No Child Left Inside mission. We were inspired by Richard Louv's Last Child In the Woods and started moving past our fenced-in yard to visit state land behind our school. In 2014 I visited the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy—so much formation of our journey. Our school has gone through a transformation from our outdoor classrooms to weekly nature walks visiting the pond and Highland Recreation Area year around.  Creating an environment where teachers and children thrive spending most of the day outdoors learning in a "Wonderful" environment to grow, play, and learn. 

What Would Leslie Knope Do?

Hi!  My name is Gail Westcot and I am the Director at the Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center which is located on 3,300 acres of forestland in Guyton, GA.  The Center is a part of the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.  I conduct natural resurce educational programs for prek - 12th grade students and teachers as well as college students, adults, and members of the general public.  I am passionate about getting students outside to experience forests, wildlife, soil, and water resources in order to teach them about their natural environemnt and provide safe, positive experences in oudoor settings.