People

Being raised on a Pennsylvania farm near Lake Erie, Rhonda developed a deep connection to land and water. She earned a BS and MEd from Penn State University and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction with an environmental focus from UNC Wilmington, where she now teaches. Rhonda is also a freelance environmental journalist in the Wilmington, NC coastal region. Her work has appeared in Black Warrior Review, American Submariner, Coastal Review, storySouth, among others. A former Brauer Fellow, she was a semifinalist for North Carolina Literary Review’s 2024 Alex Albright CNF Prize. She is working on a memoir exploring brain injury and the healing power of trees. With five grown children, Rhonda, her beloved, and their dog savor sunrise beach walks.

Environmental scientist, educator, course designer, trainer and mentor.

I received my Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Sciences from NC State University with a focal area in Behavioral Ecology and a minor in Zoology. I have a passion for conservation of biodiversity, particularly through ctiizen science and public involvement. I have been involved in environmental education for the past four years. 

A Tropical Rainforest educator for 15 years, after 5 visits to Neo Tropical Rainforests, I decided to commission a  new book; A Tropical Rainforest Primer. The book is based on the outline of the one hour presentations that I gave to thousands of school students of all grade levels.

A Tropical Rainforest Primer is available on Amazon presently, and will be on other major platforms soon. An essential book for most environmental science curricula that include the study of Tropical Rainforests. 

Sarah Barrow- Program Manager: 

Sarah lives in Hollis, NH with her family, and many animals. Sarah has been an educator for over 20 years, sharing her love of art and nature in every experience. Sarah is the Program Manager for Beaver Brook, where she enjoys engaging with the community and creating enriching experiences for children and families. She loves animals, hiking, sketching wildlife, and collecting inspiration from the great outdoors. Sarah holds a degree in Fine Arts from Alfred University and a master's degree from Wheelock College in the field of child development. 

Mountain Watershed Association began its life around a kitchen table. The organization was founded in 1994 to oppose an underground coal mine proposal in the Indian Creek Watershed in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania. MWA’s input and organized opposition resulted in the denial of the permit. MWA’s board of directors and dedicated community members realized that to restore the watershed to a viable community, they would have to address the legacy of more than 150 years of extraction and disinvestment in our rural Appalachian region. Since then, MWA has restored more than 70 percent of the Indian Creek Watershed and prevented countless sources of additional pollution in the broader Youghiogheny River Watershed. The organization has expanded to eleven full-time employees, a 17-person volunteer Board of Directors, and more than 2500 members and supporters.

With about 30 years in public education  I have a good amount of experience in different areas including Career and Technical, Speical Education, and Social Studies.  I've coached some soccer (used to play too) and raised funds for United Cerebral Palsy with a Wheelchair Basketball game.  I've been married for like 75 years now. I have two kids, and two dogs. I am a Master Watershed Steward, Master Well Owner Network volunteer, a 4H volunteer, and recently started training to be part of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).  Someday I hope to be retired and grow garlic and cut firewood. 

With over 20 years of experience as an outdoor educator and a background in Environmental Education and Conservation Biology, I’ve taught in diverse settings—from U.S. nature programs to cheetah conservation work in Kenya. In 2019, I founded the National Outdoor Learning Alliance (NOLA) in Boise, Idaho, where I serve as executive director. Through programs like EverWild Forest School, NOLA empowers children to thrive through place-based outdoor education. I'm also a speaker, business coach, and passionate advocate for equitable access to nature.