People

Find portfolio at: https://7yorks.wixsite.com/joshuayork

Executive Director of the Missouri Environmental Education Association. A longtime youth gardening educator and outdoor education advocate, who believes that teaching systems thinking is key to tackling our myriad, complex, and intertwined environmental and social issues....and knows that environmental education is the perfect avenue for developing that kind of understanding!

My name is Kristen Sturgeon, I grew up in New Jersey but have been calling Florida my home for the past 15 years. I have been working in the natural resource field for the last five years, but have always had a pull towards water resources as well. I enjoy being outdoors and visiting new areas all around Florida with my family. I have a goal to visit every state park in Florida! 

My name is Jillian, and I am a special education teacher. This is my fourth year teaching in an inclusion setting, and I truly enjoy helping students succeed. A fun fact about me is that my favorite animal is the hammerhead shark!

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. 

My name is Megan Dettle, I'm at Preschool Lead Teacher at Nature School at Camp Albemarle.  I will start my fourth year as a lead teacher this fall, 2026. I teach two class of mixed ages ranging 3-5 years of age. We are an all weather outdoor preschool located on the sound in Newport, NC. Our outdoor classroom, 25 acres, and the sound provide an amazing backdrop to learn and explore. 

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.