People

Abbey Matre is a Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Educator with University of Illinois Extension serving Cook County. Her work focuses on environmental education, conservation outreach, and connecting communities with local natural resources through programs related to habitat restoration, water conservation, and climate resilience. She is passionate about helping people build meaningful connections with the natural world and turn education into action in their communities.

I work as an interpreter in several parks in Sonoma County, incl. at Pond Farm Pottery, a National Historic Landmark, Armstrong Redwoods, and at the Sonoma Coast State Park beaches. While working with school-age students, my greatest joy is seeing them lose all sense of time and self-consciousness in exploring their surroundings. I aim to create memories that create understanding, curiosity and appreciation for a place, no matter whether it's a cultural landmark, a harbor seal pup, the grassland or a sprouting redwood tree.

I am an environmental science student at The Ohio State University. I am interested in using this degree to be able to explore environmental and outdoor education paths. I am also working to get an environmental education certificate to become more experienced in the field of environmental education. I am the president of Society for Ecological Restoration at OSU, an SENR student ambassador, and a student instructional assistant for the course biology and Identification of woody forest plants which all help gain leadership skills. 

I am an educator and the Executive Director of the Maine Environmental Education Association. I am a cofounder of the Maine Environmental Changemakers Network and serve as a member of the NAAEE Affiliate Advisory.

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.