People

I work at Prince George's County Public Schools as an Environmental Literacy Outreach Teacher! I coordinate Green Schools and environmental education programs throughout the school system!

Jeff first discovered the joy of teaching as a camp counselor, where he saw how curiosity, play, and meaningful relationships help children grow in confidence and connection. That experience inspired him to pursue a master’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and a career devoted to creating learning communities where children and families can thrive. During graduate school, Jeff was deeply influenced by Dr. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences and the idea that every person learns differently. It shaped his approach to teaching, encouraging him to ask questions, observe, and adapt his methods to honor each learner’s unique strengths and ways of understanding the world. His graduate thesis focused on developing an intergenerational learning and care center grounded in the belief that people of all ages flourish when they learn alongside one another, exchanging wisdom, stories, and experiences across generations.

Preethi Mony is a specialist in the field of environmental education, program evaluation and grants and has a wide range of experience from developing resource matierials, conducting programs with children and adults, as well as evaluating programs and grant reporting.

Growing up in the busy metropolis of Mumbai, she quickly recognized the importance of the social aspects of conservation in protecting the natural world. She has worked with organizations in India and the US to help with environmental education program planning and resource development. She has over 20 years of experience working with zoos and museums to evaluate programs and exhibits and recommend strategies to improve the overall visitor experience. Over the last 2 years, she has worked at a local community college to support grant work (federal, state, and private) as well as to inform data driven decision making in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. She brings all of these experiences to her current role of EE Grant and Program Manager at NAAEE.

Preethi holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University. She earned her M.S. in interdisciplinary Ecology from the University of Florida, and a B.Sc. in Life Sciences from the University of Mumbai, India.

Bora Simmons serves as the founding director of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education. The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) initiated the Project in 1993 to help educators develop and deliver effective environmental education programs. The Project has drawn on the insights of literally thousands of educators across the United States and around the world to craft guidelines for top-quality environmental education.

My name is Geneva or Neva for short. I have five years working with children who have experienced domestic violence as a volunteer with Safe Alliance. My passion is watching them learn resiliency through interactions with each other and the world around them. My goal is to teach children life skills gained from learning how to use the environment around them. 

Amy Neblett is a life long educator and has always had a love for nature.  Amy moved from Austin, Minnesota (the hometown of SPAM) to Galveston Island to attend Texas A&M at Galveston and earned a BS in Marine Biology.  Upon graduation, she moved to Singapore where she worked with the Singapore Environment Council writing nature curriculum and leading tours of the rainforest preserve.

Amy began her classroom teaching in Pearland and then in Galveston at Ball High and Trinity Episcopal School.  She taught 6^th -12^th grade sciences for 20 years.  In 2023, Amy made the leap from Artist Boat volunteer to Operations Director over the education programing and Coastal Heritage Preserve.

Amy enjoys birding, hiking, snorkeling and fishing near our island and around the world with her husband and daughter.  She encourages you to go outside and observe your surroundings today. You may just see a new bird for your life list!

Emilia Perez is a former Civil Engineer turned Environmental Education Researcher. She cares deeply about equity and tranforming education systems to work better for all. 

Favour Eragbie is a leading global environmentalist who is driven by the principle that you can only protect what you know about. She strongly advocates for climate education, climate justice and youth development.

I have been in the field of environmental education and interpretation for 18+ years for various state, federal and local agencies as well as non-profits. I currently work for the City of Indianapolis Parks Department at Garfield Conservatory. I was a naturalist educator for 9 years, before becoming the assistant manager, now going on about 3 years. We host field trips and public programs throughout the year and engage with the public daily. My education specialities include: native plants; ethnobotany; our food systems as it relates to plants and the peoples producing them; gardening and birds. Although, I love all aspects of environmental education and interpretation to a degree. I was recently on the board of our local Audubon Chapter, but now I have joined the Environmental Education Association of Indiana as a member of it's board. My goal on the board is to help bring about professional development opportunities for formal and non-formal environmental and science educators in Indiana.

I am going into my ninth year of teaching at the elementary level. I have previously taught first, fourth and fifth grade. Now I will be teaching third grade. 

I am the founder and lead educator of NC Nature School, a nonprofit outdoor learning community in North Carolina. As a certified herbalist and environmental educator, I am passionate about helping people cultivate lifelong relationships with nature through immersive, place-based learning. I am a descendant of the Southern Sierra Miwok and Mono Lake Paiute peoples, and my work is guided by the values of stewardship, reciprocity, curiosity, and belonging. I believe every child deserves a childhood rooted in nature, wonder, and connection.