People

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.

I am an eighth grade science teacher who loves to learn and have new experiences for the fun of it! 

Christina Koch is my profile icon.

Natalie Hafer is a veteran science teacher with 18 years of experience teaching 6th grade life science.  She also helps to coordinate her buildings Watershed Day each school year and runs the science club.

I'm Mac! I'm currently working at a school where I get to teach kids about environmental topics from composting to gardening. My K-5 kids learn how to properly dispose of food waste, the benefits of composting, and how this applies to our hands-on work in the garden. 

Educator | Author | Publisher | Entrepreneur | Non-profit Leader | Systems Thinker 

Victoria is passionate about transformational change in schools. Serving as the environmental education and service-learning consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Victoria works with educators and organizations to increase capacity for equitable, authentic learning experiences through meaningful place-based education. She co-founded FIELD Edventures, a non-profit dedicated to taking learning outdoors and designed and led a project-based, environmental middle school.

I am a documentary filmmaker and home gardener who has been volunteering at the North Carolina Botanical Garden for more than ten years.

I have a long history as a contract-based environmental educator with Allegheny Land Trust and currently manage school and education partner relationships, outreach program coordination, and internal material supplies for the organization. Before accepting a full-time postition with Allegheny Land Trust, I worked as an Environmental Educator at Powdermill Nature Reserve. I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators and I'm the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club’s Photography Chair. 

Undergraduate student at NCSU pursuing a minor in Environmental Education. Currently working with Triangle Land Conservancy, assisting in running their Pathways Into Natural Environments and Sciences (PINES) Program. 

Jimena Cuenca supports NAAEE's digital presence, helping maintain and improve our websites like eePRO so that it serves as a welcoming and useful space for environmental educators. Jimena brings a deep curiosity about how online communities grow, connect, and collaborate. She enjoys learning new digital tools and is always looking to make our web spaces more engaging. When not at work, she's walking her huskies and birding.

Combining a Master's degree in Environmental Science and twenty years teaching students in nature-filled schoolyards, my current work with Green Schoolyards America includes curating and developing outdoor lessons for the living schoolyard, whether it is a schoolyard forest, vegetable garden, or native habitat. We are working to inspire and support systems change to transform asphalt-covered schoolgrounds into living schoolyards so that all children have daily access to nature on their school grounds - to learn, to play, and for their health and well-being.

Stacie joined the NAAEE team in April 2020. She has worked in or alongside the education field for over two decades and in communications for more than 15 years. She started her career teaching at a public charter high school in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining NAAEE, she managed communications for Annenberg Learner, a leading national nonprofit that connects K–12 and college educators with classroom content and professional development to support and strengthen their practice. She holds an M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies from American University, and a B.A. in Modern Languages and Linguistics and Certificate in Secondary Education from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She also completed a Certificate in Social Impact Storytelling at Georgetown University. Throughout her career, she has been committed to bringing exceptional educational opportunities to underserved areas and educating to promote civic engagement.

Jill Rich is an educator and director of the Center for Environmental Studies and Sustainability at Varina High School in Henrico County, Virginia. With extensive experience in curriculum development, GIS instruction, and project-based learning, she leads innovative, sustainability-focused programs that connect students with real-world environmental challenges. She coordinates capstone projects, field experiences, and community partnerships, preparing students to apply geospatial thinking in meaningful and impactful ways.

Bug Hartsock is a graduating Master's student in an Entomology lab. When he's not staring at small critters, he spends his time reading, making art, and going on hikes (as well as playing plenty of Dungeons & Dragons). Bug is passionate about scientific outreach and communication, creating zines and comics designed to make science accessible to everyone. He's also spoken at conferences, on public radio, and at a variety of school outreach events. It's his hope to encourage the rest of the world to fall a little bit more in love with its tiny, many-legged residents.

I am Morgan Henson, STEM Science Specialist for Suffolk Public Schools with over 15 years of experience in elementary education. Prior to my current role, I taught fourth and fifth grade and served as a grade-level lead, mentor teacher, and STEM facilitator. I am passionate about supporting high-quality science instruction, developing standards-aligned curriculum resources, and helping teachers create engaging, inquiry-based learning experiences for students. I have also served on multiple Virginia Department of Education science committees, including item review and standard-setting work for the Science SOL assessments.

Dr. Yue Li is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Education in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on AI integration into environmental education, professional development for environmental educators, environmental action, and community engagement. She collaborates with scholars across disciplines to conduct interdisciplinary research in both online and face-to-face settings and across cultural contexts.