People

Over the last two decades I have participated in ventures spanning geographic and cultural boundaries across design, engineering, health, education, and international development fields.

As Co-Founder of Up4 The Challenge, a non-profit organization that promotes STEM (science technology engineering and math) as a means to achieve positive social and environmental impact in the community, I co-create and deliver hands-on programming for youth.

My priorities are to create opportunities for social change through a human-centred approach to design and innovation

I am an aspiring environmental educator with a strong interest in sustainability, native plants, and the traditional and practical uses of plants and herbs. I am passionate about connecting people with the natural world through accessible, hands-on education and hope to help others better understand the ecosystems and natural resources within their own communities.

Claire Sutton has been fostering connections between students and the natural world since 2010.

Sara B Sweetman, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Education in the College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and directs the Guiding Education in Math and Science Network (GEMS-Net), a school-university partnership focused continual improvement in STEM teaching and learning. Beginning in the Fall of 2024, Sara will lead the new Environmental Education degree program at URI. Sara is an advisor for children’s media development and productions, including the CBP-PBS Ready to Learn Initiative and Sesame Street. Sara’s research interests focus on educational animation and children's media, gender diverse collaboration in STEM, and multimodal engagement for learning.

I am the Adopt-A-Stream Director for the state of Mississippi. I am also the Chairman for the MS Environmental Education Alliance (MEEA)

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.